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Shekhawat made scapegoat by the coalition: Congress
New Delhi, Aug 13: Congress today suggested that the Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has been made a scapegoat by the BJP-led coalition in the stalemate over the denial of CVC report on Kargil arms purchases to the Public Accounts Committee. The party also accused the government of `undermining` `most important watchdog` of parliament.
New Delhi, Aug 13: Congress today suggested that the Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has been made a scapegoat by the BJP-led coalition in the stalemate over the denial of CVC report on Kargil arms purchases to the Public Accounts Committee. The party also accused the government of "undermining" "most important watchdog" of parliament.
"It is a sad commentary on the part of the government. These are political matters to be fought between ruling party and opposition", senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee told reporters while dwelling on controversy over the CVC report.
Asked whether he meant the chairman has been made a scapegoat by the government, he said, "You can draw your own inference".
Accusing the government of undermining the PAC, he recalled a former Prime Minister was sent to jail following breach of privilege of the house when her office interfered with the functioning of the PAC. "It has tremendous influence and no one should interfere in the functioning of the PAC".
Party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said that there was no end to the stalemate in parliament on the issue and the party would continue to boycott Defence Minister George Fernandes. It would press for supply of the CVC report to the PAC and reply by the Prime Minister on discussion in both the houses in the matter.
Mukherjee, however, made it clear congress members did not walk out in protest against the chairman's observations on the issue but as part of its non-cooperation with government business which was taken up later.
Bureau Report
Asked whether he meant the chairman has been made a scapegoat by the government, he said, "You can draw your own inference".
Accusing the government of undermining the PAC, he recalled a former Prime Minister was sent to jail following breach of privilege of the house when her office interfered with the functioning of the PAC. "It has tremendous influence and no one should interfere in the functioning of the PAC".
Party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said that there was no end to the stalemate in parliament on the issue and the party would continue to boycott Defence Minister George Fernandes. It would press for supply of the CVC report to the PAC and reply by the Prime Minister on discussion in both the houses in the matter.
Mukherjee, however, made it clear congress members did not walk out in protest against the chairman's observations on the issue but as part of its non-cooperation with government business which was taken up later.
Bureau Report