Anurag Thakur demands PM's resignation for backing tainted ministers

New Delhi, Aug 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) President Anurag Thakur on Thursday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh accusing him of continuously backing the tainted ministers and leaders of Congress party and its allies.

"This is a shameful government led by Manmohan Singh, who had openly looted the country and are still in power. People are suffering from the heat of inflation and corruption, but are not able to get rid of this corrupt government. British had not looted us that much during their rule of 200 years as compared to the amount looted by the present government. Even after the loot and being indicted by government agencies, they are still in power," said Thakur, while addressing a rally here.

"So now people of the country have to decide how to get rid of this government. Sheila Dikshit should resign, P. Chidambaram should resign and even Manmohan Singh should resign for appointing Suresh Kalmadi as the chairman of OC (Organising Committee) and is continuously sheltering the corrupt ministers," he added.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report is understood to have rapped the Government in Delhi for irregularities in certain contracts related to the Commonwealth Games.

Sheila Dikshit has been blamed for costing the government Rs. 31 crore in losses by deciding to use imported equipment for street lighting in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games. he government's auditor finds that after the Chief Minister's sanction, lights were bought at a price that ranged from Rs. 25,000 to 32,000 each - """far higher than the fair price computed""".

The CAG also cites the example of a company named Space Age, which imported low-cost bulbs from Saudi Arabia.

Space Age allegedly paid Rs. 5,000 per light but charged the government Rs. 25,000 per light - earning a super profit of more than Rs. 2.5 crore.

The auditor also states that Space Age had been disqualified as a supplier, but was cleared by the Chief Minister.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had appointed a high-level Shunglu Committee on October 25, 2010, to investigate and report all irregularities in the execution of various projects by several government agencies during the 2010-sporting extravaganza.

In its report submitted to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Shunglu panel blamed CWG Organising Committee and certain officials for delay in executing contracts for the games.

The Shunglu panel has also questioned """delays""" in executing number of contracts.

The panel headed by V.K.Shunglu had on January 31 submitted its first report on alleged irregularities in awarding broadcasting rights during the sporting extravaganza and recommended strict action against suspended Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharti B S Lalli and former Director General (Doordarshan) Aruna Sharma under relevant Sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act for their alleged act of omission and commission.

Both Lalli, a 1971-batch IAS officer, and Sharma (1982 batch IAS officer of MP cadre) are facing allegations of irregularities in the Rs.246 crore deal struck by public broadcasting body which included the controversial decision to give the contract for broadcast of the Games to a UK-based firm SIS Live.

The second and third report submitted by the Committee on the Games Village and the city's infrastructure has indicted Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, among several others, for delays and losses in projects related to the 2010 Games. (ANI)