The row over alleged financial bungling in DDCA resonated in Parliament on Monday with BJP member Kirti Azad embarrassing the ruling side by demanding time-bound SIT probe while Congress pressed for resignation of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who dismissed charges against him as “baseless” and “wrong”.
Congress staged a walkout in Lok Sabha which was led by party chief Sonia Gandhi.
While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned repeatedly over the issue, in the Lok Sabha, Kirti Azad, a known detractor of Jaitley, egged on Congress to seek a time-bound SIT probe.
Congress members were already shouting slogans in the Well, demanding resignation of Jaitley, who formerly headed the DDCA.
Ruling out Jaitley’s resignation, 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.”
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (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.
Kirti 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.
In the Rajya Sabha, soon after listed papers were laid, placard-holding Congress members were up on their feet shouting slogans and seeking Jaitley’s resignation.
Jaitley said he was ready to reply to all charges and urged the Chair to ask Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to start a discussion immediately.
“I am not going to live by any vague statements,” he said, adding “if they have a single statement, let him (Azad) make it right now. I will answer it right now.”
He was responding to Azad’s statement that there are many big allegations including that of a Rs 150 crore fraud, 14 bogus companies being floated and conflict of interest at DDCA. “He (Jaitley) can’t remain in the position,” Azad said.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien expunged all allegations against the Finance Minister, saying no allegations can be levelled against any member of the House without a prior notice to the Chairman as well as the person concerned.
But Congress members were unrelenting and continued to raise slogans. They held placards that read: “First Resign, Then Discussion” and “Caesar’s Wife Should Be Above Suspicion.”
“Whey are you allowing all this noise, ask him (LoP) to start discussion right now. I will answer it right now,” said Jaitley, who is also the Leader of the House.
Kurien said Jaitley was ready for a discussion and the Congress should give notice for discussion.
But as Congress members continued to create uproar, Jaitley said, “Sir, do I assume that they have nothing to say except raise slogans?”
In the midst of din, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asserted: “No one will resign over false charges” levelled against Jaitley.
After this, the slogan-shouting intensified, forcing Kurien to adjourn the House for 15 minutes. Similar scenes were witnessed when the House re-assembled, forcing more
adjournments — till 12 pm, then till 12.30 pm and then 2 pm.