The CPI(M) on Monday attacked Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for reportedly giving a clean chit to railway minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks on Maoist leader Azad’s death.
While raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) leader Mr Sitaram Yechury said, “The finance minister’s remark was tantamount to the government running with the hare and hunting with the hound”. He wanted to know when the government would give its response to the issue of railway minister Ms Mamata Banerjee’s Lalgarh rally on August 9 during which she had raised questions on the killing of Maoist leader Azad. Mr Yechury was supported by the BJP and other Opposition members also.
In Kolkata on Sunday, Mr Mukherjee had said that Banerjee advocating talks with the Maoists doesn’t mean she has links with them. He had also said though the railway minister was part of the UPA, her party could have independent thinking on issues. Responding to Mr Yechury’s remarks, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mr Prithiviraj Chavan said the government will respond to the issue on Tuesday.
CPM leader Brinda Karat said, “Being a junior partner of Trinamul in West Bengal, Mr Pranab Mukherjee is trying to defend the indefensible. The Union finance minister is bound by political compulsions”.
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Uproar over CBI ‘misuse’
Age Correspondent
New Delhi
The role of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday became a bone of contention between the ruling and Opposition benches in both the Houses of Parliament. Main Opposition BJP, while quoting media reports on Rajkot police commissioner Geeta Johri’s statement, accused the government of misusing the CBI and demanded a discussion on the issue.
As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, Leader of Opposition in the House Sushma Swaraj raised the issue and demanded a “full fledged” discussion on misuse of CBI for political purposes. She accused that the Congress is using CBI for destabilising Opposition ruled states. Immediately, the Congress members came on their feet shouting against the allegation. Other UPA partners, including Trinamul Congress, also joined them. Soon, commotion was created in the House forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House till noon.
Moreover, the scene in the RS was no different, as Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley sought to raise a discussion on “functioning of CBI and its politicalisation”. But the treasury benches, protesting Mr Jaitley’s comments, maintained that the matter was sub-judice. Mr Jaitely said it was a serious issue that Ms Johri alleged that she was being “compelled by a central agency to implicate” politicians in the BJP-ruled state.
“I would like the government should react, especially since that the state government had asked Supreme Court to investigate the matter. If CBI does threaten officers, then this house should discuss the politicalisation and misuse of CBI,” Mr Jaitely emphasised. Chairman Dr Hamid Ansari said a subjudice matter could not be raised in the House.
This did not satisfy the agitated BJP members who trooped into the well and started shouting slogans, leading to adjournment of the House till noon.
Ends...