The running controversy over alleged financial bungling in DDCA reached Parliament on Monday with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dismissing charges against him as “baseless” and “wrong” saying the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) during UPA regime accepted expenditure incurred at Feroz Shah Kotla ground as BJP member Kirti Azad demanded time-bound SIT probe while the Congress pressed for resignation of the Finance Minister.
led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, the Congress staged a walkout from the lok Sabha after its MPs shouted slogans demanding resignation of Jaitley, a former head of Delhi and District Cricket Association(DDCA). BJP MP Kirti Azad, a known detractor of Jaitley, demanded a time-bound SIT probe into the DDCA scandal.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned repeatedly over the issue with the Congress seeking removal of Jaitley.
The issue was raised in the lok Sabha by KC Venugopal of the Congress who claimed that there were “gross irregularities” in DDCA when Jaitley headed it and alleged his involvement.
He said the construction work at Ferozshah Kotla had cost Rs114 crore against the estimate of Rs24 crore and alleged that it was “forced escalation” and “there was no record of tender” in many cases. Venugopal referred to the press conference by Azad claiming he has given “solid evidence”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that the Finance Minister is known for his “impeccable character, honesty and maintaining high standards in public life”.
Jaitley, on his part, said, “The charges (against me) are baseless and wrong. This is all I have to say.”
SFIO report did not find any fault with the expenditure and “accepted” the cost incurred, he said while giving a detailed account of the construction work at Ferozshah Kotla ground which is under scanner.
The Finance Minister gave a detailed account of the expenditure incurred on the construction work and contrasted it with the much-higher cost of renovating Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Dhyanchand National Stadium during the Congress-led UPA tenure.
While noting that it cost Rs 114 crore to build Kotla stadium, which was merely a “field” prior to the construction, Jaitley attacked the Congress, saying the Nehru stadium was renovated at a cost of Rs 900 crore and the Dhyanchand stadium for Rs 600 crore. The Kotla stadium has a seating capacity of 42,000, the Dhyanchad staidum can hold only 14,000 people.
While Jaitley was explaining expenditure in the Kotla stadium, Congress benches created uproar making the Finance Minister briefly lose his cool as he reacted indignantly demanding Opposition members “to sit down”. He said Congress members were reacting so as they were finding facts reeled off by him as “extremely inconvenient”.
A number of Union Ministers, including Kalraj Mishra, Narendra Singh Tomar, JP Nadda, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Jayant Sinha, were seen standing and protesting against Congress’ allegations.
Azad was apparently not impressed by Jaitley’s defence that SFIO probe found nothing wrong, saying it had looked only into the civil matters and that recently a CBI had issued a notice to DDCA on October 23.
The BJP member said that the Modi Government was fighting against corruption adding “They (Congress) should demand a time-bound probe, CBI, SIT probe.”
Alleging irregularities, Congress MP Venugopal said a laptop was hired for Rs 36,000 for a day, printer for Rs 3,000 and a ‘puja ki thali’ for Rs 5,000 for a day. “Fourteen companies did not exist or information about them was not correct,” Venugopal alleged.
Accusing the Opposition of dragging the Finance Minister’s name for “short-term politics”, Naidu said Jaitley had “no role” in the alleged irregularities.
Taking a dig at the Congress, he said Jaitley was not a Minister in 2013 when the irregularities were found, noting that it was the Congress which was in power then.
Giving a account of the expenditure, Jaitley said Delhi did not have a stadium and DDCA proposed two measures to raise money as the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) infrastructure subsidy was limited to only Rs 4 crore.
DDCA raised Rs 35 crore by selling advance tickets of corporate boxes and signage, he said, adding that by the time the money was raised, BCCI also hiked the subsidy to Rs 50 crore as it had begun earning more money.
“So we decided to rebuild the entire stadium,” he said amid protests.
He said a public sector undertaking EPIl carried out the civil works costing around Rs 57-58 crore and 43 other works were given to those who were predominantly their sub-contractors.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress demanded Arun Jaitley’s resignation over over alleged role in the DDCA scam and repeatedly disrupted proceedings of the House by raising slogans in the Well.
Jaitley said he was willing to give clarifications right now if the Congress was ready to discuss the issue after leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue during Zero Hour.
Even as Congress members came into the aisles to register their protest, Jaitley said he had initiated legal action against those who had levelled allegations outside Parliament in apparent reference to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others.
Daring the Congress to discuss the controversy, Jaitley said let Azad come with specific facts and he will give answers right away. The Finance Minister also said, “I will not live with vague statements.” When the Congress continued to raise a din, Jaitley said, “Do I assume they have nothing to say and can only raise slogans.”
He was responding to Azad’s statement that many allegations -- including that of a Rs 150 crore fraud, 14 bogus companies being floated and conflict of interest at DDCA, have been in discussion for several days now. Demanding a discussion, Azad said “he (Jaitley) can’t remain on the position.”
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said there is a procedure for levelling allegations against a member of the House or a minister and a prior notice to the concerned has to be given. He then went on to expunge all allegations against the Finance Minister.
But Congress members were unrelenting and continued to raise slogans. They held placards that read: “First resign, then discussion,” “Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion,” and “Delhi District Corruption Association.” Amidst the din, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi ruled out Jaitley’s resignation and said the charges against him were false.