Shekhawat comes to Jaswant's rescue

The RS chairman disallows the privilege motion saying it is being examined.Is the mole theory a cheap publicity gimmick?

Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday did not allow Congress members to raise the breach of privilege motion against former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, saying the matter is under examination.

HT Image

During the zero hour, Congress leader V Narayanaswamy said Singh misled the Parliament on Tuesday by using misrepresented facts in his controversial book — A Call to Honour.

The Leader of the Opposition in Upper House had named Harry Barnes and Thomas Graham in an effort to prove that a mole in the Prime Minister's office during PV Narasimha Rao's tenure had leaked nuclear secrets to the US administration.

Shekhawat said the matter of raising the privilege motion was being examined. "Before I take a decision, no one will be allowed to raise the matter."

Narayanaswamy was joined by several Congress leaders like Santosh Bagrodia and Mr Rajeev Shukla who raised loud voices to press their point.