The Hindu : National : CPI plans privilege motion

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Friday, Feb 24, 2006

National

National

CPI plans privilege motion

Special Correspondent

Charges Ahamed with misleading on Syrian oilfield issue

NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (CPI) is planning to bring a privilege motion against Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed for misleading the Lok Sabha on Wednesday on the question of whether the United States had asked India to reconsider its purchase of an oilfield in Syria.

This was announced by CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta at a briefing here on Thursday, shortly after the Government gave an entirely different answer to a similar question in the Rajya Sabha. While the Government had answered in the negative in its written reply in the Lok Sabha, its response to a similar question in the Rajya Sabha by Congressman Motilal Vora was that the matter had been ``raised informally by the U.S.''

Mr. Ahamed is learnt to have written to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General stating that a correct picture was not presented on the issue because of an inadvertent lapse in handling of papers in the External Affairs Ministry. As a result, an uncorrected version of the answer was sent to the Secretariat.

The Ministry has submitted a corrected version for the records of the House. Seeking the indulgence of the Chair, Mr. Ahamed also sought permission to apprise members of the House in person of the correct position.

Given the negative answer to the question in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Ahamed's reply to all related queries was ``does not arise.'' However, on Thursday to a related question in the Rajya Sabha, he said the Government had rejected ``any such objection'' raised by the U.S. and added that companies engaged in oil production would be allowed to purchase oil fields in Syria.

Though in both cases the question was put to the Prime Minister — who holds the portfolio of External Affairs — the answer was given by Mr. Ahamed. Citing newspaper reports — which quoted from the one-page aide memoire handed over to the Government by the U.S. embassy expressing concern at ONGC Videsh Limited's purchase of a Syrian oilfield and made a blunt demand for cancelling the deal — Mr. Dasgupta said the Minister's response in the Lok Sabha was at variance with facts.

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