Our records open for everyone: Dikshit on CWG probe

NEW DELHI - Maintaining that Rs.3,753 crore was spent on Commonwealth Games-related projects and Rs.11,077 crore on the city’s infrastructure, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday criticised the BJP for dragging the Delhi government into the Games irregularities and said its records are open to all probe agencies.

Replying to a discussion on the Commonwealth Games in the Delhi Assembly on the first day of the winter session of the assembly, Dikshit also rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s demand for setting up a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in the Oct 3-14 Games by the Delhi government. She said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) besides the Shunglu Committee were enough to look into the matter. She also said the demand was politically motivated.

While welcoming the probe, she said though the government was “clean and clear” in the matter, anyone found guilty will not be spared.

“Come any probe agencies — CVC, CAG, Enforcement Directorate or CBI — we are ready for everybody. But at the same time I promise that whosoever will be found guilty will not be spared,” she said.

The discussion on the Games took place in the state assembly in the absence of the BJP legislators, who were marshalled out by Speaker Yoganand Shastri after the House was adjourned twice — for 20 minutes and then 25 minutes — following their demand for a house committee probe.

Noting that the BJP did not want any fruitful discussion on the matter, she wondered why the principal opposition looked only at the bad things and never looked at the good things.

Dikshit also targeted Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra, asking why he was silent while being in the Organising Committee and Indian Olympics Association and did not raise objections during the period.

“What was his role? If there was corruption at that time, why did he remain silent,” she asked.

The chief minister, speaking on expenditure, said the total cost was Rs.14,830 crore. Out of that, Rs.2,800 crore was received as central assistance and an amount of Rs.546 crore was received as central assistance under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Rural Mission (JNNURM) scheme.

She said the city government was able to meet all expenditure because of its better tax collection measures and added that many projects were taken during the time of the Games that should have otherwise been undertaken some 5-10 years later.

“But we took the projects for development and in a way saved money as taking the same project some 10 years later would have cost the government extra,” she added.

Dikshit also said it was teamwork that led to the success of the Games, but at the same time argued that the Delhi Development Authority was not cooperative during the period of preparations.