The BJP has taken the Commonwealth Games scam to its logical political conclusion — to the doors of prime minister Manmohan Singh.
The BJP has taken the Commonwealth Games scam to its logical political conclusion — to the doors of prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Unleashing its fury against the UPA over corruption, senior BJP leaders mounted the attack in parliament on Tuesday, while the party’s youth wing showed their aggression during a protest march that turned volent.
Firing the first salvo, leader of the opposition Arun Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha: “It (CWG) is too big a scandal for the buck to stop at one man.”
“If heads are to roll in this, then they must be the heads of the governments” Jaitley said directly hitting out at Manmohan Singh and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
He made out a thorough case holding the prime minister personally responsible for Suresh Kalmadi’s appointment as chairman of the CWG organising committee and debunked sports minister Ajay Maken’s thesis that this was a fait accompli for the UPA as its hands had been tied down by a NDA decision.
Later in the evening, BJP’s Yuva Morcha’s protest march on corruption turned violent and left over three dozen agitators injured — some of them seriously.
As the activists entered Jantar Mantar, which is close to the Parliament House, the police announced prohibitory orders. Ignoring the order, when they tried to break past the barricades, the police used tear gas and water canons to disperse them. The protestors, however, retaliated by pelting stones and tried to jump over the barricades, which led the police to use force.
Earlier, both the houses of parliament witnessed noisy scenes as the debate on the statement made by Maken flourished into a full fledged discussion on the findings of the CAG. The Opposition strategy was reflected in the Lok Sabha, as senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha initiated the debate with reference to Maken but then interspersed his remarks to cover as many aspects as possible. This included Congress’s proximity to the dethroned Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and the party’s disregard for the public accounts committee (PAC) of parliament.
However, the focus remained on who appointed Kalmadi as OC chief. While the Congress continued to blame the BJP and its leaders like VK Malhotra who were in the Indian Olympics Association at that point of time, the opposition party went on to point out Sonia Gandhi’s role in Kalmadi’s appointment.
Outside parliament also, the BJP targeted Sonia for Kalmadi’s appointment. Addressing a rally, BJP president Nitin Gadkari accused Sonia of influencing Kalmadi’s appointment.
“Both Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi should answer under whose pressure Kalmadi was appointed despite objections raised by three sports ministers. Manmohan Singh is on the silent mode, as he is remote controlled and the switch for this is on Sonia’s hand. It is now clear that Kalmadi’s appointment had come under Sonia’s influence. Soniaji, I want to know why you appointed this corrupt official. People need an answer,” Gadkari said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}