Parliament won`t function unless Law Minister clarifies: BJP

BJP said government vetted CBI report on coalgate and interfered with functioning of constitutional bodies and announced that unless Law Minister Ashwani Kumar clarifies, Parliament won`t function.

New Delhi: BJP on Monday said reports that the government had vetted the CBI report on coal mines scam show it has been interfering with the functioning of constitutional bodies and announced that unless Law Minister Ashwani Kumar clarifies his stand in Parliament, the House will not function. "The issue is simple and straight... The Supreme Court had ordered restraining the CBI from sharing the report with anybody in the government," Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

He alleged that despite this, the Law Minister had vetted and even made changes in the CBI report on the coal mines allocation scam before it was submitted to the apex court. "Ashwani Kumar has not denied reports that the meeting took place in his office (where the alleged vetting was done). CBI is accountable only to the Supreme Court for the report," Prasad said. BJP further maintained that similarly the Law Minister is responsible to Parliament for his conduct. The party has also attacked the Prime Minister`s Office which is facing allegations of involvement in the coal block allocations where anomalies have come to light. The main opposition disrupted Parliament over the issue and sought to know where the Law Minister is as he was not present in the Rajya Sabha when the issue was raised. It will continue to press for its demand inside Parliament. Vociferous slogans and counter-slogans by Trinamool Congress and Left members in the Well finally led to an hour-long adjournment of the lower house. While TMC members condemned the alleged heckling of the West Bengal Chief Minister by SFI activists in Delhi, the Left members raised incidents of human rights violations in the state. A number of BJP members were heard demanding resignation of the Home Minister protesting the incidents of rape. Members of the Samajwadi Party also raised the issue of rapes. As unruly scenes continued, the Chair adjourned the House till 2 PM. Unruly scenes continued as the House met again at 2 PM forcing Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda to adjourn the proceedings for the day. Rajya Sabha saw three adjournments before lunch with the government agreeing to discuss the issue of coalgate but opposition remained adamant on calling the Law Minister in the House and seeking suo motu statements from both Prime Minister Manmohan Sngh and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar. The motion moved by V Maitreyan (AIADMK) on suspension of Question Hour for a discussion on the role of CBI in the alleged coal scam was later rendered as infructuous by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien saying the matter ended at 12 noon with the Question Hour. Chairman Hamid Ansari earlier admitted Maitreyan`s notice for moving the motion from among the eight notices received. He had put the motion to voice vote but no division of votes could take place amid the din, as Ansari adjourned the House for 30 minutes. Earlier, too the House was adjourned for 15 minutes on the issue. "I am asking for peace. A Motion has been moved. It is to be voted. Voting cannot take place in noise. Motion cannot be put to vote," Ansari said as members from BJP and AIADMK rushed into the Well. While Maitreyan demanded that the Law Minister be "summoned" in the House and asked to explain his position on alleged interference in the CBI report, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said government should make a suo motu statement on the issue if it has nothing to hide. PTI