Volcker: BJP wants JPC, govt says nothing doing

Keen to keep the spotlight on the Volcker Committee report as long as possible, the BJP-led Opposition today raised a new demand—a Join...

Keen to keep the spotlight on the Volcker Committee report as long as possible, the BJP-led Opposition today raised a new demand—a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) enquiry into the Iraqi Oil-for-Food scam—and staged a walkout of the Lok Sabha when the government categorically rejected the demand.

The walkout was preceded by the usual bout of angry exchanges between the Opposition and ruling benches—when BJP leader V K Malhotra reiterated the demand for Sonia Gandhi’s resignation and Congress MP Rajesh Mishra called for the arrest of a ‘‘close relative’’ of former PM A B Vajpayee for his alleged involvement in the Iraqi scam.

Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee made it clear that there was no question of a JPC probe when a full-fledged enquiry by the Justice Pathak Committee was already in progress. The ‘‘scope of the enquiry authority is very wide’’. Not only had it been empowered under Section 11 of the Commission of Enquiry Act but ‘‘additional powers can also be provided,’’ Mukherjee said.

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Asserting that the enquiry authority had already started collecting and analysing ‘‘relevant material’’ and ‘‘all the facts that need to be considered will be considered,’’ the Union defence minister said, ‘‘I cannot understand the rationality of demanding a JPC at this stage…I do not think any purpose will be served by setting up a JPC.’’

He was also critical of the manner in which the Opposition kept raising new demands. ‘‘There should be some rationality in the Opposition’s demands. Sometimes they demand a CBI enquiry, sometimes they want FIRs, sometimes they call for a JPC. Just to suggest a new mechanism of enquiry is not acceptable to us.’’

Malhotra said, ‘‘We protest strongly and are walking out.’’

Earlier, Malhotra raised the issue, saying new aspects related to the scam were coming to light every day. These included Aniel Mathrani’s disclosure that he had informed the Congress leadership of Natwar Singh and his family’s role long before he gave the interview to India Today and Natwar’s complaint that his enemies in the Congress had egged on the BJP to seek his resignation.

These revelations, he carried on, coupled with attempts by Congress to divert the focus of the probe by making baseless allegations against BJP, had led to fears that the Justice Pathak enquiry would only be a ‘‘cover-up’’ job. That is why NDA decided to ask for a JPC probe instead, he said.

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Even as Congress members protested the last demand, Rajesh Mishra referred to Romesh Bhandari’s interview to a Hindi magazine where he alluded to the connection of a ‘‘close relative’’ of the former PM in the Iraqi oil-for-food deal. Mishra said the then petroleum minister Ram Naik had taken a delegation to Baghdad at the time with the full knowledge of both Vajpayee and Advani. The role of the NDA should also be probed and action taken against the former PM’s associate, he said.

Later BJP leader Jaswant Singh told a press meet to press for a JPC probe.