The BJP yet again stalled Rajya Sabha proceedings on Wednesday demanding the resignation of home minister P Chidambaram. Members from the treasury benches stormed the well of the House after opposition members shouted slogans against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi while targeting
Chidambaram.
The BJP, which has been boycotting Chidambaram in Parliament alleging his involvement in the 2G scam, had said last week he should resign over reports that he had misused office to favour a former client (a hotelier he had represented as a lawyer).
Trouble started when Chidambaram stood up to answer supplementary to a question on fire safety. The moment he started speaking, BJP members started shouting slogans.
As BJP members gathered near the presiding officer’s podium, members from the treasury benches rushed in to defend Chidambaram. Chairman Hamid Ansari was forced to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
Chidambaram has rejected allegations that he had favoured hotelier SP Gupta in getting three first information reports against him withdrawn.
The case dates to 1999 when owners of Metropolitan Hotel, Gupta and his company Sunair Hotels, were involved in a legal battle with VLS Finance Ltd, which claims to have funded the hotel project.
PM Manmohan Singh has given a virtual clean chit to Chidambaram in the controversy. “His statement is there for anybody to see, and he said that he is not guilty of the type of blame that is being sought to be placed on his shoulders,” the PM had said on December 17.
With inputs from agencies