Maken blames NDA govt on Kalmadi

“The original bid document had provided for a government appointee as the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Organizing Committee,with the Vice Chairman being the IOA President. However,the bid document was inexplicably changed to delete the words government appointee in respect of the Chairman,” Maken told the Lok Sabha in a suo motu statement amid disruptions from Opposition members. The bid document was submitted during May 2003 when NDA was in power. This was followed by Indian Olympics Association electing Suresh Kalmadi as the chairman of the Organizing Committee.

He also pointed that it was during the NDA regime that the Host City Contract was signed in November 2003 and faulted the NDA regime for the Government of India signing it in place of Delhi Government as is the usual international practice.

Maken claimed that the decision of the NDA regime converted host city contract into a “Host Country Contract” that took away “any residual,amending or discretionary powers,that could have been exercised in emergent situations to salvage any wrong doings” at a later date from the government of India.

“The Government of India,consequently,became jointly and separately responsible for all commitments,including without limitation,financial commitment relating to the organization and staging of the Games,” Maken said.

The Sports Minister,however,acknowledged the “concerns” raised by Parliament over allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the organisation of the Games and informed the steps taken by the government to deal with those issues. In this context,he pointed out the constitution of Shunglu Committee and the investigations by CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

“The CBI has already registered 11 cases against 45 officials/entities,” Maken said,underlining the probe by CVC and CAG in the conduct of the CWG.