NEW DELHI, Sept 7:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today promised that issues raised in the CAG report over coal block allocation would not be “swept under the carpet” and necessary “corrective action” will be taken even as he lashed out at BJP for pursuing obstructionist politics.
He said the CAG, in its report on coal block allocation, has “rightly or wrongly” made certain allegations about public functionaries and the Government was ready to discuss these in Parliament and Public Accounts Committee.
“I assure all of you that the issues raised in the CAG report are not being swept under the carpet. They will be discussed in Parliament as they should be. Whatever corrective action is necessary will be taken,” Singh said in his ‘message to the nation’ soon after the turmoil-ridden Monsoon Session of came to an end.
“The CAG report on coal block allocation should have been discussed in Parliament and Public Accounts Committee but the Opposition chose to cause disruptions,” he said.
The CAG report had criticised allocation of coal blocks instead of auctioning them during 2005 and 2009 and felt that it could have accrued benefits to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore to private firms.
Unhappy over washout of the Parliament session, Singh said obstructionist politics amounts to “total negation” of democracy and is hurting efforts to revive growth besides weakening the country.
He asked “all right minded Indians to stand up and unite against the forces of anarchy and disruption” to secure the foundations of hard earned democratic and Constitutional rights”, warning that politics of disruption would be a “grave violation” of democracy and could lead to “deeply divided and disenchanted” country.
Noting that the country is faced with several challenges on security and economic front, Singh said the Government can rebuild growth momentum but is “constantly distracted by the actions of those who prefer obstruction over discussion”.
The Prime Minister said, “We have great respect for the institution of CAG but if we do respect this institution, we must be willing to debate its finding in PAC or even on the floor of Parliament which we have always been willing.”
He said the institution of CAG would be strengthened only by taking its reports seriously enough to discuss them in the PAC and in the House.
“PAC reports deal with complex issues on which there can be different points of view and all these must be heard fully before rushing to judgement. We do not strengthen the CAG as an institution by using its reports to prevent discussion and cause disruption,” Singh said.
Attacking BJP without naming it, he said, “The Opposition chose not to take advantage of the subtle institutional practices dealing with the reports of CAG and insisted on disrupting Parliament. This is negation of democracy.”
He warned that “If this thought process is allowed to gain momentum it will be a grave violation of Parliamentary politics as we have understood.”
Hitting out at BJP for disallowing functioning of Parliament by pressing for his resignation, Singh said, “The Opposition chose not to take advantage of the subtle institutional practices dealing with the reports of CAG and insisted on disrupting Parliament. This is negation of democracy.”
The Prime Minister asked “countrymen and countrywomen to make up their mind if this is the right way” to serve the functioning democracy.
“We take pride in the fact that since Independence, we have been a practising and functioning democracy. What we have witnessed in this session is a total negation of that,” he said.
He said, “those who follow this path (of disruption) detract from India’s prestige as the world’s largest Parliamentary democracy. They are unwittingly only serving the ends of those who want to weaken the country and discredit its institutions.”
Meanwhile, the turmoil-ridden Monsoon Session of Parliament came to an end today after most of its sittings were washed out over the controversial coal block allocation issue with BJP remaining unrelenting on its demand for resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The second-worst session since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections functioned for only six out of 19 days and was paralysed for remaining period due to the stand-off between Government and BJP.
The worst session was the Winter Session of 2010 which was a complete washout due to the Opposition demand for setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee in to the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
“This Session is likely to be remembered for the work that was not done,” observed Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari while adjourning the House sine die.
Minutes before, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned Lok Sabha sine die without making the customary concluding address. The Prime Minister and Leader of Lok Sabha Sushilkumar Shinde were present when the House was adjourned.
Observing that the data on work done was “in no need of commentary”, Ansari regretted that 62 hours were lost in the din during the session which began on August 8. Only three bills could be passed. While Question Hour was taken up once in the 19-day session, only 11 out of 399 starred questions could be taken up.
The Constitution amendment bill for providing reservation in promotions to SCs and STs was introduced amid high drama with the Upper House proceedings witnessing a new low with SP and BSP members coming to fisticuffs.
The measure could not be taken up for consideration and passage, despite being listed for the last three days due to vociferous protests by SP and Shiv Sena. BSP supremo Mayawati’s suggestion to extend the session for passage of the bill did not find favour among other parties.
The controversy over coal block allocation continued even though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a statement in both Houses of Parliament on August 27 in the light of the CAG report.
A highlight of the session was the bonhomie between the ruling alliance and the Opposition witnessed during the unanimous election of P J Kurien as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on August 21.
It was again visible today on the last day of the session, when the Opposition greeted Kurien as sat next to Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitely.
