Congress targets Modi for alleged gas scam, forces adjournments in House

New Delhi: Congress on Monday forced three adjournments in Rajya Sabha during the pre-noon session demanding a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on CAG pointing to anamolies in Gujarat's Krishna-Godavari Basin gas project.

Congress sought a discussion on the latest report of CAG listing irregularities in Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation's KG basin gas project.

While the government said CAG reports are examined by Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of state assemblies and there was no convention to discuss those in Parliament, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said their notice seeking a discussion was under examination of the Chairman.

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This did not satisfy Congress members who rushed into the Well of the House raising slogans "Pradhan Mantri jawab do, jawab do."

Kurien first adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes till 1130 hours, then till noon and thereafter till 1232 hours as similar scenes were repeated when the House reassembled after the brief breaks.

No sooner were the listed papers laid, Madhusudan Mistry (Cong) sought to raise the issue of CAG slamming the handling of the Bay of Bengal KG Basin gas field project by Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC), a state government entity.

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While Mistry alleged irregularities of over Rs 30,000 crore were found, Anand Sharma (Cong) said the government has been running away from a discussion on the issue. "We want this issue to be settled... the matter has to be discussed," he said.

Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2005 had announced that GSPC had struck 20 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in its KG basin block. But recoverable reserves have proved to just one-tenth of that and GSPC's borrowings shot up to Rs 19,716.27 crore as of March 31, 2015, according to CAG report.

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Kurien said if notice is given, Chairman will examine it and called Sukhendu Shekhar Roy to speak on his notice. Congress members did not relent and moved into the Well shouting slogans.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said PAC of state assemblies go into CAG reports and Parliament does not discuss them. "This is diversionary tactics. They are trying to divert attention from AgustaWestland (helicopter) deal," he said.

The Supreme Court on May 6 will hear a plea to file an FIR against the people allegedly bribed in the AgustaWestland chopper scam. Rajya Sabha proceedings last week was taken over by accusations and counter accusations traded by BJP and Congress MPs about who was involved in the Rs 3,600 crore chopper scam.

As Congress members refused to relent, Kurien was on his feet asking agitated members to listen to him. "Coming to the Well and shouting slogans is not justifiable, not acceptable. What are you going to achieve," he asked, adding that the Congress members were encroaching upon the rights of 12 members who had given notices to raise Zero Hour submissions.

As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House till 1130 hours. When the House met again, similar scenes of slogan-shouting Congress members trooping into the Well were witnessed, forcing Kurien to adjourn the house till noon.

Before the House was adjourned, Naqvi said the House will discuss the AgustaWestland deal on Wednesday and asked Congress members to do their homework properly.

As Rajya Sabha met for the Question Hour at noon, Congress members again rushed into the Well and started raising similar slogans. Chairman Hamid Ansari asked protesting members not to raise slogans. As the pleas went unheeded and members of the main opposition party continued raising slogans, Ansari adjourned the House till 12.32 pm.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the matter raised by Congress members pertain to the state and should be raised in the state assembly.

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Earlier, Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday gave a notice in the House for suspension of all business to pave way for immediate discussion on the alleged AgustaWestland chopper scam.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said he will place all facts along with the detailed chronology about the controversial chopper deal before Parliament on May 4. "I will place the detailed chronology with documents giving facts about AgustaWestland chopper deal before Parliament on May 4," he said in Panaji.

Read: UPA must answer who received kickbacks in Agusta deal: Parrikar

AgustaWestland's Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force had been scrapped by the previous UPA regime over charges of paying kickbacks to Indian agents.

In January 2013, the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate whether kickbacks were paid to Indian officials.