The opposition party expressed the fear that if these ministers continued in office, they might influence the investigations.
The BJP today demanded the resignation of all ministers facing allegations of wrongdoing in preparations for the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, saying their continuance in office would hamper the inquiry into corruption in the projects.
The demand from the main opposition came in the wake of revelations by Prasar Bharti chief executive officer (CEO) BS Lalli that payments to SIS Live, a UK-based company which was given rights to cover CWG 2010, were done with the consent of information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni.
"Since information is now coming from people involved in the CWG preparations, BJP demands that all those ministers named by one of their own people should better be resigning as only then there is a possibility of fair investigations," party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
She expressed the fear that if these ministers continued in office, they might influence the investigations.
"If they continue in office, I don't think fair investigations can be carried out. So, morally, Ambika Soni, urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy, sports minister MS Gill, and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit should resign to allow fair investigations," Nirmala said.
The BJP spokesperson insisted that since charges against these four leaders were levelled by authorities or other leaders themselves, it was "not any longer tenable for these ministers to continue in their positions".
CWG organising committee chairperson Suresh Kalmadi had alleged that before accusing him of corruption, Dikshit should look at her own people.
Similarly, the role of the urban development ministry in the preparations for the Games had come under a cloud.
"BJP is naming these four as they have all named each other and by insiders who were involved in decision making," Nirmala said.
Meanwhile, party general secretary Vijay Goel announced that all those who had any incriminating documents or information about bungling in the CWG should send them to a dedicated email address: cwgghotala@gmail.com.
The party is also preparing a website, cwgghotala.com, for the purpose.
"The identity of the person giving information will be kept a secret," Goel claimed.
Nirmala said it was being thought that nothing more would come out on the CWG, but now "more skeletons are tumbling out".
"With Mr Lalli specifically naming Ambika Soni, the net is getting wider by the day," she said. "BJP reiterates its demands that a joint parliamentary committee should go into the whole matter. There are too many ministries — I&B, sports, urban development — getting into the picture one by one."
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