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Resurgent NDA disrupts Parliament proceedings |
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A resurgent National Democratic Alliance, buoyed by its victory in the Bihar elections, held up Parliament proceedings last week, seeking to corner the Government on the issue of the Volcker Report on the involvement of the Congress and former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh in the Iraqi Food-for-Oil Programme and the Mitrokhin papers showing that Congress and Left leaders got funds from Soviet intelligence agency, KGB, in the seventies.
On the first day of the Parliament session on Wednesday, Nov. 23, both House adjourned after paying tributes to former President K.R. Narayanan and other members. The House also mourned the loss of lives in the October 8 earthquake in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan, and those dead in the serial blasts in New Delhi and the terrorist attacks in Jordan and the train accident at Nalgonda, in Andhra Pradesh.
On the subsequent days, a determined Opposition stalled the proceedings in both Houses on the issue of the Volcker Committee Report on the oil-for-food scam. On November 24, deputy leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, V.K. Malhotra demanded the resignation of Natwar Singh as Union Minister and Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the National Advisory Council as they had been named as non-contractual beneficiaries of the pay-offs in the Volcker Committee Report. He said, “The House can function only if Sonia Gandhi and Natwar Singh resign.”
The government on its part, said that it is prepared to discuss the Volcker Committee Report in Parliament, but it was not prepared for a discussion on the allegations made in the Mitrokhin papers. The party was of the view that no discussion could be held on any unsubstantiated book or fictional account.
On Friday (Nov. 25) also, the Opposition continued to stall parliamentary proceedings and only the Private Members’ business could be taken up in the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament.
Indications now are that Monday (Nov. 28) may see the BJP giving a fresh notice to move an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the Volcker Committee Report. While the motion may not mention the Mitrokhin Papers, members may raise the allegations made in the papers during the discussion. The Volcker Committee Report may be discussed in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in an unusual step, issued a written statement outside the House saying that the Government is prepared for a discussion on the issues sought to be raised by the Opposition. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dass Munshi said that the Opposition is interested in disruption, not discussion.
In a related development, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Nov. 25 asked the BJP not to lecture the Congress on patriotism as the party’s accomplishments speak for themselves. She said, “as expected, the NDA is bent upon disrupting Parliament. That has been its track record.”
Addressing the meeting of the Congress Party in Parliament, Sonia Gandhi said, “On the Volcker report, we have expressed our readiness for a debate, but NDA is simply not interested. I have emphatically stated that there is no question of the Congress’ involvement in the Iraq oil-for-food scam. The Government has already set up an inquiry authority and we will not hesitate to take action, if the probe findings so warrant, against anyone who may have misused the party’s name for personal gains.”
As for the Mitrokhin disclosures, Sonia Gandhi said, “We reject them outright.” She added, “The BJP has accused us of betraying the interests of the country. The Congress party needs no lessons on patriotism. Its accomplishments speak for themselves.”
The BJP has asked the Prime Minister to follow Nitish Kumar’s action in removing tainted Ministers from the Union Cabinet. BJP leader Arun Jaitely said in New Delhi on Nov. 26, “The Prime Minister should take inspiration from Nitish Kumar and sack tainted Ministers from his Cabinet.” Taking a dig, he said : “There are many in the UPA itself who would support me on this as there would be a number of vacancies if the Prime Minister decides to drop the tainted Ministers.”
US stooges raising Volcker issue : Left
The Left parties say that those making an issue out of the Volcker Report and alleging the involvement of Natwar Singh in the scam, are stooges of the United States. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said in New Delhi, “We do not agree with Volcker report. It has been taken out of context. Those raising it are American stooges.” He also said the public discourse on the issue was “singularly one-sided” and that Left has nothing to do with NDA’s decision to disrupt Parliament.
CPI(M) leader Nilotpal Basu pointed out that the Volcker committee adopted “questionable methods.” “Volcker himself said no inquiry was done by him and he went ahead with the material supplied by the Iraqi regime,” Basu said.
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