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Oppn walks out over CVC defence deal
New Delhi, Aug 13: The Opposition today staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat rejected their demand for Prime Minister`s statement on the refusal of defence ministry to hand over a CVC report on defence purchases to PAC, saying the probe did not cover armaments brought during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
New Delhi, Aug 13: The Opposition today staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat rejected their demand for Prime Minister's statement on the refusal of defence ministry to hand over a CVC report on defence purchases to PAC, saying the probe did not cover armaments brought during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
"CVC has confirmed in writing that it has not conducted any investigation into procurement for Operation Vijay," Shekhawat said in a lengthy ruling, provoking the entire Opposition to stage a walkout.
Ruling out any discussion on the issue, he said it "would not be appropriate" as the Public Accounts Committee at this stage has not completed its consideration of the matter. After the walkout, normalcy was restored in the House which took up a government motion for consideration on the science and technology policy -- 2003.
Shekhawat said of all the items taken up for investigation by the CVC, only two items appear to relate to procurement for Operation Vijay.
"These items find due mention in the factual note submitted by CVC to the PAC Secretariat on June 27," the Chairman said observing these had yet not been considered by the PAC even though the factual note was sought by PAC expeditiously.
Shekhawat observed that the PAC went ahead to finalise its 54th report without taking up for consideration the CVC's factual note on investigations into defence procurements. He pointed out that "the prescribed procedure and practice for drafting of the minutes and the report of the committee were not observed".
"On the basis of above facts, available documents and relevant papers, I find that the CVC was neither assigned nor has conducted any investigation or given any report as such on the subject of procurement for Operation Vijay, " he said.
Bureau Report
Ruling out any discussion on the issue, he said it "would not be appropriate" as the Public Accounts Committee at this stage has not completed its consideration of the matter. After the walkout, normalcy was restored in the House which took up a government motion for consideration on the science and technology policy -- 2003.
Shekhawat said of all the items taken up for investigation by the CVC, only two items appear to relate to procurement for Operation Vijay.
"These items find due mention in the factual note submitted by CVC to the PAC Secretariat on June 27," the Chairman said observing these had yet not been considered by the PAC even though the factual note was sought by PAC expeditiously.
Shekhawat observed that the PAC went ahead to finalise its 54th report without taking up for consideration the CVC's factual note on investigations into defence procurements. He pointed out that "the prescribed procedure and practice for drafting of the minutes and the report of the committee were not observed".
"On the basis of above facts, available documents and relevant papers, I find that the CVC was neither assigned nor has conducted any investigation or given any report as such on the subject of procurement for Operation Vijay, " he said.
Bureau Report