Chargesheet against Lalu in fodder case, removal ruled out

NDA, RJD members clash in House, Lok Sabha adjourned

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, along with 69 other politicians and bureaucrats, was today charge-sheeted under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including cheating, for his role in the fodder scam.

After a special CBI court in Ranchi today pronounced the order of his chargesheeting, Prasad's lawyers said they would appeal in the high court. The order gives the green signal for the trial to proceed.

The event reverberated in Parliament and both Houses were repeatedly adjourned over the issue. Technically, charge-sheeted ministers are not expected to continue in the council of ministers.

The combined effect of his chargesheeting and the alleged attack on him in Gujarat provoked the National Democratic Alliance and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to repeatedly clash with each other, forcing adjournments of the House.

The government rejected the Opposition demand for dismissal of Prasad, arguing that he had only been charged, not convicted and therefore, he could not be expected to resign."Just because charges have been framed against him, there is no justification for his dismissal," Law Minister HR Bhardwaj said.

"When somebody becomes a member of Parliament, he is qualified to become a minister. A minister can be disqualified only when he incurs some disqualification," Bhardwaj said.

The law minister noted that charges had already been framed against Prasad in a Patna court that were still being heard."Just because charges have been framed, one does not become eligible for disqualification. Disqualification is post-conviction," he said.

But angry scenes were witnessed in Parliament and the Lok Sabha's pre-lunch session was adjourned altogether as the Opposition did not let the House function at all.

"The behaviour in the street is better than what is happening here," Speaker Somnath Chatterjee remarked in anguish after repeated attempts by him to restore order failed."It is very, very unfortunate," observed Chatterjee wondering why the members were behaving in this manner, when he had said he would hear them out.

Seeing agitated members from both sides move to front rows, the Speaker warned that"any member coming to the well will face the consequences. It applies to all. I am giving the notice".

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi said Prasad had been chargesheeted by a Patna court for"embezzlement" of Rs 37 crore from Bihar's Chaibasa treasury. He also pointed out that a fact-finding committee, which went to Gujarat to probe Prasad's complaint of an attack on him, found it to be"false".

Modi said Prasad's supporters had smashed the windshield of his car as part of a"pre-meditated" plan to divert the country's attention from the fodder scam. This triggered loud protests from RJD members, who demanded the immediate arrest of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Ramdas Athawale of RPI(A) accused Modi of"masterminding the conspiracy" to"assassinate" the railway minister.

The Speaker initially said he would not adjourn the House."Go on shouting. How long can you do it? ... It is shameful behaviour. Who will benefit by this ...You should see your reflection in the mirror", Chatterjee said. But when members paid no heed, the Speaker adjourned the House for 20 minutes and later adjourned the House until lunch.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 45 minutes and the question hour fell through.