Issue rocks Parliament

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI, MARCH 13. Revelations of corruption in defence deals made by the website Tehalka.com rocked Parliament today as angry Opposition members demanded a detailed explanation from the Government.

Both Houses were adjourned ahead of schedule as Opposition MPs refused to allow proceedings till the Government came out with a statement.

They demanded a comprehensive clarification into the charges made earlier in the day against the BJP president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, the Samata Party chief, Ms. Jaya Jaitely, and a host of senior Government functionaries. The website in a special video presentation had shown Mr. Laxman accepting money and Ms. Jaitely allegedly discussing ways of facilitating a defence deal and the tactic to be adopted in tackling the bureaucracy.

The main Opposition party, the Congress, lead the protests. Soon after the screening of the videotapes, angry Congress members rushed to both the Houses calling for an immediate statement as the matter pertained to ``national security''. Interrupting the discussion on the farmers issue in the Lok Sabha, the Congress chief whip, Mr. Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, demanded that the Government issue a comprehensive statement as senior Government functionaries were involved.

The Opposition, sensing an opportunity to nail down the Government, turned out in strength and soon the Lok sabha witnessed angry exchanges between the Opposition and the treasury benches. Senior Congress leaders, Mr. Madhavrao Scindia, Mr. Dasmunshi and Mr. Shivraj Patil, said the issue related to national security and, therefore, must be taken up immediately.

Though slow to react initially, the treasury benches too joined the fray and soon a slanging match ensued. The pleas of the AIADMK's Mr. P.H. Pandian, who was in the Chair, to cut out the bedlam and to allow the discussion on the farmers issue to go on had little effect. The Congress chants of ``gali gali me shor hai, yeh sarkar chor hai'' were countered by the treasury benches with `gali gali mein shor hai Congress chor hai''. Unable to persuade the members to resume their seats, and sensing the angry mood, Mr. Pandian adjourned the proceedings for the day.

In the Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Manmohan Singh, soon after the Finance Minister had finished his reply to a call attention motion on the stock market crisis. Dr. Singh told the House that the issue was very serious in nature as a film had been screened showing `certain higher ups' in the Government indulging in corruption. The entire Opposition was on its feet demanding an immediate reaction from the Government.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. O. Rajgopal, made a feeble attempt to pacify the members saying he would bring the issue to the notice of the Ministers concerned. His interventions had little effect on the members who continued to protest. The Left parties insisted that the Finance Minister, who was present in the House, make a statement on behalf of the Government. But with the Minister showing no inclination of responding and the Opposition unrelenting in its demand, the chair adjourned the House.

`Govt. ready for probe'

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