Under fire from the Congress over demand for a discussion on a CAG report pointing to anomalies in Gujarat’s KG Basin gas project, the Centre on Monday said that it will abide by the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s decision even as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley earlier rejected a discussion on a State issue terming it diversionary ploy by the Congress.
The Congress has sought a discussion on the latest report of the CAG, listing alleged irregularities in Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation’s KG Basin gas project and forced three adjournments in the Rajya Sabha in the pre-noon session demanding a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
later in the day, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Muktar Abbas Naqvi said, “Earlier we said we were not ready for discussion, but now we have decided to leave the decision on Chairman. Whatever he decides, we will follow it,” Naqvi said to which Congress member Jairam Ramesh sought assurance by asking, “Is the Government ready for discussionIJ”
To this Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said, “That is what he said. What he said is that the Government has no objection for discussion. Whatever the decision taken by the Hon’ble Chairman, the Government is OK with it.”
The Congress had served a notice to the Chairman demanding a discussion on the controversy last week with senior party leader in the Upper House Jairam Ramesh taking a dig at Jaitley, saying that the leader of House has “characteristically” made a series of misleading statements. Congress members forced several adjournments in the House by raising slogans and trooping into the Well, demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jaitley said the CAG report was being considered by the Public Accounts Committee of the Gujarat Assembly and hence it would be a wrong precedent to raise the subject in the House. He accused the Congress of raising the issue “as a diversionary tactic” to counter the Trinamool Congress (TMC) notice to have a discussion on the VVIP helicopter issue.
Countering this, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “This allegation is not true. We had given notice for this 4-5 days ago.” Deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma said his party wanted a discussion on the AgustaWestland issue too and was “not running away”.
Azad said it was a question of thousands of crores loans taken from nationalised banks for the project that has now gone down the drain. Countering Jaitley’s argument that it was a State matter, Azad said that oil and gas exploration is national subject along with loans given by financial institutions.
Outside Parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu accused the Congress of trying to divert the attention of people from AgustaWestland scam by raising “unnecessary” issues in the House. “Congress wants to divert the attention of the people from Agusta scam. So they are raising unnecessary and unconcerned issues,” Naidu said outside Parliament while referring to disruptions in the Rajya Sabha.
Quoting the Constitution, Naidu said, “Under Article 151, the reports of CAG relating to the accounts of Centre shall be submitted to the President, then it will be laid before each House of Parliament. The rule is clear. Congress is also aware of it.”