DDCA row echoes in Parliament
Kirti seeks SIT probe
Allegations of financial mismanagement in the Delhi District Cricket Association ( DDCA) grabbed centrestage in both Houses of Parliament on Monday with BJP Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad embarrassing the government by seeking a timebound special investigation team ( SIT) probe into the matter.
The main Opposition Congress pressed for the resignation of finance minister Arun Jaitley, who in turn dismissed charges against him as “baseless” and “wrong”.
Allegations of financial mismanagement in the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) grabbed centrestage in both Houses of Parliament on Monday with BJP Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad embarrassing the government by seeking a time- bound special investigation team (SIT) probe into the matter.
The main Opposition Congress pressed for the resignation of finance minister Arun Jaitley, who in turn dismissed charges against him as “baseless” and “wrong”.
The Congress later staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha which was led by party chief Sonia Gandhi. The Opposition claimed that the alleged financial bunglings took place in the DDCA when Mr Jaitley was in charge of the association.
The Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for nearly 20 minutes on Monday morning amid sloganshouting by Congress members seeking the resignation of Mr Jaitley over the matter.
In the absence of Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party chief whip Jyotiraditya Scindia rose to speak, asking Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to consider their notice. An apparently peeved Ms Mahajan said, “Today I will not stop you from speaking. Speak as much as you want.” Soon thereafter, Congress members rushed to the well raising slogans like “Jaitleyji istifa do ( Arun Jaitley, tender resignation)” and “Hitlershahi nahin chalegi ( Hitler- ship is not done)”.
While Question Hour continued for some time, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings for 20 minutes. The Rajya Sabha too was adjourned repeatedly over the issue.
In the Lok Sabha, Mr Kirti Azad, a known detractor of Mr Jaitley, egged on the Congress to seek a time- bound SIT probe.
Ruling out Mr Jaitley’s resignation, parliamentary affairs minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that the finance minister is known for his “impeccable character, honesty and maintaining high standards in public life”.
The finance minister, on his part, said, “The charges are baseless and wrong. This is all I have to say.” The serious fraud investigation office report did not find any fault with the expenditure and “accepted” the cost incurred, Mr Jaitley said while giving a detailed account of the construction work at Ferozshah Kotla ground which is under scanner. Mr Azad, who spoke after Mr Jaitley, even when many BJP leaders were seen asking him to sit down, said if everything was all right about DDCA, then the CBI would not have given a notice to it on October 23. The issue was first raised in the LS by the Congress’ K. C. Venugopal.