New Delhi: Slamming the UPA for various "irregularities" in preparations for the Commonwealth Games, the Opposition on Monday demanded setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee or a CBI probe into the scam, a charge rubbished by the Congress.
Kirti Azad (BJP), who initiated the debate in Lok Sabha on situation arising out of delay in preparation for Commonwealth Games, referred to the recommendations of the Central Vigilance Commission and said several government departments have been charged with irregularities.
He criticised various departments for cost escalations to the tune of 513 per cent.
Azad said despite setting up of an empowered committee on January 29, 2005 to oversee the preparations, several irregularities have come to the notice.
"Is the committee ignorant of the corruption or has it preferred to turn a blind eye...who is responsible?" he asked.
Azad said then Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh had chaired a Group of Ministers which decided that an apex committee under the Sports Minister would oversee preparations for the games and would be kept informed of major decisions taken on the international sporting event.
Sports Minister M S Gill, who was present, was described by Azad as 'Dronacharya'.
Amid peals of laughter, the BJP member referred to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as 'Kripacharya' and the Delhi government as 'Gandhari'. He also described the group of secretaries for game preparation headed by the Cabinet Secretary as 'Shakuni'.
He said said while a new cricket stadium in Nagpur cost Rs 90 crore, renovation of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium was carried out at Rs 961 crore. He wondered whether gold, silver and diamonds have been used for renovation.
Azad invited "adarniya (respected) Japial Uncle" (Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy) to Nagpur to have a look at the new stadium. "I will take you there if the government does not sponsor your tour," he said. PTI
