Parliament adjourned over 2G scam
The issue of corruption, including alleged scam in the allocation of 2G Spectrum, continued to rock Parliament for the second consecutive day on Thursday leading to adjournment of both the Houses till November 15.
The Opposition NDA stalled proceedings in both the Houses pressing for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the various scams, including alle-ged scam in the allocation of 2G Spectrum. Outside Parliament, parliamentary affa-irs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, however, asserted with a clear “no” to the demand for a JPC probe, terming it as “unconstitutional”.
“The Public Accounts Committee, one of the most important parliamentary panels, should take up the CAG report which has indicted telecom minister A. Raja. Overriding the PAC, which is headed by BJP member M.M. Joshi, they want a JPC to probe on the issue. NDA’s demand in unconstitutional,” said Bansal.
On the NDA’s demand for removal of telecom minister A. Raja, Mr Bansal said any decision could be taken only after the CAG report is discussed in the Parliament.
Union home minister P. Chidambaram too echoed similar views.
“The CAG has already given its report. The PAC, which is a mini JPC, will go into the issue and report to Parliament. It will again be debated. Why there is a demand for a JPC? It is beyond comprehension,” Mr Chidambaram told reporters outside Parliament House. In the Lok Sabha, NDA members rushed to the Well as soon as the House assembled demanding a JPC probe into the scams, including allocation of 2G Spectrum. They also demanded removal of telecom minister A. Raja.
Enraged over former RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan’s objectionable remarks against party chief Sonia Gandhi, the Congress MPs too were seen threatening to troop to the well. But they were quickly sent back by the Parliamentary affairs minister. As chaos ruled, the Lok Sabha had to be adjourned at 11.05 am till noon. When it reassembled, the House was adjourned till November 15 within minutes as Opposition’s protests continued.
The Parliament will remain closed on November 12 on account of the Chhat festival. Congress members led by Satyavrat Chaturvedi and Mabel Rebello entered the Well of the House, displaying copies of a newspaper containing a report quoting Mr Sudarshan’s objectionable remarks against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Soon after, BJP members too began raising demand for the JPC probe.
Chaos prevailed in the House with verbal volleys between the ruling and opposition benches. Amid the chaos, House Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House till noon.
When the House reassembled at noon, noisy scenes persisted with Congress members continued their protests against Sudarshan’s remarks and the Opposition persisted with their demand for a JPC probe. Amid the ruckus, deputy chairman K. Rahman Khan adjourned the House till Monday.
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