Monday, April 12, 2010

Huge corruption in security system purchases: Harshvardhan


New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) Former Delhi BJP president Harshvardhan today alleged that the Sheila Dikshit government was ''bungling hundreds of crores'' in awarding tender for communication system to a private company ''disregarding'' security advice from various departments.

The Delhi government, he said, was compromising on the security of the people.

The government recently awarded the tender to telecommunication major Motorola for establishing a communication system between various security agencies and deliver 10,000 Tetra handsets for the Commonwealth Games, he told mediapersons at a press conference here.

Criticising the government for choosing an obsolete technology, Dr Harshvardhan asserted, ''Nobody is using this technology now. There are much better technologies available in the market to choose. This decision can be dangerous for the security of our country, sports and sportspersons.''

The senior leader also alleged that three conditions in the tender were relaxed to benefit the company. Even the Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), whose approval was necessary for any foreign purchase of security system, was also overlooked and no tests were conducted on the technology.

''China also used the same system during Beijing Olympics but it was tested for three years before the games, but nothing has been done here.''

Expressing apprehension about the vulnerability of the system, he pointed out that in the wake of threat from terrorists, naxalites, Maoists and other ''anti-India'' forces, the security of the country could not be given in the hands of private companies.

Dr Harshvardhan said the tender was given to the private company for Rs 99 crore, however, looking at the several discrepancies in awarding the tender and information, gathered through RTI applications and his sources, it was around Rs 230-300 crore.

He also demanded that a CBI inquiry be ordered into the whole issue of purchase of the security systems.

The former BJP President also demanded that an Expert Committee, comprising both government and non-government scientists, be formed immediately to scrutinise the system.

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