Aiyar hopes Delhi CWG fail,calls patrons ‘evil’

Aiyar,who appeared to make a doomsday prophecy on the success of the October 3-14 games going by the state of preparedness,also said today that anyone who is patronising the Games cannot be anything but “evil”.

Aiyar’s outspoken comments which could stoke a controversy came on a cloudy day with rain showers lashing many parts of the Capital causing problems to Games’ preparations.

“I am delighted in a way because rains are causing difficulties for the Commonwealth Games. Basically,I will be very unhappy,if the Games are successful because then they will start bringing Asian Games,Olympic Games and all these,” the former union sports minister told reporters outside Parliament House.

The remarks by Aiyar,a vocal critic of the Commonwealth games,comes at a time when the Centre,the Delhi government and the organisers are keeping their fingers crossed.

“Those who are patronising the Games can only be evil. They cannot be God,” Aiyar said.

Kalmadi hit back at former Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for his scathing criticism of the upcoming event,saying the senior Congress leader’s comments are “irresponsible” and “anti-national”.

Kalmadi,who is the Indian Olympic Games Chief and the Chief Organiser of the CWG,hit back at Aiyar saying had he continued to remain the Sports Minister the new stadia in the Capital for the games would not have come up. Aiyar,who has been locked in a vocal spat with Kalmadi before over the CWG,was replaced by M S Gill in 2008.

“Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar,nobody can spoil the Commonwealth Games. Things are on track,stadiums have been built. If Mr Manishankar had continued to be the Sports Minister,probably we would not have seen these stadiums,” Kalmadi said.

Rubbing it on Aiyar further,Kalmadi said he would like to thank Gill that he took up the “incomplete job” and created “miracles” in helping set up world class stadia.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit backed Kalmadi to declare that the games are “not threatened” and that it will take place on time. “Everything will be ready by September,There are problems during first rains,” she said,adding “as Kalmadi said it will be the best ever Commonwealth games.”

Aiyar also said that instead of spending a whopping Rs 35,000 crore on the Games,the money should have been spent on children.

“Thousands of crores are being spent on circuses like these while the common children are being deprived of basic facilities to play,” Aiyar said,adding all “expectations” from the Games had been belied.

Congress was quick to dismiss Aiyar’s comments.

“I do not take him seriously,” Sandeep Dikshit,Congress MP and son of Sheila Dikshit said. Party spokesman Manish Tiwari did not want to join issue with Aiyar but said the games will make India proud.

Aiyar was also critical of one lakh dollars given to countries like Australia,New Zealand and Canada for India to host the games saying these nations did not need the funds which should have been spent in the country. He called the payment as bribe. “I call this bribe,even though the law might or might not.”