TMC MP to file petition against Azad in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari today suspended Trinamool Congress member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy for the rest of the day on charges of gross misconduct and indiscipline.

The scam continued to rock the Upper House as Ansari asked Roy to withdraw from the Rajya Sabha for the day as the latter continued to raise the chopper deal issue without the chair’s permission, after his notice for an immediate statement from the government was rejected by the chairman.

He then went on to read the Rajya Bulletin of yesterday which named 33 Congress members for “gross disorderly conduct in violation of rules and etiquette of Rajya Sabha”.

“We are prepared to discuss the matter listed (AgustaWestland), but GSPL issue should also be listed”, said Anand Sharma (Cong) amid uproar by Congress members.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said there is no rule for suspension of business during Zero Hour and disallowed his notice. “We will discuss AgustaWestland on Wednesday”, Naqvi said. “Who is this AP [named as alleged bribe taker in the deal]?”

“Who is Gandhi? Who is AP?”

The issue was, however, not raised in the Lok Sabha, where the Congress has only 44 members in the 545-member house.

Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2005 had announced that GSPC had struck 20 Trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in its KG basin block. Floor leader Derek O’Brien told IANS that all members of the party would stay away from the house proceedings through Monday.

“We have no issue with that”, he said, adding that Roy had not left his seat and was raising an issue from there.

Sources said the Congress managers are banking on the assumption that the BJP government did not pursue the CBI and ED probes ordered by the UPA in the chopper deal and therefore would not have much to showcase in terms of fresh evidence. “This is a diversionary tactic, because a TMC MP gave a notice on AgustaWestland, hence Congress is trying to make an issue out of a non-issue”, Jaitley hit out.

A ruckus followed, with the Congress protesting, forcing five adjournments through the day.

To this, the Chairman said the Rule applies to one member and if the government wanted it can bring a motion against Congress members.