New Delhi, March 25
The All-India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Chairman, Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, today demanded a high-level inquiry into the claim of the party President, Ms Mamata Banerjee, that she had prior information about the December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament, and reiterated his support for the POTO Bill.
Addressing a news conference here, Mr Panja said only an inquiry, either by the House or by a government agency, would be appropriate to handle this sensitive issue. “There is a clear cut prima facie case against her,” he alleged.
He said, “If she had information about the attack, she should have informed at least the Delhi Police or the government about it.” Had she done so, precious lives of the security personnel would have been saved, Mr Panja added.
Mr Panja said the party President had made a statement to this effect in Kolkata a few hours after the attack. She had also said that the party Chief Whip, Mr Sudip Bandhopadhya, was a witness to her remark.
Ridiculing her stand on POTO Bill which will be introduced, debated and sought to be passed in the joint sitting of the Parliament tomorrow, Mr Panja alleged that it was nothing but an exercise to “hoodwink the people”.
There is nothing called “absence” from the Parliament. So far as the parliamentary procedures are concerned, a member should either support, oppose or abstain from voting while remaining in the Parliament.
He reiterated that he would support the Bill and if, given a chance, would also speak in its favour.
Asked whether the AITC had issued any whip this time for tomorrow’s joint sitting, Mr Panja said, “So far none of the MPs have received any such whip on this issue.”
