Dikshit to send her response on Shunglu report to PM

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI)Facing heat in the wake of the
Shunglu Committee report, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Friday
said Delhi government will soon send a "detailed report" to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in response to findings of the
probe panel which blamed her and Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna
for delays and losses in CWG projects.
"We will send our reply to the Prime Minister on the
(Shunglu Committee) report. We are studying it now. We will
not hide anything," Dikshit said.
Top Delhi Government officials told PTI that following
directions from the Chief Minister, a detailed report is being
prepared in response to Shunglu Committee findingsr and it
will be sent to the PMO either on Monday or Tuesday.
The Shunglu Committee in its second and third report
on Games Village and City Infrastructure respectively, has
named Khanna and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for alleged
inadequacies and financial losses in various CWG projects.
Asked whether the Prime Minister-appointed committee,
probing CWG scams, had examined concerned Delhi Government
officials before finalising its report, Dikshit pleaded
ignorance but said a report on Games expenditure incurred by
various agencies has been given to the panel as well as to the
CAG.
"I can tell you very categorically that we had sent
details of our (CWG) expenditure..over expenditure or under
expenditure to CAG and Shunglu Committee. We had sent the
details to the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Union Urban
Development Minister," Dikshit said.
The top officials, preparing Delhi Government
response, said the criticism against Dikshit was "indirect" in
nature and the high-level panel even praised the Chief
Minister for her "leadership".
"The Chief Minister took personal interest in the
planning and execution of these projects. While full credit
must be given to the CM for the leadership provided, she also
carries the responsibility for the decisions taken including
those relating to 'city image' improvement projects," the
official quoted from the report.
Earlier this week, Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna sent a
216-page response to the Prime Miniter's Office after the
committee held him responsible for the alleged irregularities
in the construction of the Commonwealth Games Village.
In his report, Khanna explained the circumstances
leading to the offering of a Rs 760-crore bailout package to
Games Village developer Emmar MGF by DDA, which had
implemented the project in a PPP mode with the private firm.
Officials said the bailout package was heavily criticised by
the probe panel.
Asked about BJP's demand for her resignation, Dikshit
shot back asking whether the party has read the over 230 page
report.
On BJP's demand to table the report of the probe panel
on the floor of Delhi Assembly, she said the committee is not
a constitutional body like the Public Accounts Committee and
so its report would not be placed in the House.
The Shunglu Committee was appointed by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh in October last year, just after the completion
of the mega sports event, to probe allegations of corruption,
misappropriation of funds, irregularities and weaknesses in
management of the Games.
The two reports by the Committee -- one on the CWG
Village and the other on city infrastructure -- are now being
examined by the PMO, officials.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has demanded Dikshit's
resignation, saying she has no moral authority to continue in
office after the committee's indictiment.
"She has lost moral right to continue in office,"
senior BJP leader VK Malhotra said.
Meanwhile, at a meeting here, all Cabinet Ministers
and several MLAs extended their full support to Dikshit. "We
told her that we are always with you," said an MLA.