Baton’s security worries CM

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is evidently worried about the criticism surrounding the Commonwealth Games and the flak the Organising Committee (OC) and she is getting from the residents of Delhi.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is evidently worried about the criticism surrounding the Commonwealth Games and the flak the Organising Committee (OC) and she is getting from the residents of Delhi.

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Apprehensive about the kind of response the Queen's Baton would get from Delhiites, Dikshit has requested the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to keep the baton in the OC headquarters near Jantar Mantar, instead of taking it around iconic locations around the Capital as proposed by Games chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

The EGoM is yet to take a final call in the matter. Sources said Dikshit has told the EGoM in its last meeting on August 20, that "only and only if a positive environment" is created for the Games by the time the baton arrives in Delhi on September 30, it should be taken out of the OC headquarters for a procession to iconic locations.

“Or else, under the prevailing atmosphere, the chief minsiter is of the opinion that it is best to keep it in the OC headquarters and take it directly to the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium on October 3, the day the Commonwealth Games start,” said a source.

“The CM is apprehensive about the kind of reception the baton relay would get on account of all the negative criticism that the Games is getting. She is wary of any untoward incident during the baton relay,” said an official who was part of the EGoM meeting.