The Hindu : National : Walkout over money distribution issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

National

National

Walkout over money distribution issue

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 20. The Opposition staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha today during Zero Hour to register their protest against the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, distributing money among slum-dwellers allegedly to get them to attend his December 23 rally. Demanding a reply from the Government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led the entire Opposition out when no response was forthcoming from the treasury benches.

The BJP had, in fact, sought the suspension of Question Hour over the issue. Soon after the House met for the day, the BJP deputy leader, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, urged the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, to suspend Question Hour in view of the violation of the Model Code of Conduct by a Cabinet Minister. However, the Chair refused to entertain the demand and said the issue could be raised afterwards.

Bringing it up soon after Question Hour, Mr. Malhotra said the entire nation had watched on television Mr. Lalu Prasad distribute cash to slum-dwellers. When the Speaker noted that this was an issue for the Election Commission to address, the BJP leader — to a chorus of "shame-shame'' from the Opposition benches — said: "It is not just a case of violating the code of conduct, but offering inducement. Giving and taking bribe is an offence.''

Demanding an explanation from the Prime Minister, the BJP members maintained that silence from the Government would mean it approved of the Minister's actions. With the Treasury benches refusing to join issue, Mr. Malhotra announced that the Opposition was going to walk out and led the members out. The only member of the Opposition who did not join the walkout was P. A. Sangma (Trinamool Congress).

While the Opposition returned within minutes, it again sought to confront the Government over its failure to introduce The Patents (Amendment) Bill, 2004. The issue was raised by P. C. Thomas (Indian Federal Democratic Party), who said there was an apprehension that the Government might promulgate an Ordinance after the Winter Session as a new patents regime had to be in place by the year-end. As BJP members stood up to lend support to his case, Mr. Thomas said this was an issue that ought to be discussed in detail. The Government should either introduce the Bill in the next couple of days or call a special session of Parliament to discuss the proposed legislation.

Meanwhile, seeking a clarification from the Government on the Lalu issue, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh, said there should be a code of conduct for Ministers. "We are not asking for a statement from the Prime Minister because when we asked for one on the Lalu-Paswan public spat, the Prime Minister said he had clarified with the Ministers and that was the end of the matter.'' For his part, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said the Government would respond after looking into the matter.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National