Home Ministry denies sending internal mail to PMO on CWG security
By ANIThursday, September 23, 2010
New Delhi, Sept.23 (ANI): The Union Home Ministry on Thursday denied sending an internal mail to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that said it would not take responsibility if any untoward incident takes place in the Commonwealth Games Village or other games venues because these venues had not been handed over to security agencies on time.
In a statement, the ministry said the report is “totally baseless and incorrect.”
“No such mail has been sent by the Union Home Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office,” the statement further said.
The statement of denial was issued in response to an earlier ANI report, which now stands withdrawn.
Earlier in the day, Chidambaram reviewed security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games with Union Home Secretary G. K Pillai, Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S Dadwal and representatives of the Organising Committee.
Taking note of the delays, Chidamabaram set certain timelines for the Organising Committee and other authorities to complete the works.
The Delhi Police informed the Home Minister that once the venues are handed over to the Delhi Police, full security will be provided and there need not be any concern about security.
Chidamabaram directed that the minutes of the meeting be forwarded to the Organising Committee and others by this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has called the Sports Minister, M S Gill, and the Union Urban Development Minister, S. Jaipal Reddy, for a meeting this evening to discuss and assess current preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
Dr.Singh has called the meeting in the wake of mounting international criticism of the country’s preparedness to hold the event beginning on October 3.
Security concerns surrounding the Games have also been heightened in the wake of the shooting of two Taiwanese nationals travelling in a tourist bus outside the Jama Masjid in the walled city area here on Sunday.
The 12-day sporting extravaganza, which ends on October 14, is India’s biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. (ANI)
