New Delhi: Opposition on Thursday disrupted proceedings in Parliament by vociferously demanding the resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram for his alleged role in the controversial 2G spectrum allocations.
Members of BJP-led NDA created uproar in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to seek Chidambaram’s resignation in the wake of a Delhi court allowing Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy to become a witness in the 2G spectrum case.
Swamy pleaded before Special CBI Judge O P Saini that the court should summon CBI joint director HC Awasthi and Sindhushree Khullar, who has served as Joint Secretary in the Finance Ministry during 2G spectrum allocation to establish the “nexus of accused persons with others”.
Mr Swamy has said the examination of these witnesses will help him establish Mr Chidambaram’s alleged role in the multi-crore 2G scam.
He wants to confront them with documents that he says will establish Mr Chidambaram’s complicity in the case.
The Lok Sabha could not conduct any business as it saw trouble as soon as it met for the day at 11 am, forcing its adjournment till noon and then again till 2 pm.
In the Rajya Sabha, NDA members created uproar towards the end of Question Hour prompting Chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn the House for ten minutes till noon and then again till 2 pm.
As soon as Speaker Meira Kumar called for the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, NDA members were on their feet demanding resignation of Chidambaram.
DMK member T R Baalu was heard demanding a discussion on the Mullaperiyar dam issue in Parliament while some other members trooped into the Well and raised slogans.
BJP members continued to raise slogans ‘Griha Mantri Istifa Do (Home Minister resign)’ from their seats.
With unruly scenes continuing, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.
Similar scenes were witnessed when the House met again at 12 noon. After papers were laid and CPI member Gurudas Dasgupta rose to initiate the discussion on price rise, NDA members started shouting and demanded that Chidambaram should step down.
The Speaker tried to pacify the members, saying the House wanted to take up the discussion on price rise for a long time and hence they should cooperate.
However, the NDA members continued to raise slogans while MPs from Tamil Nadu walked into the Well to press for their demand on Mullaperiyar dam.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the opposition demand was irrelevant and they should not protest.
The Speaker then adjourned the House till 2 pm.
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi later told reporters that since a Delhi court has taken note of this, there should be a probe. “In this situation, Chidambaram should submit his resignation on his own, or else the Prime Minister should sack him,” he said.
Ahead of the Winter Session, the NDA had decided to boycott Chidambaram in Parliament, alleging his involvement in the 2G scam during his tenure as Finance Minister. The NDA wants Chidambaram to quit.
The Rajya Sabha functioned for about 50 minutes during the Question Hour before the opposition raked up this issue and disrupted the proceedings.
Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House for ten minutes.
When the House met again, similar unruly scenes were witnessed with the NDA, Left and AIADMK members raising slogans to press for their demands and some members walked into the Well.
AIADMK members were demanding appropriate action on the Mullaperiyar dam issue. They walked into the Well to press for their demand.
The Upper House was adjourned also adjourned till 2 pm.
Earlier, when both Houses met for the day, rich tributes were paid to legendary actor Dev Anand who passed away on December 3. (PTI)