Guilty will be punished after Games: Sonia (Lead)

Breaking her silence on charges of murky deals involving the Commonwealth Games, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday said those found guilty would be punished after the event and exhorted everyone to make the Games successful.

Describing the Commonwealth Games as a matter of national pride, she said the event was not related to any political party or individual. "It was a matter of national pride and efforts should be made to hold them successfully, she said here.

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), Gandhi, however, made it clear that that those found guilty of corruption in projects related to the Games should be punished after the event.

She also referred to the Group of Ministers set up by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to look into the preparations for the Games and asked everyone involved to make the Games successful.

This was the first meeting of CPP since the monsoon session of parliament began July 26. Gandhi is set to be re-elected as the Congress president in the party elections scheduled for Sep 17.

Gandhi also voiced her concern over the situation in the Kashmir Valley and said efforts should be made to reach out to the people of the region.