For the past two months, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat is caught between the arguments and counter arguments of arch rivals BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. The letters quoting parliamentary rules started flying thick and fast after Swamy petitioned Rajya Sabha Chairperson Hamid Ansari for the removal of Chidambaram from the chairmanship of Standing Committee on Home Affairs, citing various cases against him.
After raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Swamy petitioned that as the role of Chidambaram is being investigated by the CBI in the Aircel-Maxis case and findings of Home Ministry’s probe report on manipulations in the affidavits in the Ishrat Jehan indict Chidambaram, he should not hold the Chairmanship of the Home Ministry panel.
Replying to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Chidambaram said Swamy’s allegations on his role in Aircel-Maxis case are baseless.
“This allegation is baseless and untenable. The FIPB consists of five Secretaries to the Government of India and they examine each proposal,” wrote Chidambaram detailing his version on the case in a detailed letter dated May 6.
“As Finance Minister, I gave approval in normal course,” he said adding that both FIPB and CBI does not come under the purview of the MHA panel he is heading currently.
Swamy countered that CBI had already declared that they are probing Chidambaram’s role in the scam. He said many IPS officers in CBI may face difficulty as Chidambaram is the panel head of MHA, which is the cadre controlling Ministry of IPS officers.
Swamy said that Chidambaram has not answered on the Delhi Police’s ongoing probe in the manipulation of affidavits in the Ishrat Jehan case. An FIR is registered by Delhi Police on the complaint of MHA, pointed out Swamy challenging Chidambaram’s continuance as the MHA panel head.