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Govt. rejects demand for debate on Tehelka

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 25. The presumed agreement of the Government with the Opposition on ending the latter's boycott of the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, in Parliament appeared to have collapsed today.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj said the Government was unwilling to accept the Opposition demand that a discussion on the Tehelka episode in both Houses should precede a review of the boycott. She suggested that this went against the informal agreement for a discussion only in the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition demand was made earlier in the day by the Congress spokesperson, Satyavrat Chaturvedi. Ms. Swaraj said ``the demand for a discussion in both Houses has been sprung on us. It is clearly not acceptable, now we will not have a discussion in either House''.

According to her, the suggestion to hold a discussion on the Tehelka issue in the Rajya Sabha on Monday had come from senior Opposition leaders, following which they promised to lift the boycott in both Houses.

She said that if the Opposition parties were prepared to end the boycott after the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, where was the hitch in following suit in the Lok Sabha as well. The argument was that the boycott was by political parties and not by the respective Houses, and therefore if in principle it was lifted as per agreement in the Rajya Sabha it should be extended to the other House.

Ms. Swaraj said the Government had acceded to the Opposition's request to get Mr. Fernandes' statement on the Akhnoor attack which was listed in the Lok Sabha for Thursday to be postponed till the next week on the basis of this understanding.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the CPI(M) today asserted that any review of the boycott would have to be arrived at collectively. Several Opposition leaders met this morning and reiterated continuation of the boycott. The Congress leader, Suresh Pachouri later said the issue could figure again when the leaders meet on Monday.

The CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader, Nilotpal Basu, said no one from the Government had approached his party for a conciliation on the standoff.

The Congress said it was willing to review the boycott after the Tehelka expose was discussed in both Houses.

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End to Opposition boycott of Fernandes in sight

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