New Delhi:
As expected, there was total chaos in both Houses of Parliament this morning, with the Opposition shouting angry slogans against the government and demanding the resignation of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for trying to influence the CBI's inquiry into an alleged swindle in how coal fields were assigned to private firms.
However, at a meeting of leaders from different political parties, a decision was taken to allow the crucial Finance Bill to be taken up tomorrow, so that the government's expenditure for this year can be cleared.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath will meet BJP leader Sushma Swaraj separately today in the hope of negotiating a larger peace. Meanwhile, due to chaos in Parliament, both the Houses have been adjourned till tomorrow.
On Thursday, in court, the CBI told the Supreme Court that Mr Kumar and a senior bureaucrat each from the Coal Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office had asked to see its report on its coal investigation before it was submitted to the top court's judges. The Opposition immediately demanded the Law Minister's exit; the PM defiantly said that would not happen.
The Opposition offers the CBI's admission in court as immutable evidence that the government is trying to influence the CBI's investigation to protect the Prime Minister, who held direct charge of the Coal Ministry for some of the years under scrutiny. The CBI has been asked to determine why and how valuable coal fields were allotted to private firms without a transparent bidding process.
Over the weekend, Dr Manmohan Singh urged the Opposition to cooperate so that crucial legislation, including the Finance Bill can be passed. "The whole world is laughing at us. Whatever the issues, these can be debated, discussed and decisions arrived at through proper dialogue at Parliament," he said.
In rebuttal, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said today, "We have become a laughing stock not because of the Opposition, but because of the government."