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Parliament adjourned over Kargil defence purchases issue

     New Delhi: Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned after clashes between Opposition and Treasury benches on the issue of filing a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court on Kargil defence purchases issue. The NDA demanded the resignation of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee over the issue. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon while the Lok Sabha was adjourned until tomorrow. After the adjournment, Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said "I will not allow the adjournment of future sessions of Parliament." The debate must go on, he added. According to the NDA, the UPA government's additional affidavit is 'contradictory' to the first one in which the government had given a clean chit to George Fernandes in the same court in the Kargil defence purchases case. It now wants the additional affidavit to be withdrawn. After the obituary references to Pope John Paul II and four former members of the Lok Sabha, BJP leader V K Malhotra raised the issue for discussion. Malhotra alleged the filing of second affidavit of government in the Supreme Court was "immoral, illegal and unconstitutional", as it is "contradictory" to the affidavit filed by government earlier.

     Treasury benches also drew a loud protest when Malhotra alleged that Congress and its President Sonia Gandhi had been levelling false charges against George Fernandes from the time when he was Defence Minister. "Nothing is contradictory between the two affidavits and everything was done as per law of the land," Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee contended. The government was ready for a full-fledged discussion on the matter, he said. "Even today under whatever form or whatever manner the Opposition wanted", he added. The house was adjourned for 15 minutes first because of the verbal clash between the Opposition and Treasury benches. Later the Speaker adjourned the house for the day.

SC to continue recording statements of Zahira Sheikh  (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: A high powered committee of the Supreme Court (SC) set up to probe the veracity of contradictory statement of Zahira Sheikh and the alleged lapses committed by social activist Teesta Setalvad, prime witness in the Best Bakery case, will continue to record her statements. On Monday, the committee headed by Registrar General B.M. Gupta and comprising Delhi Police Joint Commissioner Knawaljit Deol, examined Sheikh for over two hours and recorded her statements. The committee that began its probe on April 6 has been asked to submit its report in four months as to whom between Zahira and Teesta was telling the truth. On January 10, a bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice H.K. Sema had directed the Registrar General of SC to take the help of an Inspector General rank official from Delhi Police and and conduct a probe a high level probe into the doubtful statements of Sheikh and Setalvad's credentials. On one hand, while, Shiekh has been saying that she was held captive by Teesta, who allegedly earned money by prodding the case outside, Teesta has alleged that the local VHP and BJP leaders in Vadodara gave her huge amount of money to change her statements.

Uma Bharti may resign (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and BJP's hindu icon, Uma Bharti, has said that she may consider retirement. She is said to be upset with the party and thus has said that she has little work in the party and may consider retiring. The final decision, however, will be taken by the sanyasin on April 21, sources informed. She has called the entire national media to Amarkantak on the April 21 to make an 'important announcement'.

Tandon to succeed Krishnamurthy as CEC (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The outgoing Chief Election Commissioner, TS Krishnamurthy will be succeeded by Election Commissioner B B Tandon. An IAS of 1964 batch, Tandon, 64, was appointed as Election Commissioner in 2001 and will be in office till June next. Murthy is set to retire on May 15. He joined as the CEC on February 8, 2004. Earlier, Tandon has been Personnel Secretary at the Centre and a member of the Delimitation Commission. He has held top posts at Centre as well as in the Himachal Pradesh Government and Union Territoes of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar islands. He had held the post of Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions earlier.

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