Graffiti against CW Games

With slogans like ‘Pro-rich, anti-poor — Commonwealth Games suck’ and ‘Rugby nahi roti’ (Food, not rugby), the Capital seems to have found a new way to oppose the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

For more than three weeks now, bus stops and barricades near Siri Fort Sports Complex bear anti-Commonwealth Games slogans and no one knows who did it.

Badminton and squash tournaments will be held in the Siri Fort Sports Complex during the Games, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

“Two weeks back we came and saw 'Band karo ye khel' (stop the games) written with red paint at a bus stop here,” said K. Mani (49), a driver who parks his car in Anand Lok every day.

“It happened during the night. No one has any idea who is behind it.”

The residents of the area are also unhappy with the graffiti.

“Whoever has done this does not understand that the Games are a boon. They will help upgrade the infrastructure in the city,” said Neelima Sharma (37), a resident of Anand Lok.

“We were also against certain policies of the government regarding the Games but defacing public property is not the proper way to protest. The graffiti is in bad taste,” said Krishan Sharma, secretary of the Asiad Village Residents Welfare Association.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi spokesman Deep Mathur said, “Orders to remove the graffiti have been issued by the Deputy Commissioner (South Zone) and action will be taken within two to three days.”

Graffiti has been gaining popularity in Delhi for some years now and it is not for the first time that this form has been seen in the city.

“Graffiti is common here. It was previously seen in areas such as Ansal Plaza , Hauz Khas and Asiad Village. We caught a group of youngsters writing on the walls a couple of years back as well,” said Sharma.

But this is for the first time that graffiti has been used as a form of protest.

“I think it is a good way to get people to think. Every time I cross this area I feel whoever has written the slogans is right. They are 'anti progress', as one graffiti says,” said Karan Dogra, 22, a student.

“The government wants to remove the poor from the footpaths in the name of Games,” said Umesh Babu (14), who sells window blinds on the footpath.