New Delhi: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said he would be "unhappy" if the Commonwealth Games were a success and that only "evil" will patronise them, remarks which were quickly dismissed by both his party and the BJP.
"I am delighted in a way because rains are causing difficulties for the Commonwealth Games. Basically, I will be very unhappy, if the Games are successful because then they will start bringing Asian Games, Olympic Games and all these," the former union sports minister told reporters outside Parliament House.
The Rajya Sabha MP lashed out at the massive expenditure being incurred for the October event.
"Those who are patronising the Games can only be evil. They cannot be God," Aiyar, a known critic of the Games who has vent his ire often in the past, said.
He said instead of spending a whopping Rs 35,000 crore on the Games, the money should have been spent on children.
"Thousands of crores are being spent on circuses like these while the common children are being deprived of basic facilities to play," Aiyar said, adding all "expectations" from the Games had been belied.
Congress was quick to dismiss Aiyar's comments.
"I do not take him seriously," Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit said.
BJP, which has also raised questions about the preparations and the manner in which funds were being used, said irresponsible statements should not be made on the issue.
"The Central and state government should understand that prestige of the country is associated with the Commonwealth Games. Irresponsible statements should not be made on the issue," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
Taking exception to Aiyar's remarks, Samajwadi Party said that those opposing the Games were doing so for "sadistic pleasure".
"We are not sadists. Those who are opposing the Games are doing so for sadistic pleasure. Such language should not be used.... We are in favour of the Commonwealth Games but the huge funds which have been blown up should be investigated. The Games could have been held for much less," SP spokesperson Mohan Singh said.
Several political parties have criticised the pace of preparations and expressed apprehensions that infrastructure like stadiums and shooting ranges may not be ready in time.
Another BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar alleged that though huge funds have been spent on Games preparations, there was no control on quality.
Aiyar told reporters that the government should have a rethink before bidding for Asian Games or other such international events in future.
He was also critical of one lakh dollars given to countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada for sports saying these nations did not need the funds which should have been spent in the country. PTI
