Uproar in LS after BJP drags Sonia, Maken in CWG mess

On Tuesday an innuendo from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) M.P. Yashwant Sinha against the sports Minister Ajay Maken and his alleged links with former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, led a pandemonium in Lok Sabha, leading to its adjournment. In the meantime the BJP were also shouting slogans against Sonia Gandhi for her role in appointing Suresh Kalmadi as CWG organizing committee chief. While participating in a debate on the Minister's August 2 statement on the Common Wealth Games, Sinha referred to Maken being the Congress party's in-charge for Jharkhand affairs when Koda was the Chief Minister a few years ago. It was stated by the BJP leader who represents Hazaribagh in Jharkhand in Lok Sabha that, when Maken visited Ranchi during the days of Koda's Chief Ministership, he always threatened to withdraw support, but the threat was never carried out. Indicating that it was done to please the Congress leadership, Sinha stated that, Koda use to bring a bag load to the capital soon after those threats. The ruling benches were on their feet protesting the remark, no sooner had Sinha uttered these words. The ruling party members including some ministers such as Ambika Soni, Harish Rawat and V. Narayanasamy, said that the BJP M.P. was alleging corruption and asked the chair to direct him to withdraw the remarks. However, Sinha stood in his ground and noted that his comments were within parliamentary norms and that he had made no allegation. It was also ruled by the chair that the BJP M.P's remarks were not an allegation. But the Congress, particularly Maken, was displeased and the Minister threw his earphones to display his anger. He had to be pacified by his congress colleagues.

The parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar, intervening in the matter, wanted Sinha to withdraw his remarks noting that in the heat of the debate certain words were used and by withdrawing them the senior BJP leader's stature would not diminish. But it was refused by Sinha to heed his request. The chair adjourned the house first for half an hour as the high decibal level continued. Similar scenes were witnessed when the house reassembled, leading to the chair adjourning it for the day.

 News By, SM