Loot Games

Preparations for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in New Delhi in two months, have turned out to be arrangements for private wealth gains with increasingly murky revelations coming out every day about corruption, incompetence and delays. The revelations not only point to dubious deals between the organisers and providers of equipment and services but also show the resort to lies, misrepresentation and brazenness on the part of the Games’ Organising Committee in defence of its actions. It was bad enough that treadmills that cost only Rs 4 lakh were being taken on a rent of about Rs 10 lakh for 45 days. It is worse when middlemen pocket huge sums for arranging their supply. Surely there must be a huge commission that reaches the decision-makers too. A London firm with unacceptable credentials was engaged on a high remuneration on dubious considerations. Organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi defended the deal on the ground that the firm was recommended by the Indian High Commission in London. The high commission has denied the claim and it has now come to light that the e-mail produced by Kalmadi to support his claim was fabricated. Fraud and forgery, to boot.

This takes the scandal to Kalmadi’s door. Two members of the Organising Committee are being dropped and a three-member committee is investigating the charges of irregularities. The Central Vigilance Commission and the CBI are also probing various charges. But it is clear that Kalmadi was in full charge of the corrupt and criminal activities all these years. It is hard to believe that he did not know about them or was not involved in them. If he was unaware he is unfit to hold the position he holds. Either way he should not continue at the helm and should be made to pay for his lapses of commission and omission. Sports minister M S Gill and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit must also be made answerable.

The Prime Minister’s Office has intervened in the matter now. Things would not have reached this shameful pass if it had acted when the first reports of irregularities, delays and tardy construction had surfaced last year. It may still not be too late to throw out the present organisers and get things organised under a new leadership. The image of the country is set to suffer badly if it presents a mismanaged and disgraceful show to the world in October.