The Hindu : Front Page : 11 MPs accused of taking cash for raising questions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 13, 2005

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11 MPs accused of taking cash for raising questions

Special Correspondent

Speaker orders probe, says none will be spared

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee

NEW DELHI: Members across the political spectrum have demanded stringent action, including expulsion, against 11 Members of Parliament, for allegedly accepting money to raise questions in Parliament. A television channel, Aaj Tak on Monday came out with what it called an expose on the MPs.

The Lok Sabha set up an inquiry committee to go into the charges and submit a report by 4.00 p.m. on December 21 and the Rajya Sabha referred the case of its lone member to the Ethics Committee.

Explanation sought

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee told the House that the 10 members were asked not to attend the session until the matter was looked into and a decision taken. They were asked to submit their individual statement/explanation on the allegations made by Aaj Tak before 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday.

The members' statement/explanation would be placed before the inquiry committee that would comprise Pawan Kumar Bansal (Chairman-Congress), Vijay Kumar Malhotra (Bharatiya Janata Party), Mohammed Salim (Communist Party of India-Marxist), Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and C. Kuppusami (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam).

The committee, the Speaker said, was authorised to follow its own procedure and present the report before the House for its consideration.

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on December 23.

Earlier, the Speaker made a statement as soon as the House assembled. Mr. Somnath said he discussed the matter with leaders, including Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani and they agreed that the matter was extremely serious if proved correct.

"I have no manner of doubt that all sections of the House feel deeply concerned about it. I know that we should rise to the occasion and we should see that such an event does not occur ever in future and if anybody is guilty, he should be punished. Nobody would be spared. We shall certainly respond to it in a manner which behoves us."

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