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Even before the courts have passed judgement over former MP Suresh Kalmadi’s alleged involvement in CWG irregularities, residents of Pune, and more importantly his own party members from the Pune chapter of the Congress, have given their decision loud and clear —‘We Don’t Want Kalmadi’.
The scene which took place at the Congress Bhavan, the party’s headquarters in Shivajinagar, will have shocked his supporters. In an act of taking out their frustration at the ousted MP, Congress workers blackened the face of Kalmadi’s photograph at the Congress Bhavan before tearing and throwing it outside the party office in the city seven times both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the last three decades.
Not satisfied with the blackening of Kalmadi’s photograph, a group of about 150 to 200 youths ransacked Kalmadi’s cabin in the Gandhi Hall on the ground floor of Congress Bhavan. The glass door of the cabin, table top and window panes of the cupboard which had several mementos were smashed to pieces and chairs in the cabin were thrown around in the drama that lasted about ten minutes. Senior police inspector of Shivajinagar police station Pandharinath Patil who rushed to the spot said, “Congress workers told us that they suspect the involvement of people from their own party. They may be members of the youth Congress.” The names of four suspects were given to the police who did not divulge them.
Congress city unit president Abhay Chhajed said those who attacked the Congress Bhavan were not party workers. “It is the handiwork of those with a criminal mindset. Kalmadi has been suspended from the party, but there is no reason to attack the Congress Bhavan,” he said.
Once a darling of masses in the city, Kalmadi’s arrest and subsequent ouster from the party following his involvement in the Commonwealth Games fiasco has turned him into a villain.
Speaking to the media, MLC Mohan Joshi, a Congress leader said that the reaction of the part workers was an outcome of the disgrace brought by Kalmadi to his party and city.
Apart from his own Congress men protesting against him. Kalmadi also received flak and protest from Opposition parties including the BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS.
Protesters carrying huge hoarding with anti-Kalmadi messages written upon it were flashed in major part of the city by the protesters.
Meanwhile the Civic activists have demanded that the State Government file a First Information Report (FIR) in the alleged irregularities in the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) 2008 held in Pune. The demand came after city MP Suresh Kalmadi’s arrest on Monday in the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games scam.
“The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has initiated an audit into the Rs 1,345 crore expenses incurred on CYG. The audit has not been completed. There are irregularities in the utilisation of the CYG games and the State Government should file an FIR to start the probe,” RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said.
The Maharashtra Government, its sports directorate and the municipal corporations of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad had contributed funds for the mega event held at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi but have not carried out any independent audit.
“City MP Suresh Kalmadi was the chairman of the CYG organising committee. There is no clear picture emerging about the expenses during the CYG. According to the information given to me by the Government departments under the RTI act, the State had allotted Rs 425.50 crore for the event to the sports directorate while the CWG committee had pitched in with Rs 120 crore to the organising committee,” said Kumbhar, who is supported by other civic organisations in the city.
“The Central and State Government, and the PMC have utilised about Rs 800 crore for CYG-related works. The civic body’s share is Rs 343.70 crore. Till date, the CYG organising committee is not giving the details of the expenditure and the matter is pending before the State information commissioner. The State and the local bodies have not carried out a single audit on these expenses,” Kumbhar said.
The scene which took place at the Congress Bhavan, the party’s headquarters in Shivajinagar, will have shocked his supporters. In an act of taking out their frustration at the ousted MP, Congress workers blackened the face of Kalmadi’s photograph at the Congress Bhavan before tearing and throwing it outside the party office in the city seven times both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the last three decades.
Not satisfied with the blackening of Kalmadi’s photograph, a group of about 150 to 200 youths ransacked Kalmadi’s cabin in the Gandhi Hall on the ground floor of Congress Bhavan. The glass door of the cabin, table top and window panes of the cupboard which had several mementos were smashed to pieces and chairs in the cabin were thrown around in the drama that lasted about ten minutes. Senior police inspector of Shivajinagar police station Pandharinath Patil who rushed to the spot said, “Congress workers told us that they suspect the involvement of people from their own party. They may be members of the youth Congress.” The names of four suspects were given to the police who did not divulge them.
Congress city unit president Abhay Chhajed said those who attacked the Congress Bhavan were not party workers. “It is the handiwork of those with a criminal mindset. Kalmadi has been suspended from the party, but there is no reason to attack the Congress Bhavan,” he said.
Once a darling of masses in the city, Kalmadi’s arrest and subsequent ouster from the party following his involvement in the Commonwealth Games fiasco has turned him into a villain.
Speaking to the media, MLC Mohan Joshi, a Congress leader said that the reaction of the part workers was an outcome of the disgrace brought by Kalmadi to his party and city.
Apart from his own Congress men protesting against him. Kalmadi also received flak and protest from Opposition parties including the BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS.
Protesters carrying huge hoarding with anti-Kalmadi messages written upon it were flashed in major part of the city by the protesters.
Meanwhile the Civic activists have demanded that the State Government file a First Information Report (FIR) in the alleged irregularities in the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) 2008 held in Pune. The demand came after city MP Suresh Kalmadi’s arrest on Monday in the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games scam.
“The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has initiated an audit into the Rs 1,345 crore expenses incurred on CYG. The audit has not been completed. There are irregularities in the utilisation of the CYG games and the State Government should file an FIR to start the probe,” RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said.
The Maharashtra Government, its sports directorate and the municipal corporations of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad had contributed funds for the mega event held at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi but have not carried out any independent audit.
“City MP Suresh Kalmadi was the chairman of the CYG organising committee. There is no clear picture emerging about the expenses during the CYG. According to the information given to me by the Government departments under the RTI act, the State had allotted Rs 425.50 crore for the event to the sports directorate while the CWG committee had pitched in with Rs 120 crore to the organising committee,” said Kumbhar, who is supported by other civic organisations in the city.
“The Central and State Government, and the PMC have utilised about Rs 800 crore for CYG-related works. The civic body’s share is Rs 343.70 crore. Till date, the CYG organising committee is not giving the details of the expenditure and the matter is pending before the State information commissioner. The State and the local bodies have not carried out a single audit on these expenses,” Kumbhar said.
