With the AgustaWestland issue set to be debated in Rajya Sabha tomorrow, Congress today threatened to stall the proceedings if the Centre opposed a discussion on the alleged Rs 20,000 crore Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) scam.
Seeking to put the government in a tight spot, the Opposition Congress demanded a thorough discussion on the alleged GSPC scam, when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
"If that is the case, we will not allow the House to function," party spokesman Jairam Ramesh, a member of the Upper House, told reporters.
His remarks came after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu's reported opposition to taking up the GSPC issue in spite of the matter being pending with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
"If the CAG report was to be 'Brahmastra' for 2-G, and if CAG Report was the 'Brahmastra' for the coal allotment, how can't it not be 'Brahmastra' for KG Basin (the GSPC issue). Why are these double standards," Ramesh asked.
Targeting Modi, he said, "The 'Sutradhar' of the GSPC is now the Prime Minister of India. That is the only reason the man who masterminded the GSPC, who ran the GSPC, after all he is hands-on PM, he is hands-on CM and one of the characteristics of the hands-on CM is that he had his hands on everything and he certainly had his hands on GSPC."
On being asked about the AgustaWestland issue, he said, "Congress is not running away from debate and is wanting it and we will participate".
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Ramesh alleged all overseas acquisitions of GSPC are being liquidated.
"GSPC's scam footprints extend not only to KG basin but also globally and internationally," he charged.
To a question whether GSPC-scam can be called an "international scandal", Ramesh alleged Gujarat government was suppressing a letter written to it by the government of Egypt in which it had sought an explanation as to how USD 135 million, as claimed to have been spent by GSPC in Egypt, have been spent.
