New Delhi, November 20
The Opposition’s move to raise the Ayodhya issue and discuss the reinduction of Defence Minister George Fernandes came a cropper in the Lok Sabha today.
The adjournment motion on Ayodhya, moved by non-Congress parties to censure the government on the entry of VHP activists into the heavily guarded temple at Ayodhya in violation of a Supreme Court order was rejected by the Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi.
“Adjournment motion is an extraordinary device which, if admitted, leads to setting aside the normal business for discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance,” Mr Balayogi said, ruling that “though the subject is important enough to merit discussion in the House, I do not consider it appropriate to adjourn the entire business for this purpose.”
He told the members that a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and leaders of parties and groups in the Lok Sabha was scheduled in the afternoon.
The notice for adjournment motion was given by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Mr Somnath Chatterjee (CPM), Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), Mr P.R. Dasmunsi (Congress) and Mr G.M. Banatwala (Muslim League) and some others.
The Opposition also tried to rake up the controversial re-induction of Mr George Fernandes into the Cabinet even before the enquiry commission on Tehelka had given its report. The government was not game for the discussion as it maintained that the appointment of a Cabinet minister could not be discussed under any rule in the House as it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
With the government in no mood to oblige the Opposition on their demand for a personal clarification from Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee the members staged a walkout.
Angry members from the Congress, Left parties, Samajwadi Party and RJD alleged that by giving a clean chit to Mr Fernandes the Prime Minister had sought to influence the outcome of the Venkataswami Commission, which was inquiring into the Tehelka expose.
“The Prime Minister owes an explanation to members as he is accountable to Parliament,” Congress chief whip Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi demanded while raising the issue during zero hour.
Countering the Opposition charge, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, shortly after the walkout, rejected the demand for an explanation by the Prime Minister and removal of Mr Fernandes.
Mr Fernandes is “totally innocent”, Mr Mahajan said, contending that the commission had not till now levelled any charge directly or indirectly against him.
