 "Sonia Gandhi")
Congress today created pandemonium in Rajya Sabha, forcing two adjournments in the pre-noon session over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's allegation during an election rally that an Italian court had named Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland chopper bribery case.
They asked how could the Prime Minister make such allegations when the Defence Minister had not mentioned such information in his reply to debates on the controversy in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha last week. They also sought to know which court was Modi quoting.
Congress members trooped into the Well of the Upper House shouting slogans like "Pradhan Mantri jhoota hai (Prime Minister is liar)" and demanded an apology from him. They also forced Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to first adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes and then till 1200 hours.
Party members said when the government, during their reply to debate on the controversy in both Houses, did not draw any reference to Gandhi, how could the Prime Minister make a such a statement outside, and that too when Parliament was in session.
Raising the issue, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress) said no member in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha during the debate on AgustaWestland deal said the UPA leadership took money.
Maintaining that the Congress had demanded stringent action against any leader or officer found guilty in the bribery case, he said Modi had during poll rallies in Kerala and Tamil Nadu said that it was not his statement but an Italian court has said that Gandhi was guilty in the case.
He asked why did Modi not intervene in the debates on the issue in either of the House and say this. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had not named any UPA leader in his reply, Azad said.
CBI, which is conducting an inquiry in the case, falls directly under the Prime Minister, he said and asked will the investigating agency not be influenced by such statements.
Anand Sharma (Congress) said the Prime Minister should come to the House and substantiate the statement he has made.
As Kurien ruled out Sharma's notice under rule 267 to suspend business to take up the issue, Congress members trooped in the Well raising slogans against the PM.
Kurien said what is being attributed to the Prime Minister was said outside the House and the Congress party can reply to that outside as well.
"The Chair cannot take cognizance of it," he said, adding "I cannot do anything."
"Is Chair responsible for political speeches," he asked as he urged members to return to their places and allow Zero Hour to be taken up.
Anand Sharma asked if the Prime Minister was pre-empting the CBI investigation since the probe agency comes under him.
Modi, he said, has made a statement which contradicts what the Defence Minister had said on the floor of the House. He went on to state that Prime Minister's statement was violative of norms and dignity of the house.
Kurien however said the Chair cannot ask the Prime Minister to come and make a statement on the issue.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said while no one guilty in the deal will be spared, no innocent will be touched.
As the Congress members shouted slogans against Prime Minister, Naqvi asked Chair to rein them in saying the BJP was also capable of shouting slogans.
According to him, Modi had said "what the world is talking and what the Italian court has said."
Prime Minister did not make any policy announcement outside the House and so has not violated any rule. "It was an election rally speech," he said.
As the din continued, Kurien adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
When the members re-assembled, Pramod Tiwari (Congress) raised a point of order saying when the House was in session, whatever Modi has said is the statement of the government.
He said the Prime Minister's statement contradicts what the Defence Minister has said in Parliament. "Either the Prime Minister is lying or the Minister of Defence is lying," Tiwari said.
On Tiwari's point of order, Kurien said, "Chair does not take cognizance of what has been said (outside the House) and reported by newsapers. I don't take congnizance".
