The guilty will not be spared, Gandhi told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

It’s everybody’s responsibility to ensure the Games are successful, she said.

Breaking her silence on charges of murky deals involving the Commonwealth Games Delhi will host next month, Gandhi stressed that the Games was not about a party or an individual, but an issue of the nation’s pride.
(IANS)

The Delhi assembly, on the first day of it five-day monsoon session, witnessed a ruckus as soon as it met, with BJP members protesting over alleged financial irregularities in Games projects.

Some BJP members started beating steel plates with spoons, demanding the suspension of the question hour to discuss irregularities in Games-related projects. The party later walked out of the house seeking a reply from Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Public Works Department Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, in his point-by-point reply to the opposition’s charges, said they were “baseless”.

“There has not been a single incident of corruption in 12 years of rule of the Congress. At the same time, the city has witnessed unprecedented development,” he said.

“Delhi has earmarked Rs.3,803 crore for various Games projects, whereas Rs.16,198 crore was meant for the overall development of the capital in the last three-four years,” Chauhan said.

The BJP demanded a judicial probe into the irregularities in the Commonwealth Games projects, which could take place alongside the mega sporting event.

Though Dikshit did not speak on the Games in the House, she intervened twice while Congress legislators were speaking and said: “May I say that all of you (BJP members) are misleading the house.”

Later, talking to reporters, she said that all the allegations are “false”.

Earlier, the assembly was adjourned twice during question hour after BJP members asked for a discussion on the Games but Speaker Yoganand Shastri disallowed this.

The sports ministry had asked IOA to resolve the issue immediately, but the IOA said that it can’t help WFI financially as it would be seen as “abetment to doping”.

WFI secretary-general Sahdev Yadav hoped that the federation can still pay the fine by the deadline.

“We are still hoping that we can meet the deadline. But if we fail, what can we do, our weightlifters will not take part in the Commonwealth Games. We are still hopeful that the sports ministry will come and bail us out. We are just asking for interest- free loan,” Yadav said.

A top IOA official put the onus on the sports ministry saying that it is the responsibility of the government to help WFI.

“We want the government to pay the money as an interest-free loan to the WFI. It is the obligation of the sports ministry to help the WFI,” the IOA official said on condition of anonymity.

The sports ministry has so far refused to pay the amount because it is supporting a dope-free sport through its own National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) and doesn’t want to be seen in a bad light.

(IANS)

The move has been welcomed by the sportspersons. “Amid the news of various kind of corruption in the Commonwealth Games preparations these are some of the good news. This will certainly boost the morale of the sportspersons who have been preparing hard to win a medal in the games”, says a former wrestling champion from Delhi.

States like Delhi, Bihar, Punjab have yet to make announcement in this regard. On Monday, Haryana government announced that sportspersons, who win medals in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG) will get cash rewards. The highest reward of Rs.700,000 will be given for a gold medal. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda made announcement in this regard on Monday. Players winning silver and bronze medals at the CWG will respectively be given Rs.500,000 and Rs.300,000.

Last week, Himachal Pradesh Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal announced that the government will provide free week-long boarding and lodging in its hotels to world record holding athletes during the Commonwealth Games.
“The week-long free package to the world record holders during Commonwealth Games being held in Delhi is aimed at attracting the best sports talents to visit our state and enjoy the traditional hospitality along with their spouses,” a press statement of the state said. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) is organizing the package for the athletes.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Games has asked the composer Rahman to tweak it before the opening ceremony.
“I presented the theme song before the GoM and it was approved. I have been asked to tweak it and it will be released within next 10 days,” Rahman told reporters here.

“I think it won’t be good to release the theme song without making the necessary changes,” he said when asked about the song.

Beginning with the words “Oh yaaro, India bula liya” (Friends, we have called you to India), the song is composed mostly in Hindi with a sprinkle of English.

