Commonwealth Games critics failed to judge new India: Nasheed

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) Maldives President Mohamed
Nasheed, who witnessed opening ceremony of the Commonwealth
Games, Monday hailed the arrangements for the sporting event
and dismissed the criticism that preceded it as creation of
"old and established" media which failed to judge "new" India.
He said it was not fair to project the image of entire
Commonwealth Games(CWG) through one dirty "toilet" as some
hitches are bound to be there in preparations for any mega
event.
"They (critics) wanted to judge India, may be through
the image of India (as was) in 80s or previous generation's
idea of India. It is different India," Nasheed told PTI.
"It is difficult for some of the people especially
media, old and established, to judge India....I think it is
their difficulty to understand how India has evolved," he
said, adding some people have to "certainly understand that
new India is different. They are also going through a learning
curve."
Nasheed specifically came here to witness the opening
ceremony of the Games at the Indian capital's Jawahar Lal
Nehru stadium last night.
"It was very spectacular and very beautiful", said the
extremely impressed Maldivian President, whose country is
among 71 participants in the mega sporting event.
He expressed confidence that the Games will be as
"perfect and as good" as they would have been at any other
place in the world.
On widespread criticism in international media over
the preparations for the Games, Nasheed said there must be
reasons for perception that the CWG will not be "efficient"
but to "generally highlight the whole image of the Games with
one toilet is ludicrous. I don't think, it was responsible or
clever either."
The international media had severely criticised and
raised question over India's capability to host such an event.
"The Games will be good, of course it is going to have
some hitches here, a broken spring there and so on but by and
large I am sure the Games are going to as perfect as any games
anywhere else," the visiting President said. PTI PYK
AVT