Kalmadi in a fix, Cong says let him reply
Leaving beleaguered Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi in the lurch, the Congress on Tuesday defended Union urban development minister S. Jaipal Reddy, Union sports minister M.S. Gill and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in connection with the alleged corruption charges by giving them a clean chit.
Replying to a question on Mr Kalmadi, who is also a Congress MP, AICC spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said, “Suresh Kalmadi is there not as a Congress representative but as the chairman of the Indian Olympic Associa-tion... serious charges have been levelled against the Organising Committee... As chairman of the committee, he will reply to them.”
Mr Ahmed, however, defended Mr Reddy and Mr Gill, who are looking after Games-related projects, by saying that “their integrity cannot be doubted”. Similarly, he said the Delhi chief minister too has nothing to hide. But the AICC spokesperson was quick to add that if something wrong has happened in CWG-related activities, the law would take its own course.
Asked whether he could give a similar clean chit to Mr Kalmadi, Mr Ahmed said, “I am not defending Mr Kalmadi. He is not there as a Congress representative... Who am I to give a clean chit to him?”
Asked about allegations of materials being purchased for the Games at exorbitant rates, the AICC spokesperson said, “Of course, the price mentioned by you makes it look unrealistic, but it is for the OC to explain these things.” On the allegations of corruption in the Games, Mr Ahmed said, “Let us wait for some time... Of course, there would be an inquiry by some agency or the other.”
Dismissing suggestions that the allegations have marred the Congress’ image, Mr Ahmed said, “The CWG OC has members from other parties, including the BJP, as well.” Moreover, maintaining that the Games are being organised in India for the first time and that any obstruction to it would bring the country a bad name, Mr Ahmed stressed that this did not mean that people would be allowed to “go scot-free”.
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