Corruption in high places ---India's bane. ---Commonwealth games.

Games corruption will be looked into: Govt

NEW DELHI, August 9, 2010

After a pounding by the Opposition, which demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee to go into allegations of corruption in the Commonwealth Games, Government on Monday said irregularities will be inquired into “exhaustively” and the corrupt will be pursued till the “end of the earth.”

It also appealed to parties, cutting across lines, to ensure that the games are held successfully.

“We all know that the CVC and other constitutional bodies do their job, but if every primary observation is blown up to a scam then we cannot function.

“I don’t say that corruption has not taken place. No one can say that. All irregularities will be inquired into exhaustively,” said Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said in a spirited intervention during a debate on the games in Lok Sabha.

He said some people took the position that a country like India, which has a lot of poverty, should not have hosted the Commonwealth Games.

“Though I beg to differ from them, I respect their ideological position. But with only a month left, this should not be raised.”

He debunked claims of leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav that Rs one lakh core has been used for the games, saying, “We are living in some system. Such claims are made with absolute abandon. By no stretch of imagination can it be held as true. It does not speak well of our maturity.”

Spending for infrastructure

Mr. Reddy said a total of Rs 28,054 crore have been spent on the games out of which Rs 16,560 crore was given to the Delhi Government for upgrading the capital infrastructure and building of various stadia.

The BJP and other parties in the Opposition, RJD JD(U) and Left Parties, demanded a JPC into the Games spending.

Sharad Yadav of the JD(U) said, “this (management of Commonwealth Games 2010) is no longer in the hands of either Central or Delhi government.”

Mr. Yadav demanded that an inquiry should be initiated immediately into charges of corruption against the ogranising committee managing the mega event as the case would be diluted once the games are over.

RJD leader Lalu Prasad said, “each penny should be accounted for. A Parliamentary committee should be formed to inquire into the allegation.”

Kirti Azad (BJP), who initiated the debate, referred to the recommendations of the Central Vigilance Commission and said several government departments have been charged with irregularities.

He criticised various departments for cost escalations to the tune of 513 per cent.

Mr. Azad said despite setting up of an empowered committee on January 29, 2005 to oversee the preparations, several irregularities have come to the notice.

“Is the committee ignorant of the corruption or has it preferred to turn a blind eye...who is responsible?” he asked.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur demanded that a Joint Parliamentary Committee should be set to probe the charges of corruption.

Mr. Reddy said, of the total of money given to the Delhi Government, only Rs 670 crore has been spent directly on the games — that on building the stadia.

“The rest of the money has been spent on the infrastructure development of the capital, which is not directly linked to the games,” he said. (source:the hindu)

Keywords: Commonwealth Games, corruption scam