Cong stalls RS proceedings over Gadkari issue

Congress party today stalled proceedings of the Rajya Sabha for the third straight day demanding Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's resignation over CAG report alleging irregularities in loan to his family-linked firm.

The House witnessed three adjournments in the pre-lunch session as proceedings continued to be disrupted by a slogan- shouting opposition members, particulary the Congress.

Barely had the listed papers been laid on the table, Congress members were up on their feet demanding suspension of business to discuss the CAG report, forcing two adjournments before noon.

Reacting to the continued disruptions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley charged the Congress with not allowing the House to function as it does not want certain Bills to be passed.

"Internal compulsions of Congress party should not become compulsion of the House," he said adding there was no basis for suspending business.

He said when UPA was in government, IREDA came out with a one-time-settlement scheme for loans given to various companies. "Today CAG has commented on that scheme," he said.

The CAG report will go to the Public Accounts Committee where it will be discussed and the report later presented to the House, he said. "There is no big issue."

Noting that Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had made a statement on the report yesterday, Jaitley said "You had opportunity to seek clarification from the Minister... yesterday, they had facility of asking questions (to the Minister). They did not do so."

As he said this, the members trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans demanding resignation of Gadkari. They were countered by slogan shouting from the treasury benches.

Challenging Jaitley, Pramod Tiwari (Cong) said he has asked "to prove that Gadkari was corrupt. I have proof. I will prove it," and continued to persist with his notice for suspension of business for discussing CAG report.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he would not allow the notice as the minister has already made a statement and added that "if need be, clarifications can be sought." But as the slogan shouting continued, he adjourned the proceeding till 1130 hours.

When the House met at 11:30 AM, similar scenes were witnessed and Congress members were on their feet raising slogans.

Congress members holding the CAG report in their hand stormed the Well and raised slogans against the BJP government, even as Deputy Chairman asked N K Kashyap to make his Zero Hour mention.

Some BJP members countered the Congress by raising slogans against the opposition party. With continued pandemonium, Kurien adjourned the House till noon.

At noon, slogans and counter-slogans continued, forcing Chairman M Hamid Ansari adjourning the House for 30 minutes.

Similar scenes were witnessed again when the House met at noon, forcing a third adjournment till 12.30 PM and later for the fourth time till 1 PM as the unruly scenes continued.

Several Congress members were also carrying pamphlets with slogans like 'Chattisgarh Rice Scam', 'Vyapam Scam' and 'Reddy brothers mining scam'.

Earlier Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said since Friday, the House has not been functioning as the Congress has been demanding a discussion on the CAG report "on Gadkari and his company in getting loan from IREDA."

"Yesterday, Gadkari gave a statement. We were not satisfied with it," he said, adding his party colleague Pramod Tiwari's notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business to discuss the CAG report should be allowed.

Azad said treasury benches and other opposition parties could also participate in the discussion.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is ready for a discussion on corruption issue. "Why are you running away from discussion on corruption," he asked Congress.

Kurien asked the protesting members to return to their places as Zero Hour was in progress. Opposition members may have grievances against the government but why should they obstruct other members right, he said.