NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha did not perform any legislative business for the third consecutive day on Thursday as the Congress remained adamant, seeking clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on allegations against his predecessor Manmohan Singh and a special CBI court’s verdict acquitting all the 19 accused—including former UPA telecom minister A Raja, DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi—in the 2G scam. The verdict, however, doesn’t override the Supreme Court judgement or divert from the fact that licences issued during 2G spectrum allocation were illegal
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the matter as soon as the House met and said he needed an explanation on two issues from the prime minister, who was expected in the Upper House as Thursday is designated for questions related to the Prime Minister’s Office
“We were seeking clarification from the prime minister on one issue till Wednesday, but now the entire Opposition needs explanation on two things. One, on his statement about former prime minister and second, on what has happened in the court on 2G scam,” said Azad.
Congress members were on their toes, which irked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel. He blamed the Opposition for not letting the House run for three consecutive days and hampering the government’s legislative business.
“How will the prime minister come to the House when you are not letting the House to function from last three days?” said Goel. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu denied permission to raise the matter related to the 2G verdict. “It was on the basis of the `176,000 crore 2G scam that the BJP came to power. Now, the prime minister should clarify where is the 2G scam and his party was involved in false propaganda against UPA ministers,” Azad said.
Naidu informed the House that he has not given the permission to raise the matter and asked Congress members to sit as they resorted to sloganeering and came into the well of the House, after which the House was adjourned.
“Here (Rajya Sabha) under Rule 267, it has become a habit of many members to give a number of notices and then do not allow the House to work. This is not fair,” said Naidu.
Clean bowled
Nominated Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar failed to initiate his maiden speech in the House with
the Congress protesting. Tendulkar was to lead the debate in the second half but the House was not in order.