Both the Houses of Parliament showed solidarity with the people of North East, with Rajya Sabha adopting a unanimous resolution demanding a thorough probe into the spread of rumours that created panic and assuring them that they are safe anywhere in the country, while urging them to go back to their places of work and study.
The session also saw Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar beginning his innings as an MP when he attended Rajya Sabha as its member. Nominated to the Upper House in April, he had taken oath during the inter-session period.
The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, aimed at protecting those exposing corruption, could not be passed as discussions remained incomplete on this anti-graft measure.
Though the Government had listed around 30 bills for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha, only four bills were passed in the month-long session and that too in din without any discussion.
The Rajya Sabha could pass only three bills including the AIIMS amendment bill. Two bills – Armed Forces Tribunal (Amendment) Bill and the Constitution (117th) Amendment bill to provide quota in promotion to SCs/STs – could only be introduced. The last three days saw commotion and drama in the Upper House over quota in promotion bill.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar said it was sad that Parliament could not transact normal business during the session.
“In our democracy, sometimes there are forms of dissent, which disturb us. But we are all staunch believers in the functioning democracy of our country and I am very hopeful that a solution will be found, situation will normalise and Parliament will function,” she said after the session ended.
Both the Houses offered felicitations to Indian sportspersons for winning medals at London Olympics, 2012.
The session also witnessed sad demise of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Both Houses condoled the death of Deshmukh, a sitting member of Rajya Sabha.
Parliament also condoled the death of cine star Rajesh Khanna, Captain Lakshmi Sehgal and eight former members of the Upper House.
In the Rajya Sabha, none of the eight short notice questions admitted could be taken up. So was the fate of all three short duration discussions listed on price rise, drought and food security.
None of the four matters of urgent public importance listed in the form of calling attention motions came up for discussion. Similarly, three half-an-hour discussions listed could not be proceeded with.
The Upper House also gave farewell to its Secretary General V K Agnihotri.
The Rajya Sabha discussed the issue regarding need to create a separate State of Telangana through a private member’s resolution.
On the other, BJP today defended the washout of nearly the entire Monsoon Session of Parliament by the Opposition saying a similar exercise in 2010 on the 2G spectrum issue had led to cleansing of the telecom sector and hoped it will bring transparency in allocation of natural resources.
At a session-end press conference here, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA Government for the reported anomalies in coal block allocations.
BJP announced that it will take the fight to the streets and from “village to village” after not allowing Parliament to function.
The main opposition maintained it is not in favour of disrupting Parliament often and it should be resorted to in the “rarest of rare cases” but insisted that the 2G spectrum scam and now the coal scam demanded this.
“One session of Parliament has earlier been lost on account of corruption in allotment of 2G spectrum. That helped this country to cleanse the telecom sector. Hopefully, the long term gains of this session may enable future governments to clean up the process of allocation of natural resources,” Jaitley said.
Terming the allotment of coal blocks as arbitrary and discretionary, he alleged that these took place “under the very nose of the Prime Minister who also held the coal portfolio” are textbook case of “crony capitalism”.
The party suggested that the Government institute a commission of inquiry into coal scam and the Prime Minister depose before it.
BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters outside Parliament that the party will now go to the streets to make people aware of the Government’s “wrong doings” on various fronts.
“We are not demanding mid-term polls but we want the Government to go. The reason being the Government has not only failed on all fronts but is also deeply involved in corruption,” he said.
The BJP leaders alleged that Government had allocated coal blocks to politicians and business persons close to the UPA.
“Many (allottees) have nothing to do with either steel or power sectors. Many were name-lenders and rentiers. They used their political clout to get an allocation, either in their own name or in the name of a joint venture. And then they exited after a windfall gain,” Jaitley alleged.
The party maintained that it was forced to disrupt Parliament as being the principal opposition it could not remain silent. “We used this session of Parliament to shake the conscience of the people of India and appealed to the Government to correct the monumental fraud committed on public exchequer,” Swaraj said.
BJP will chalk out the contours of its plan for taking the issue to the people at its Core Group meeting next week. The party sees more potential of reaching out to the people and attacking the Congress-led UPA on the coal block allocation issue than the earlier the 2G spectrum scam which was esoteric and difficult to comprehend for the common man.
The opposition continued its tirade against the Prime Minister and maintained that either he himself or the PMO is the “kingpin” of the delay in implementing the auction system for allocating coal blocks. It referred to the minutes of a July 25, 2005 meeting in the PMO to claim that this “conclusively establishes” this allegation.
“They (PM and PMO) were aware of the fact that competitive bidding will only transfer the windfall gains to the Government exchequer and not hike the power rates,” Jaitley said.
The party alleged that cancellation of coal block allotments is “nowhere among the Prime Minister’s priorities” and pressed for his resignation. BJP maintained that cancellation of these allotments will have a beneficial impact on the economy as auctions will bring more revenue. (PTI)
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