Innocence lost

Other night, Shreya, 13 year old grand-daughter called Ajoba on the mobile: IPL mein fixing hota hai? she asked. A minute silence. Ajoba, she yelled. Ajoba alive. 'Yes', he said. 'Why didnt you tell me,' she asked. 'Bala, you will lose all interest in cricket,' Ajoba replied. 'Paisa deke na?' she asked. Yes, Ajoba outlined fixing. Bare facts, no details, no names taken. Shreya: 'Ajoba, football mein nahin hota hai na?' Shreya is a hollering Messi fan. Ajoba: 'Bala, sab sports fixed hai.' 'Tho kya karun,' came back Shreya, refusing to break off. 'Sports khelo, maja karo, aur dekho,' said Ajoba disappointed an Innocence has snapped. Did not want to tell her corporates have made all sports sick. Fast cash is sports and the best way to touch fast cash is fix with the aid of sports associations and sports commentators. They are all in it together for their good. Soup it with flag waving for ATMs to spew cash. Not for sports. Is there anything called sports with alphabets of sportsman spirit. A big word for being just decent or fair. Winning and losing make any sports. Sure. But not when its all done before a game starts or an athlete takes the blocs. Cricket, football, athletics, tennis, weight lifting....Sad Shreya will be a cynic like venal Ajoba. Asifa Bano was not even quarter that lucky. Perhaps, she might have played with horses while grazing. Or felt the wind in her hair, bird songs in her ears, mountains in her eyes and laughs, a few, somewhere. She may not have known IPL or a mobile, being too poor. A dry roti and dal would have been her seven course meal. Today we have denied her that. Simple. Rape, kill, misplace her tomb, tomb for an 8 year old. Her innocence knifed. Is India worth it. Its boasts worth it. Its humans worth it. Bye, Asifa Bano.