Check PM’s car too, says England
Government rejects contingent’s demand on Games security
No one argues that there are security concerns surrounding the Commonwealth Games, considering the past incidents of terror attacks in the capital, but the English contingent has taken the security paranoia to a new, almost bizarre level.
On Saturday, it demanded that even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s car be checked while entering any Games venue, a demand that was flatly rejected by India.
“How will you feel if Prince Charles’ car is checked?” Indian officials retorted to the England Chef de Mission when he said he had seen VVIP cars enter Games venues without any security check.
“Check all cars, including that of the PM and Union ministers as they enter any stadium,”he demanded during a meeting with Indian officials, who shot down the demand, saying: “There is no question of the PM and cabinet ministers’ cars being checked.”
The England official made the demand at a meeting between representatives of participating countries and Delhi government officials, including those from the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s office and the chief minister’s office, the Delhi Police, the DDA and the Organising Committee, sources said.
As part of the security drill, it has already been decided that all VIPs, barring the likes of the prime minister and Prince Charles, would leave their vehicles at certain designated points and travel by bus to the opening ceremony venue at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium so that security cover could be more effectively provided.
Delhi police officials told the foreign delegates that only very few VIP vehicles would anyway get access to the venues as most of the VIPs and officials would travel in designated CWG vehicles only. Over a lakh security personnel are being deployed in the days to come all over the capital and they will be on duty till the games get over on October 14.
A special contingent of 175 sharpshooters separately will be tasked to shoot down any manned or unmanned aerial object that is seen to be flying without permission.
Saturday’s meeting saw rejection of another suggestion from some chefs de mission that no non-Games vehicle should be allowed to ply on the dedicated games lanes on busy Delhi streets for 17 hours a day during the Games period.
The demand was for banning non-Games vehicles from 6 am to 11 pm every day, but the government said such a move would inconvenience the public in a major way. Now, the lanes would be blocked for non-Games vehicles only when there is any movement of Games-related vehicles.
The chefs de mission were also assured that the hygiene levels at the Games village, which have come under scathing allround criticism after it was revealed that the apartments to be used by athletes and delegates were left extremely dirty, would be of “international”standards.
