Sports ministry party to all CWG decisions: Kalmadi

RANCHI/NEW DELHI: Congress MP and face of the Commonwealth Games Suresh Kalmadi has cried foul over CBI heat on the Organizing Committee, insisting that Centre and Delhi government ministers and functionaries, who also had a crucial role to play in the conduct of the sporting extravaganza, must also be brought under the ambit of the probe.

CBI, Kalmadi said, was ignoring the fact that decisions were taken at various levels and this included the finance committee, finance sub-committee and the executive board with senior government of India officials.

"Not a single decision was taken at an individual level. The executive board comprised two officials of the Government of India, two officers of Delhi government, three members of Commonwealth Federation and four members of the Indian Olympic Association that included myself, Raja Randhir Singh and two others, along with four members of National Sports Federation. Everyone shares equal responsibility for each decision taken," he added.

Kalmadi also blamed the sports ministry, saying it was part of the decision-making process. "Wherever the government objected, we changed our stand. Now questions are being raised about the procurement of TSR from a particular company. The decision was taken collectively," he said.

"I would like to state that the sports ministry has been party to the decision at every step and I don't understand why only the Organizing Committee is being singled out for questioning by investigating agencies," he said.

"I stick to my demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the alleged scam because IOA comprises political leaders from all parties," the Congress MP from Pune said.

"All relevant documents have been handed over to the investigating agencies. All OC officials are ready to extend full cooperation," he said.

In New Delhi, sports minister Ajay Maken said various agencies, including the CBI and the CVC, were looking into the matter. "I would not like to comment on what Suresh Kalmadi said. We've done whatever we had to.

Investigations are going on and the results are before people. Let us wait for the investigation to get completed,"
he added.