Uproar in LS after BJP drags Sonia, Maken in CWG mess

On Tuesday an innuendo from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) M.P. Yashwant Sinha against the sports Minister Ajay Maken and his alleged links with former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, led a pandemonium in Lok Sabha, leading to its adjournment. In the meantime the BJP were also shouting slogans against Sonia Gandhi for her role in appointing Suresh Kalmadi as CWG organizing committee chief. While participating in a debate on the Minister's August 2 statement on the Common Wealth Games, Sinha referred to Maken being the Congress party's in-charge for Jharkhand affairs when Koda was the Chief Minister a few years ago. It was stated by the BJP leader who represents Hazaribagh in Jharkhand in Lok Sabha that, when Maken visited Ranchi during the days of Koda's Chief Ministership, he always threatened to withdraw support, but the threat was never carried out. Indicating that it was done to please the Congress leadership, Sinha stated that, Koda use to bring a bag load to the capital soon after those threats. The ruling benches were on their feet protesting the remark, no sooner had Sinha uttered these words. The ruling party members including some ministers such as Ambika Soni, Harish Rawat and V. Narayanasamy, said that the BJP M.P. was alleging corruption and asked the chair to direct him to withdraw the remarks. However, Sinha stood in his ground and noted that his comments were within parliamentary norms and that he had made no allegation. It was also ruled by the chair that the BJP M.P's remarks were not an allegation. But the Congress, particularly Maken, was displeased and the Minister threw his earphones to display his anger. He had to be pacified by his congress colleagues.

The parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar, intervening in the matter, wanted Sinha to withdraw his remarks noting that in the heat of the debate certain words were used and by withdrawing them the senior BJP leader's stature would not diminish. But it was refused by Sinha to heed his request. The chair adjourned the house first for half an hour as the high decibal level continued. Similar scenes were witnessed when the house reassembled, leading to the chair adjourning it for the day.

 News By, SM

CWG: Govt. protects Sheila Dikshit to guard PM?

Making it clear that there is no need for her to resign; the Congress has strongly backed Sheila Dikshit, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday set up a GoM headed by A.K. Antony to look into the findings of Shunglu Commission on the Common Wealth Games irregularities.

The climax is likely to turn out to be different, though it's a tale of two Chief Ministers.  According to the Congress sources, it was a mistake to ask Ahok Chavan to step down in the wake of the Adarash scam and said that the mistake would not be repeated. Therefore it is clear that even after the Opposition pressed for resignation over the CWG charges, Sheila Dikshit would remain as the Delhi Chief Minister.  The Congress General Secretary, Janardhan Dwivedi stated that Sheila Dikshit has not committed such a big crime that she needs to be punished. The confidence to pass the buck was given to Sheila Dikshit by the party's backing. Dikshit said that there were reasons behind hiking the budget. And according to her the point of view must be justified before the concerned agencies.

How the CAG report on Common Wealth Games would be played out in the PAC headed by Murli Manohar Joshi will be watched out by the Government. But according to the sources, in shielding Sheila Dikshit, the Congress is actually protecting the Prime Minister, as PMO too has been indicated in the report. Any action against the Delhi Chief Minister would mean the expectation of a similar action against the PMO. BJP President Nitin Gadkari said that the BJP is not the one to give up and Sheila Dikshit has no right to continue on moral ground and should resign immediately.

Thus the BJP is determined not to give up on Sheila Dikshit, while the Congress has dug its heel in.

 New By, SM

CWG: CAG blames PMO and CMO

The country's top editor has pointed out massive wastage of public money in organizing of the October 2010 Common Wealth Games, blaming the loss on poor governance and planning right from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to the office of the Chief Minister of Delhi.

In its audit report made to the public on Friday, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has suggested that mismanagement has started from the PMO, which couldn't ensure sufficient control over the organisation of the extravaganza and money spent.

The CAG government blamed Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's government for ineffective planning and lack of integrated perspective in preparing for the Games that resulted in triggered unwarranted delays.

The CAG report states that in the model of governance adopted for CWG-2010, authority was degenerated. The accountability was diffused and unity of command was not followed.

In response to the questions asked by the reporters, she assured that when the CAG report goes to the PAC, in accordance with the well-established practice, the departments which has to come before the PAC will assure their presence and will see to it that they will answer properly to the questions being asked to them and they will give their full co-operation.

The CAG concludes that the inexplicable delays in decision making put pressure on time lines and thereby created an artificial or consciously created sense of urgency.

The report also states that since the target date was removable, such delays could only be overcome by seeking, and liberally granting, waivers to lay down government procedures, which would have been an intended objective.

News Reported by AR