The principal opposition party has also asked for an immediate safety audit of funds allocated for conducting national games in Gao.
Addressing a press conference, the general secretary of Congress Captain Viriato Fernandes said the judicial probe and safety audit are only options to any eventuality including injury or loss of lives at the games.
"As the money belongs to public exchequer and runs into almost a thousand crores, it is imperative that a thorough enquiry be ordered to unearth the massive scam and punish the guilty involved in usurping public money, " Fernandes said.
He said that the enquiry should held under a retired judge of Goa High Court so that all culprits including ministers and bureaucrats could be brought to book to spare national games from earning notoriety.
The Congress leader pointed out that preliminary investigation has revealed that commencing from tendering process of finalizing the project management company to oversee games, to escalation of estimated costs, restricting bidders by fudging criteria for awarding various contracts have been steeped into corruption and nepotism.
Giving out details of acts of corruption involved in the preparations for national games, Fernandes said that the collapse of the arch at an indoor stadium, falling of pillar, and leakage of rain water from the rooftop cover are testimony to the level of corruption involved in the conduct of games.
He alleged that despite repeated highlighting of the shortcomings, the authorities failed to go for a course correction adding that all stakeholders have been robbed of the long awaited excitement for the much awaited mega events in the state being propelled with the tax payers money.
The national games that were scheduled to be held in November 2016 in Goa, were repeatedly delayed, and are finally taking place in Goa now.
CONGRESS DEMANDS JUDICIAL PROBE INTO IRREGULARITIES IN NATIONAL GAMES
Kushal Jeena - 2023-11-04 17:55
Panjim (Goa): Accusing the BJP government in Goa of involvement in a multi crore financial scam during the preparations of national games, the opposition Congress party has demanded a judicial probe under the supervision of a retired high court judge.