BJP asks PM to step in to save CWG

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said it wanted the Commonwealth Games to be successful but demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh take a 'personal interest' in hosting the event as the Organising Committee, the Centre and the Delhi government had adopted a 'casual and careless approach'.

"The Group of Ministers, the government of India and the Delhi government cannot escape from their failures and accountability. The prime minister should himself step in and assure the nation that everything will be done timely and every care will be taken," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said.

He emphasised that the BJP did not want to play politics over the Games, biddings for which were won after much effort during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime. Noting that the probe into anomalies surrounding the CWG should be conducted only after the event was over, he said the principal Opposition wanted the Games to be a success.

"We urge upon the prime minister to take personal interest and see that adequate and necessary steps are taken to see that the Games are held successfully and to that end everything is done in a perfect and timely manner. The PM should not gloss over these serious lapses," Naidu said.

"Please do not put the nation to shame by your casual and careless approach," he added. Naidu and some BJP leaders from the party's Delhi unit had visited the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium where an under-construction over-bridge collapsed on Tuesday.

He also referred to the Jama Masjid firing incident, and complaints of CWG Federation President Michael Fennel.

"The issue concerns the prestige, name and fame of the nation. We were hoping that the government will take prompt and corrective action," he said.

Maintaining that these events prior to the Games, including government failure to apprehend those responsible for the shootout, were sending a 'wrong signal to the international community', Naidu regretted that 'unfortunately' the country was getting used to it.

The former BJP president said the statements of Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit and Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy were 'insensitive and irresponsible'.

Naidu also expressed concern over the collapse of the false ceiling of a weight lifting arena and the deflation of two aerostat balloons costing Rs 47 crore.