Parliament in chaos over 'throttling' CBI

      New Delhi: Furious opposition lawmakers shouted slogans and stalled proceedings in Parliament on Thursday alleging that the Prime Minister was interfering in the working of the country's top probe agency for political gains. The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it was enraged by letters written by the PM's office to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioning it's clean chit to their leader Lal Krishna Advani in a contentious Babri Mosque demolition case. The letters, written in August 2005, were published in the "Indian Express", a leading national daily. The furore forced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop his statement on the Iran nuclear vote, midway. Advani was acquitted in 2003 after a court said there was only suspicion and no proof that the former deputy Prime Minister had instigated a mob of Hindu zealots into razing down the 16th century mosque in the communally-sensitive town of Ayodhya. The levelling of the mosque triggered violent nationwide riots in which 3,000 people were killed -- the worst religious clashes since the bloodletting that followed the partition of the subcontinent and the creation of Islamic Pakistan in 1947.

    The BJP also raised the issue of CBI's clean chit to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattarochi, the main accused in the Bofors arms kickbacks, saying the government is throttling independent investigations. "There can't be a greater interference in the functions of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) than this Prime Minister's office and the department under him has been doing. And in the face of all this for the Prime Minister to say that my office never interferes in the functions of the CBI and this was said not once but twice, therefore this is extremely important," Arun Jaitely, senior BJP leader told reporters after the parliament was adjourned. The government has denied the blame, saying it was perfectly legal and ethical to seek clarifications over any issue. "Is it a crime to ask for a clarification from the CBI? We have a right to ask the CBI what all reasons prompted its decisions," Sri Prakash Jaiswal, junior interior minister, said. The powerful Communists, who prop with the Congress party-led government from outside, termed the charge as serious, adding it must be debated in parliament. "We have sought a short-duration discussion on the matter and spoken to the speaker about it," Sitaram Yechuri, leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said. The Mosque site still remains disputed and the issue has dragged on for years in Indian courts, which have banned any construction on the land until they settle the issue. Despite the ban, a small makeshift Hindu temple stands on the debris of the mosque. Hindus claim the site in Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram and a temple existed there before Islamic invaders demolished it and built the Babri mosque in its place. The BJP had risen to power riding on the Hindu revivalist wave and the party has since time and again played up the issue for political mileage.

Nation's interests in mind at all times: Manmohan Singh
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh declared on Thursday that his government would keep the nation's interest uppermost in its mind at all times when determining matters of policy, and appealed to all political parties to respect the tradition of national consensus. "While the instruments of our policy and the tactics and strategy we adopt may change with time, the values in which they are embedded are universal and will remain true for all time," Dr.Singh said while winding up the debate on the President's February 16 address in Parliament. During his 30-minute speech, which was marred by incessant sloganeering by agitated opposition members who stormed the well of the House demanding his resignation over a report which claimed that the PMO had asked CBI to explain why no action was taken against the Leader of the Opposition L K Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case, Dr. Singh said there was no truth to the opposition charge of dual power centres in the Government.

Back to Headlines                  Go To Top