Blame game by Congress, BJP councillors on CWG graft

NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Wednesday blamed each other for the alleged corruption in Commonwealth Games projects in the wake of six civic body officials being charged with graft.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday registered a case against six MCD officials and a private firm for alleged irregularities in a street lighting project worth crores of rupees undertaken by the civic body for the Games. As directed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the CBI registered a corruption case against the MCD officials.

The MCD Standing Committee meeting saw a ruckus over the issue as the BJP-led civic body levelled corruption charges against Congress-led Delhi government, while the opposition Congress demanded a CBI probe into the involvement of BJP leaders in irregularities in CWG projects.

Raising the issue, Leader of Opposition Jai Kishan Sharma demanded the immediate suspension of the six MCD officials.

“Some BJP leaders pressurised the civic body officials to tamper with tender documents, so profit would be certain for a relative of a top leader of their party. A CBI probe into the matter is essential,” Sharma stressed.

Countering the charges, BJP councillor Vijay Prakash Pandey spoke about the diversion by the Delhi government of welfare funds meant for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Strongly objecting to this, Congress members carried placards and raised slogans demanding the immediate suspension of the six MCD officials and a CBI probe into the involvement of the BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, the BJP members also raised slogans against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

“The Standing Committee meeting, which was to discuss the action plan on dengue cases and was to come out with necessary action on important issues the common man is facing, was disrupted unnecessarily,” a senior MCD official said.

Speaking to reporters, Jai Kishan Sharma said that another two MCD Games projects are under the CVC scanner. “One is the parking facility near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the other is the road under bridge at the Prem Nagar-Sewa Nagar crossing.”

“Sub-standard construction material was used for the construction of the road under the bridge. A sample has been collected by the CVC and sent to the National Test House (NTH),” Sharma added.

Speaking to reporters, Subhash Arya, the leader of the house, said: “We are not safeguarding anyone. We welcome the enquiry, but the case shouldn’t be taken over by the CBI as it is under the control of the Congress-led government. We seek a judicial enquiry on this issue.”