Diggy, Aiyar target Kalmadi

The government put its best foot forward in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday to counter the Opposition’s allegations regarding corruption in preparations for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, but the Congress general secretary, Mr Digvijay Singh, sprang yet another surprise by demanding that Mr Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Games organising committee, should resign “if his name figures in a CBI inquiry”.

Replying to a marathon debate over the issue, the sports minister, Mr M.S. Gill, however, assured the House that the government was willing to consider any inquiry on the charges of corruption relating to the Games. Not satisfied with the government’s reply, the BJP and its allies staged a walkout after the sports minister ended his reply. Led by the Leader of the Opposition, Ms Sushma Swaraj, they walked out chanting slogans demanding a joint parliamentary committee to investigate the alleged irregularities.

Speaking to reporters in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Mr Singh, who is also the AICC office-bearer in charge of the state, said: “If Mr Kalmadi’s name is there prima facie in a CBI case, then on moral grounds he should resign.”

He, however, said that he does not know whether mr Kalmadi’s name has been mentioned.