The House witnessed a battle of wits between Chidambaram and Arun Jaitley, both noted lawyers, as they exhibited their legal prowess while arguing over finer points of the issue.
"It would be much simpler if somebody took a dagger and plunged it into my heart rather than question my integrity."
This is what Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday in the Rajya Sabha where he was questioned by the Opposition parties over whether his son had any links to a company in question over FIPB clearance.
During the emotive speech, he denied any wrongdoing by his son or himself in the issue but the Opposition, particularly BJP and AIADMK, were unconvinced.
Responding to Chidambaram's reference to dagger, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said, "Our concern is not to really hold a dagger into somebody’s heart; our interest only is that the purity and fairness of governance must be maintained. That is the limited objective."
The House witnessed a battle of wits between Chidambaram and Jaitley, both noted lawyers, as they exhibited their legal prowess while arguing over finer points of the issue.
While Chidambaram gave his version of the issue to press that he or his family had nothing to do in the controversial issue that dates back to 2006 when he was Finance Minister, Jaitley was not convinced.
"....there are a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of additional questions which arise on the basis of what the hon. Minister has said.... this was a highly doubtful FIPB clearance," the BJP leader contended.
"On the eve of this FIPB clearance, any of the parties, the investee or the investor, should not directly or indirectly be indulged in a business relationship with anybody close to the Minister’s family. That is all," Jaitley said.
However, Chidambaram, while addressing Jaitley as his "friend of 22 years", maintained that his son or any other member of his family had no financial links with any telecom company at any time.
){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}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}