While Rahman will be the lead singer of the theme song, there will be other songs as well for the Commonwealth Games, including one dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and another to the “key of knowledge”.

“The song is about India, about energy, winning and not giving up. We want the crowd to sing along with us at the opening ceremony. It is simple but not simplistic,” he said.

Asked how different it was from Shakira’s popular football World Cup anthem “Waka Waka”, Rahman said: “It is not ‘Waka Waka’. We wanted to go beyond it. It is complex, difficult to explain but I am sure you will like it when you hear it.”

Rahman said he was initially apprehensive about whether the GoM would like the song.

“I was a little bit apprehensive if they will like it because the GoM consists of aged people but they all liked and approved it,” he said.

Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who is a member of the core committee of the Commonwealth Games, were present on the occasion.

The GoM chaired by Urban Development Minister S.Jaipal Reddy met for the first time Sunday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened to take stock of the much-criticised preparations for the Oct 3-14 Games.

The three-hour long GoM meeting also discussed other details related to the opening ceremony besides giving approval to the theme song composed by Rahman.

All the work related to the Commonwealth Games will be complete in time and Delhi will be ready to host the best ever Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said Sunday.In her Independence Day message, she asked Delhiites to make the mega-event a memorable one and protect the legacy the city will get thereafter.
“Hosting a successful Games will earn good name for India and Delhi,” she said.
The city hosts the Games Oct 3-14.

Children make I-Day celebrations more live
As the tricolour unfurled at the Red Fort, children dressed in saffron, white and green – colours of the national flag – seated on the front lawn made a bright and cheerful statement with their presence.

The enthusiastic children clapped the loudest when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived and cheered when he mentioned the Right to Education act, the legislation which provides for free and compulsory education to children aged 6 to 14.

The audience too comprised a large number of children who were escorted to the venue by their teachers as early as 5 a.m. Many of them held tricolour pom-poms, adding more colour and vibrancy to the celebrations.

Rain, rain go away

The crowd gathered for the Independence Day function at the Red Fort were a worried lot. The weather office had predicted rains and they had been strictly prohibited from carrying umbrellas to the venue for security reasons.

The invitation card had specifically mentioned that only raincoats were allowed.

But much to their relief, the rain gods did not smile.

However, the high humidity was reflected as many of the VIPs were seen fanning themselves with their invitation cards.

Taking a cleanliness lesson from PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his address, expressed concern over India lagging behind in terms of cleanliness and sanitation and called for a ‘Clean India’ campaign where children are taught about “hygiene”.

Listening raptly to his message, the around 500-odd school children took it to heart. Usually the Red Fort area looks like a garbage dump after the Independence Day celebrations as children litter the place with empty food packets.

But this Sunday it was different. The premises wore a spic and span look.

A lesson well learnt and some relief for the cleaners.

Of patriotic songs, balloons

The majestic Red Fort facade was decked with flowers and the colours of the national flag could be seen everywhere. But what heightened the patriotic mood were soul-stirring songs sung by children in many Indian languages.

Many in the audience were seen humming the tunes, while others tapped their feet while waiting for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to arrive for the function.

And stealing the show at the end of the celebrations were the tricolour balloons floating in the sky.

Saffron, white and green helium balloons with folded flags attached to them were released, and the audience, specially the children, strained their necks looking upwards to trace the skyward journey.

Many of the children clapped loudly when the folded flags, filled with glitter, unfolded as the balloons rose upwards.
(IANS)

“I am convinced that all our countrymen will treat the Games as a national festival and will leave no stone unturned to make them a success. The successful organization of Commonwealth Games would be another signal to the world that India is rapidly marching ahead with confidence,” he added.

The Games are slated for Oct 3-14.

On Saturday, the prime minister made it clear that the facilities for the Games should be made ready in time and meet international standards as the “eyes of the world” were on the country.

His intervention followed controversies over the event’s preparations as well as the slow pace of infrastructure improvement in the national capital.