Trinamool Congress member rakes up chopper issue in Rajya Sabha, punished

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy was made to withdraw from the House for disturbing proceedings by demanding discussion on the AgustaWestland issue. “Who has taken bribes in AgustaWestland? We want to know who is Gandhi? Who is AP? Who is Shashikant? These identities will have to be disclosed. The defence minister must answer,” Roy said raising the issue during Zero Hour.

Congress MPs drowned him out, demanding a discussion on the CAG report that pointed out anomalies in a project undertaken by GSPC during Narendra Modi’s stint as chief minister of Gujarat.

Roy persisted with his demand even during Question Hour, resulting in a brief warning from chairman Hamid Ansari, who subsequently invoked Rule 255 against the unrelenting the MP to force his withdrawal from the House. His party colleagues staged a walkout in solidarity. Incidentally, CPM member extended support to Congress.

Congress forced repeated adjournments in the Upper House, demanding a discussion on GSPC issue and allowed government business only after the treasury benches left it to the wisdom of the Rajya Sabha chairman to take a call on the issue.

Before this, Rajya Sabha leader Arun Jaitley objected to the Congress demand by saying “CAG report pertaining to state government goes to the Public Accounts Committee of the state assembly… Things that are subject of PAC of state assembly should not be discussed by Parliament. This is merely a diversionary tactics because a Trinamool Congress MP has given a notice on AgustaWestland issue.”