By IANS,
Kolkata: The Communist Party of India (CPI) Sunday said the scams and controversies surrounding the Commonwealth Games are an embarrassment for India and those responsible should be identified and punished.
“The scams and recent incidents involving the Commonwealth Games have embarrassed India before the world. These are shameful,” CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan told reporters on the sidelines of a party meeting.
The Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games (CWG) have invited negative publicity after a series of reports of corruption.
A portion of a false ceiling at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex, the main venue of the CWG, collapsed in New Delhi Sep 22, a day after a foot overbridge near the stadium came crashing down injuring 27 labourers.
Several foreign contingents have complained about the state of the Games village, with some labelling conditions as “filthy and unlivable”.
“I feel most of the money meant for the CGW have been pocketed. Those responsible for such kind of things should be identified and punished,” added Bardhan.
“The central government has totally failed in organising such a prestigious event,” senior CPI leader and parliamentarian Gurudas Dasgupta said.
Some 7,000 participants and officials from 71 countries and territories are expected to attend the Games, India’s biggest sporting event after the 1982 Asian Games.