Former Telecom Minister Arun Shourie on Saturday did some plainspeaking on the BJP’s ‘parliamentary tactics’ in stalling the proceedings of both Houses over the coalgate scam and said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be allowed to make a statement on the issue in Parliament in the wake of CAG’s findings.
Talking to mediapersons after delivering the Nani Palkhivala memorial lecture on ‘judicial activism and alternatives’ here, Shourie said, “Prime Minister was the Minister in charge for Coal Ministry…he must be given the opportunity to explain the facts as he sees them.”
Asked about the stalling of parliamentary proceedings by the opposition over the issue, Shourie said: “I am not with these so-called tactics, parliamentary tactics…the opposition gains nothing by disruption of Parliament.”
“Sometimes, the opposition also takes a stand and after five days finds a reason not to pursue this stand.. In Chidambaram’s case they said he must resign last time (over 2G scam) so Parliament could not be allowed to function when Chidambaram came. But they were having dinners and lunches with Chidambaram outside Parliament.. after a few days everything was forgotten, Shourie observed.
In this connection, Shourie, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said: “MPs demand the cancellation of question hour to discuss issues. What would happen if they wait for just one hour and speak about it ?”
Responding to question on Assam violence, Shourie said the Centre be held responsible for not making the Foreigners Act applicable there to check the Bangladeshi infiltrators.
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