The Lok Sabha, or Lower House of Parliament, was adjourned till noon on Friday, following a strident demand by the opposition for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into IPL-Gate.
As the House assembled to take up the business of the day, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj demanded the formation of the JPC to thoroughly investigate the multi crore sports scam.
She said the JPC is the only appropriate forum to probe people named in the scam.
Swaraj said the JPC could utilise the help of multi agencies of the government.
Supporting Swaraj’s claim, Janata Dal (United) president, Sharad Yadav alleged that the IPL has become a hub for “looters” of the country’s wealth.
Yadav said the JPC is the need of the hour, as new names are coming up every day in the scam, including that of two Union Ministers and a former Union Minister.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) member Basudev Acharya recalled his participation in a JPC in 1992 to probe a security scam.
He alleged that the Union Government was sleeping when that murky deal was going on in the country.
Communist Party of India (CPI) member Gurudas Dasgupta also supported the claim of Swaraj and said the IPL-Gate was the biggest form of gambling in the history of independent India.
Replying on the issue, Finance Minister and Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee assured that he would convey the feelings of the members to the Prime Minister.
Mukherjee said the Government has asked concerned department to conduct searches and expressed confidence that the agencies would emerge out with a detailed report soon.
Unconvinced by Mukherjee’s reply, opposition members continued to shout slogans, demanding formation of the JPC.
Amidst the sloganeering, Speaker Meira Kumar took up Question Hour and asked Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to give a reply to a question.
But, opposition members did not allow Azad to reply and forced Speaker Kumar to adjourn the House till noon.
Sir, When the issue is so serious, and a public issue, why is that Government is not permitting for a JPC probe. Is it a fact that Government wants to protect its own people. Allegations are not make wildly. It is naked truth that lot of criminal things has happened. Still Government is trying to shield. I do not know when these murky politics will end. Oh!! I forgot one thing Parliamentary democracy is meant for looting peoples wealth. Probably the ruling party thinks that Opposition is demanding JPC for the sake of demanding, and things will subsidies soon. Very strong Government. Pity aam aadmi. He is expecting some thing big from the politicians. They are acting big but not for the sake of aam aadmi, but for the sake of their own kith and kin. Thank you, for giving me opportunity.
It's a masterstroke by the Congress. The game-plan seems to be:
- Appear to be taking action against the scammers. Take the high moral ground
- Pin the scam on NCP (a party they want to eliminate in Maharashtra; besides "Madam" hasn't forgotten or forgiven the past challenge to her leadership by Pawar & co.). Remember the successful attempt to pin the blame for the food price-rise solely on Pawar
- Teach a lesson to anybody rubbing the Congress party the wrong way (today somebody points a finger at lowly Tharoor, tomorrow it may be the "madam" and her family themselves). In short, deter any future whistle-blower.
The worst part of it is that the opposition seems to have fallen for the sham and is pursuing the line that Congress wants it to follow.
Posted by: M.S.Vijayakumar
April 23 , 2010, 22:07 IST
Sir, u r absolutely correct. Only Murky politics is going on. Aam aadmi is a poor fellow - he is deaf, dumb, blind and disabled and he cannot understand anything. These politicians will loot the wealth of the country. I remember once 20 or 25 years ago, one Congress MLA in the Assembly argued that who says that trees are necessary for rains. He in intelligent manner questioned the other members, that lot of rains are falling in the sea, is there any trees in the sea. Only such fools are ruling us, for their benefits. Thank you, Sir.
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