Shut up and let the show go on
This is a strange World Cup, happening in the middle of the European domestic season, in a country so small that it barely shows up on the map. And then, they have the temerity to ban beer in the stadium. 3 hours without beer while watching the best players on the planet? Kill me now!
One of the issues that has dominated coverage and threatens to overshadow the football is that of migrant labour. The Guardian estimates that over 6,500 migrant workers, mostly from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, have died in Qatar. The New York Times article on Nepalis in Qatar is shocking. Heck, even Eric Dier has spoken up.
FIFA’s response to this is a combination of whataboutery, absurdity and some not-so-subtle hints to back off, shut up and watch the football. FIFA president Gianni Infantino pushed back hard, playing his ‘I am Jesus, crucify me but let the show go on’ card in an utterly bizarre monologue that will probably come back to haunt him for years.
While the western media may not be willing to let go just yet, this whole thing is largely a non-issue in India. There’s barely any coverage of the migrant worker issue in Indian mainstream media. Which is sad considering so many Indian migrants are suffering in Qatar. Indians are generally immune to news around mistreatment of labour, discrimination and other human indignities overseas because we have so much of all of that going on in our own backyards. If we don’t care about this locally, fat chance we will worry about some of our countrymen in Qatar.
The general public in India has zero visibility on the seriousness of this situation, and frankly don’t give a damn. If anything, many folks think that these migrant workers willingly went there, earn more than the average Indian back home, are able to repatriate some savings to dependants in India, and so what’s the big deal here? 10 in a room? Suck it up - at least you have a room to live in.
There’s also no major consternation and action at the government level. The Middle East is a major trading partner and India depends significantly on that region for our energy requirements. Therefore, there is very little motivation to rock that dhow.
Gianni Infantino and his pals at FIFA must be very happy with India. We are doing exactly what he is asking the world to do - ignore the atrocities, focus on the football. Kolkata is ready for the World Cup and Kerala is Argentina for the next month.
Rich Indians are flocking to Qatar to watch the spectacle, and even if India will not have a team that can participate in the World Cup for the next few editions, Indians will be hyper-enthusiastic participants in the Greatest Show on Earth(TM).