The Hindu : National : CBI inquiry sought into payoff allegations

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Friday, Apr 22, 2005

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CBI inquiry sought into payoff allegations

Special Correspondent

Furore in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: Allegations of a pay-off by a South African defence firm to procure classified defence information created a furore in the Lok Sabha on Thursday with the ruling coalition members demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe. As soon as the Congress Chief Whip, Pawan Kumar Bansal, raised the issue during zero hour, Opposition members joined issue and the Shiromani Akali Dal members rushed to the well of the House demanding the Government table the report of the Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission of Inquiry that probed the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

For nearly 10 minutes, there was disorder in the House with members, cutting across party lines, raising the issue. Some senior Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal members occupied the aisles while the younger brigade including Rahul Gandhi and others had to be coaxed by a Minister to stand up and counter the Opposition.

Order was restored after the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, warned some members that he would name and ask them to leave for disturbing the House. He also directed the Akali Dal members to return to their seats. He said they were insisting on raising the issue without adequate notice to the Chair and said: ``Behave in a responsible manner.''

Mr. Chatterjee also warned the RJD's Ram Kripal Yadav, for insisting on having his say without the Speaker's permission. ``I will not permit ... get rid of me ... Yeh Tamasha Nahin Chalega (this drama cannot be allowed) ... you can move a no confidence against me, if you don't like... '' and the words had a salutary affect.

Mr. Bansal, who sought to raise the issue as soon as the House assembled, quoted a newspaper report and said that highly sensitive proceedings of the price negotiating committee of the Defence Ministry was perhaps made available to an outside agency and there were allegations of a pay off.

``It is a disturbing news,'' he said demanding that the CBI probe the matter. Several other members, including Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD), Madhusudan Mistry, K.S. Rao and Lal Singh of the Congress backed him.

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