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Friday, Apr 22, 2005

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NDA Government refused to share CVC report: Advani

Special Correspondent

`It is the Government's right'

NEW DELHI: The Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani, told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the National Democratic Alliance Government refused to share the Central Vigilance Commission report with the previous Public Accounts Committee, under a privilege the Government could invoke.

"True, it is the Government's right to [deny access to the report]," Mr. Advani, said in response to a clarification sought by the Leader of the House and Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, on Wednesday.

However, Mr. Advani said the Opposition's demand now for tabling the CVC report was raised since the Government had quoted the report in the affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court. Since the Government brought the report into public domain, Parliament could not be denied the same.

Even then the Government could claim privilege and deny access to the report.

Responding to this, Mr. Mukherjee said the Government had never stated it would not place the CVC report but sought a clarification from Mr. Advani as to what prompted the NDA Government to claim privilege when the PAC wanted to peruse it. He reminded the House that a former Prime Minister was acted against when obstructions were placed in collection of material and in allowing the PAC discharge its function.

As regards the inclusion of CVC report in the affidavit, he said, the Government had only given an action taken report and nothing else.

That too, he said, was done since the Supreme Court had asked the Government to state what action was taken on the Comptroller and Auditor General report and that of the CVC.

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