Govt ready to discuss Volcker Report: Manmohan

     New Delhi: Terming the disruption of Parliamentary proceedings by the Opposition over the issue of Volcker Report as unfortunate, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday that the government was ready for an immediate discussion on the issue in the Parliament. Singh said that he was ready for an open discussion in the House "today" and "now," adding that to know the facts relating to the matter the Opposition should let Parliament function smoothly.

    Earlier this morning, both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned following disruption by the opposition demanding resignation of former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi. ( K Natwar Singh and Congress Party figure in the Volcker report)The Opposition in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha started shouting as soon as the members assembled there that they wanted Natwar Singh and Sonia to resign and the Houses could function only if they do so. BJP Spokesperson V K Malhotra said that the Congress party's reputation has been destroyed in the Volcker Report and it was the duty of the Parliament to have a discussion on this matter. The Volcker Committee in its report has named Natwar Singh and the Congress party as non-contractual beneficiaries of the Iraqi oil-for-food scam. The panel has also named 129 Indian companies for paying illegal surcharges to Saddam Hussein government to get contracts for supply of humanitarian goods.