Opposition led by Congress virtually brought the proceedings in Rajya Sabha to a standstill on Friday on Comptroller and Auditor's General report alleging irregularities involving loan extended to union cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari's family-linked Purti group.
The ruckus virtually led to zero conduct of business as the House had to be adjourned six times before the deputy chairman finally decided to wind it up for the day at 3:38pm.
Approaching the issue, Congress MP from Goa Shantaram Naik said the CAG report has found that Purti Sakhar Karkhana Limited has violated terms and conditions for subsidy schemes availed by the company. It did not meet conditions for availing interest subsidy from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Pointing out other irregularities, Naik said, "Since, in the past, the then Opposition Party always demanded resignations of our ministers from time to time now the minster has to take the responsibility and has to resign."
Given the prompt, slogan-shouting Congress members trooped into the well demanding Gadkari's resignation, forcing deputy chairman PJ Kurien to adjourn the House twice in quick successions.
As proceedings began again, the Congress members came into the aisle raising slogans and seeking the arrest of Gadkari. The resultant pandemonium forced the Chair to adjourn the House twice again in quick succession till 12:35 hours. The matter was soon taken up by senior Congress members Anand Sharma and leader of the opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who describing it as a very serious issue demanded answer from the Prime Minister and resignation of the concerned minister.
"There has to be accountability as the BJP has demanded in past. There cannot be two standards," quipped Anand Sharma as a hapless Kurien asked members not to obstruct Zero hour business of others and said there was no scope for discussion.
But unrelenting members moved into the Well shouting slogans demanding Gadkari's resignation as members of opposition parties - Sharad Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav from JDU and D Raja from CPI and Sitaram Yechury from CPM also joined the issue with Congress asking the deputy chairman and treasury benches to have same standards.
Given the level of interventions in the House, it was almost clear that the Congress would keep up the pressure on the government when the House convenes again on Monday.
Aware of the pitfalls, official sources close to Gadkari sent a detailed comment on the controversy. In a nutshell it said, the audit report is regarding lapses and irregularities in procedures followed by IRDEA and PSKL has not committed any misappropriation or has misrepresented any facts.
"PSKL has settled the loan amount by repaying the full principle and major part of the interest, amounting to 84.81% of the total outstanding and is far better placed than other companies which settled their loans with IREDA under the OTS scheme," they said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}