Will discuss IPL, phone tapping with opposition: Pranab
By IANSWednesday, April 28, 2010
NEW DELHI - The government will discuss with the opposition the Indian Premier League (IPL) controversy as well as the allegations of phone tapping raised by it, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee assured the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
He said the government will come before the house on these issues after the passage of the Finance Bill, 2010-11, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha Wednesday. The house started discussion on the Finance Bill later.
“On all these issues we will have the opportunity of discussing with various political parties. Either Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or I will come to the house. But this will be done after the Finance Bill is passed,” Mukherjee said.
The minister’s assurance came after opposition AIADMK MPs gathered near the speaker’s podium when the house re-assembled at 2 p.m., demanding the resignation of Communications Minister A. Raja on his alleged role in the spectrum scam.
The minister’s assurance came after opposition AIADMK MPs gathered near the speaker’s podium when the house re-assembled at 2 p.m., demanding the resignation of Communications Minister A. Raja on his alleged role in the spectrum scam.
After pacifying the AIADMK MPs and sending them back to their seats, Deputy Speaker Karia Munda allowed opposition leaders to speak on the allegations.
“I am not running away from the house. The session is there till May 7, there is time,” said Mukherjee, who is also Leader of the house.
She cited the prime minister’s statement, made before the media, on the opposition’s demand in the house for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the IPL row.
The prime minister Monday night told reporters on the sidelines of the defence investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan that the allegations of phone tapping and the IPL controversy were not fit cases to constitute a JPC.
“It is the first responsibility of the prime minister to satisfy the house. Whatever you do, you do in the house,” Sushma Swaraj said. The BJP also stuck to its demand for a JPC on the IPL and phone tapping issues.
When Mukherjee said the government would consider the opposition’s demand, Swaraj questioned the government’s sincerity. “What is your consideration? What is your reply?” she asked.
Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav said: “IPL, phone tapping and corruption (spectrum scandal) are interlinked. We wish to see something from the government in this regard.”
She cited the prime minister’s statement, made before the media, on the opposition’s demand in the house for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the IPL row.
A front-paged report in The Pioneer Wednesday said: “The cat is finally out of the bag. The CBI has acquired clinching evidence showing that a high-profile woman public relations lobbyist acted as powerbroker in the multi-crore 2G spectrum scam and that she was in regular touch with Telecom Minister A. Raja.”
The prime minister Monday night told reporters on the sidelines of the defence investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan that the allegations of phone tapping and the IPL controversy were not fit cases to constitute a JPC.
“It is the first responsibility of the prime minister to satisfy the house. Whatever you do, you do in the house,” Sushma Swaraj said. The BJP also stuck to its demand for a JPC on the IPL and phone tapping issues.
When Mukherjee said the government would consider the opposition’s demand, Swaraj questioned the government’s sincerity. “What is your consideration? What is your reply?” she asked.
Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav said: “IPL, phone tapping and corruption (spectrum scandal) are interlinked. We wish to see something from the government in this regard.”
The issue of the spectrum scam surfaced Wednesday after a report of the tapping of phone conversations between a high-profile lobbyist and public relations (PR) firm owner and Communications Minister A. Raja revealing alleged wrongdoing in the allocation of 2G spectrum.
A front-paged report in The Pioneer Wednesday said: “The cat is finally out of the bag. The CBI has acquired clinching evidence showing that a high-profile woman public relations lobbyist acted as powerbroker in the multi-crore 2G spectrum scam and that she was in regular touch with Telecom Minister A. Raja.”
“The investigating agency unearthed damning evidence of wheeling-dealing in the spectrum scam by authorised tapping of telephones of several persons, including Nira Radia, who runs several public relations and consultancy companies - like Vaishnavi Corporate Consultants, Noesis Strategic Consulting Services, Vitcom Consulting and Neucom Consulting,” the report said.
