Kalmadi welcomes government probe plans- says he is ready for all probe -17/10/2010

17/10/2010

Kalmadi welcomes government probe plans
says he is ready for all probe

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi has said he is ready to provide all support to the committee set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to probe complaints of irregularities in the Games preparations.



"The Honourable Prime Minister has appointed a committee to probe into all matters relating to the Commonwealth Games. We welcome the initiative and hope that it will be comprehensive, covering all aspects. The Organising Committee will be happy to provide all support to the panel," Kalmadi said in a statement.

After the Games concluded Thursday, the government has named a high-level committee headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V.K. Shunglu to look into the complaints of irregularities in the preparation of the Games.

Kalmadi said the athletes and officials have praised the arrangements made for them.

"The grand opening and closing ceremonies as well as the actual conduct of the sporting competition have received widespread acclaim and praise, including from athletes and team officials as well as from media at home and overseas.

"2010 Delhi would like to thank everyone concerned, especially the people of Delhi, for helping it live up to its promise of a great Games.



"The people of Delhi and India have done themselves proud as they have successfully hosted Delhi 2010, overcoming all challenges, and demonstrated to the world that the have the capacity and commitment to host major international events," he said.

Kalmadi said the OC has fulfilled its responsibility.

"The Indian Olympic Association was responsible for winning the bid to host the Games in Delhi. And the Organising Committee was given the task of delivering the opening and closing ceremonies and the sporting competitions. We have delivered the task of conducting the Games really well.

"During the run up to the Games, many concerns were expressed about India's ability to conduct the Games and ensure the security and safety of the athletes and guests. All these were cleared and the athletes and officials have left Delhi very satisfied.

"The OC wishes to acknowledge the contributions by all those involved in the preparations and delivery of the Games, especially all stakeholders.

"We owe special gratitude to the thousands of security personnel who ensured fool-proof and incident-free security arrangements, foiling any attempts to disrupt the ceremonies and the competitions."

He said Indian athletes made the country proud.

"With 101 medals from 12 sport disciplines, India's sportspersons finished higher than ever before in a Commonwealth Games and made India proud. The whole effort of organising the Games has been applauded by the Commonwealth community and summed up by the Commonwealth Games Federation President Mr. Michael Fennell that Delhi has delivered a truly exceptional Games," Kalmadi said.



Aiyar insists Games should not have been held

Congress MP and former sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, the most vocal critic of the just ended Commonwealth Games, still insists India should have never hosted the event.

But he made it clear in an interview to CNN-IBN that his criticism of the Commonwealth Games "has nothing to do with the Indian athlete.

"My criticism has to do with fundamental moral values and national pride. I asked then and I ask the question now: had Mahatma Gandhi been alive, would he have agreed to light the lamp to inaugurate this Games event? The answer is no!

"We are in a country where 47 percent of the children under five years of age suffer from malnutrition because nine out of 10 pregnant woman are suffering from anaemia. We have one of the highest infant mortality rates.

"Yet on this Games, if you take both, the relative expenditure has gone up by four times than the annual budget of the annual rural health mission.

"Is this the way we should use our resources? Secondly, if we do have such resources, why we are not deploying them and providing them sports facilities for our children?"

Aiyar pointed out that 95 percent of Indian children have no access whatsoever to any sports training. "Instead of making a nation of sports persons, we are converting ourselves of into" sports organisers.

Aiyar reiterated that he was not against sports per se -- or athletes.



"My criticism is never ever with India athletes... In this game they have won (medals) not because they are provided with special facilities as a home team.

"They won ... (despite) the incompetence of our sports officials and others connected with the organising committee."

Aiyar said he was not going to criticise anyone by name for the shoddy preparations to the Games that came in for international criticism.

The prime minister "had promised there will be a full and thorough investigation of everything, including the lapses, and the guilty will be awarded punishment.

"Now the games are over and ... (let) the promised investigations begin."

The Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games ended with Australia notching up the most number of medals, followed by India and England.

Source: IANS



Sonia Gandhi snubs Suresh Kalmadi

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday met the Indian medal winners in the Commonwealth Games but controversial Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi was not invited.

Gandhi, as also Rahul, met the medal winners who brought glory to the country in the just concluded Games.

Sports Minister M S Gill was present on the occasion as also Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent

Asked whether Kalmadi was invited for the meeting, Congress sources merely said the protocol laid down by the Prime Minister was followed by the Congress President while meeting the award winners.

The Prime Minister had invited Indian medal winners for an interaction yesterday but Kalmadi was not invited.

The Congress has made it clear that irregularities in the conduct of the Games would not be glossed over and those found guilty would be brought to book.

Kalmadi is also the Secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party and member of the Lok Sabha from Pune.

India has won a record 101 medals, including 38 gold, to finish second in the Commonwealth Games, which ended here on Thursday.



High-level probe to look into CWG corruption charges

The Government has named a high-level committee headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V.K Shunglu to examine all matters related to the conduct of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, official sources said.

The committee will present its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh within three months, the sources added.

They said that the committee will look into all matters relating to the organisation and conduct of the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games "to draw lessons from it".

The terms of reference of the committee will be announced soon, the sources added.

The Congress party had earlier said that Government agencies would look into allegations of misappropriation of funds in preparations for the Games.

Source: IANS



Kalmadi kept out of PM's meeting with medal winners

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today met the Indian medal winners in the Commonwealth Games from which Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and its members were kept out.

PMO sources said that Kalmadi was not invited for the PM's interaction with the medal winners.

Sports Minister M S Gill though was present in the interaction, the sources said.

India had won a record 101 medals, including 38 gold, to finish second in the Commonwealth Games, which ended here.

Source: PTI