Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) Sports minister M.S. Gill Wednesday refused to comment on alleged financial irregularities in the organising committee for the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games saying that the issue will be discussed in Parliament.
Gill, with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by his side, was inaugurating the Jamia Sports Complex, a practice venue for the Commonwealth Games, in the heart of Jamia Millia Islamia University here. Renovated at a cost of Rs.420 million, the floodlit sports complex will serve as a training venue for table tennis and rugby 7s.

The sports minister said the issue of alleged financial irregularities in the Commonwealth Games organising committee will be discussed in the Rajya Sabha.

“A short notice question is coming up in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow (Thursday). I hope an open discussion would be held there on the matter. Then it would be probably discussed in the Lok Sabha as well,” Gill said.

Gill went on to add: “The Organising Committee is doing their duties, the officers are there who are working on different issues, they would do their duties. Our target is to properly organise the Games first.”

On the sports complex, the minister said: “The students have been provided with a world class facility. It is a permanent facility. The students will be able to use it with ease at least for the next ten years. I am very happy today.”

Renovation work at the multi-purpose complex started in 2009. Besides rugby and table tennis, there are facilities for tennis and basketball as well. Participating teams will start using the venue from Sep 23.

The indoor stadium, which houses the table tennis courts, can accommodate up to 1,200 spectators while the ground that will be used for rugby has a seating capacity of 2,400.

Dikshit called the stadium a legacy for Jamia and Delhi in the name of Commonwealth Games.

“I congratulate the students of the university for getting this stadium. All the infrastructure here is best in the world,” she said.

According to Noor Mohammad, director (physical education) of the varsity, the students will benefit from the complex after the Games.

“The indoor stadium can be used for table tennis, badminton and basketball. Students can also play cricket and hockey in the rugby field. A north zone badminton tournament will be organised here in January and we are also planning to conduct hockey tournaments,” Mohammad told IANS.

Students are now excited and want to devote more time to sports.

“It was an ordinary stadium earlier. The basketball court was in a bad shape. But after the renovation, I will start using it more often,” said Masoom Raza Rahi, a second year student.