G20 summit: New Delhi spends 'modest' Rs 4,100 crore on two-day affair

Although as many as 200 pre-summit meetings have been held in 50 different cities during the last one year, with the sherpas meeting at five-star resorts to thrash out differences, there has been little or no information on how much the poorest G20 nation, which is the host this time, has spent on hosting the summit.

The only information in the public domain until now was the union budget in February, which revealed an allocation of Rs 980 crore to the ministry of external affairs to meet preparatory expenses. Allocations were made in the previous union budgets as well. It was also known that Rs 2,400 crore was sanctioned in 2017 for the plush new convention centre, Bharat Mandapam, where the summit is being held.

An Indian Express report, however, is the first publicly available estimate, quoting officials, of the scale of the expenses. A CAG report five years down the line may end up questioning some of the expenses, but that will be poor consolation for the poor workers and slum dwellers of Delhi whose shanties were demolished overnight.

They were told that important ‘foreigners’ were coming and hence they must make some sacrifices for the guests and the ‘prestige’ of the country. There is, of course, no answer to the poignant question of one of the displaced. "If so much money is being spent on welcoming foreigners, couldn’t some money be spared to rehabilitate us?" she had asked, with neither anger nor hope. A sense of resignation comes easily to Indians, especially the poor.

Even as New Delhi gears up for the summit by shutting down most of the city for the next three days, people have begun to question the extravagance and the kitsch on display.

The sparkling silver cutlery with the state insignia embossed on them, which will be used to serve the guests, has drawn particular attention. It is an insult, some have said, while others have wryly commented that the late Saddam Hussein would have been pleased. A few others are outraged at the ‘over-the-top’ display and pomp more befitting nawabs and maharajas rolling out the red carpet for a visiting Queen Victoria.

A few snide commenters wondered if the vulgar exhibition reflects a colonial mindset, reading reports about the summit and watching Indian TV coverage give the impression of one big, happy family coming together to celebrate.

A few observant people have rightly described it as the big, fat Indian wedding with Prime Minister Modi as the groom, whose beaming face stares down at people from literally thousands of posters, hoardings and LED displays. Queen Victoria too would have been happy if 10,000 posters with her imperial visage had been plastered across the capital, one guesses.

The serious business of the summit, forging consensus among countries on the most pressing issues facing the world, is forgotten as Air Force skydivers to unfurl a G20 banner, a video of which shot by another skydiver has been filed no doubt as proof to claim reimbursements. Was it needed? Who cares as long as some people make some money, right?

By shutting down taxis, gig workers, eateries etc "in a small part of New Delhi", as an advertisement by Delhi Police reassured people, the government has effectively stopped thousands of people from earning their livelihood. The daily wagers will be giving up their income of three days for the prestige of the country.

Monuments in Delhi are shining and have been lit up like never before. Goggle-eyed selfie freaks are flocking to them to take photographs and post them on social media. Hey babe, see I am here. The Qutb Minar looks like Burj Khalifa. But only ungrateful historians and a diehard Delhi walla like William Dalrymple are heard lamenting, “Oh dear: why, oh why can't India's spectacular monuments have a proper, well-trained conservation agency with a decent budget looking after them, rather than undergoing a rush job every time there is some splashy international gathering? Delhi monuments caught in G20 makeover rush—Lodi Garden to Mehrauli, it’s more like vandalism”.