M A I N   N E W S

Oppn trains guns on PM
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8
Stung by the disclosures of the government yesterday, the Congress today stepped up its campaign in Parliament today paralysing both the Houses for the fourth consecutive day over the petrol station allotment issue.

The Congress-led Opposition changed its tactics today and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee amidst uproarious scenes as the Treasury Benches sought to counter the new demand.

In the Lok Sabha a combined Opposition, which till yesterday was demanding the stepping down of Petroleum Minister Ram Naik, today trained its guns on the Prime Minister and sought his resignation shouting “Pradhan Mantri istifa do.”

Congress, Samajwadi Party and Left party members trooped into the well raising anti-government slogans immediately after Speaker Manohar Joshi condoled Tuesday’s killings of nine Amarnath pilgrims, welcomed a visiting Surinamese delegation and lauded the performance of the Indian team at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Mr Vajpayee was not present in the House. Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi, like in the past three days, sat through the din. Mr Naik was also seated in the front row of Treasury Benches.

Despite repeated pleas by Mr Joshi for the restoration of order, uproar continued forcing adjournment of the House.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla was heard saying “should we adjourn the House sine die, if you are not willing to allow the House to run.”

Even before she took her seat the vociferous Opposition was on its feet demanding action against the guilty. “At least allow me to say namaskar”, she said. Amid the din, TDP members suggested that the House be adjourned till Monday. Ms Heptulla put forward the members’ suggestion to the House and on finding no response, adjourned the House till tomorrow.

BJP releases yet another list
Says Gowda’s kin among beneficiaries
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8
Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna along with his minister colleagues are among the leaders and ministers having retail outlet dealerships of petrol, LPG or kerosene in the state either in their own names or that of their relatives, the BJP claimed today.

The BJP has made a detailed list of 36 such beneficiaries. It was made available to reporters today at a regular media briefing. It also released yet another list of four Congressmen, including a former Union Minister, and a Samajwadi Party leader, who had made recommendations to Petroleum Minister Ram Naik for allotment of petrol stations and gas agencies.

They are — former Union Labour and Textile Minister G. Venkatswamy, Ms Bimba Raikar, Rajya Sabha Member, Mr Kodikunnil Suresh, Lok Sabha Member, and Mr Baburao Chichansur, Minister of State for Small Savings in Karnataka, and Muzarai, (all from Congress). The Samajwadi Party MP is Mr C.N. Singh.

Sources said the party was going to release yet another list containing names of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Union Minister and Janata Dal President S.R. Bommai whose relatives were the beneficiaries of the allotments of petrol stations and gas agencies.

According to the list, former Petroleum Minister B. Shankaranand has got HP gas stations at Belgaum. Mr Ballal, PA to Mr Oscar Fernandes (Petrol station at Udupi), Former Karnataka PCC chief Krishna Rao (retail outlet at Jeevan Bima Nagar, Bangalore) have been beneficiaries in the past. Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman, reiterated the BJP’s challenge to the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to ask her party colleagues to surrender these outlets to allow their auction by the Petroleum Ministry.

Meanwhile, ruling NDA members submitted a petition to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mr Naik to review the allotments of petrol stations and LPG distributorships made between 1983 and 1999.

A two-paged letter, which was released by the BJP, asked the Petroleum Minister to investigate how the Congress supporters and workers were able to get distributorships during that period.

Cong ready for probe into scam
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8
The Congress said today that it was prepared for any kind of inquiry into the allotment of petrol stations and the party would have no problems with terms of reference fixed by the government. The party was also contemplating giving a notice of privilege motion on the issue.

Referring to the list of Congress MPs and leaders released by the BJP yesterday, who had recommended names to Petroleum Minister Ram Naik for petrol stations and gas agencies, Congress chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said none of those mentioned had been given dealership. “We are not complaining but the BJP tried to give wrong impression. We condemn such dirty and diversionary ploys,” Mr Reddy said.

He said letters of recommendation by MPs were not unusual as they took up matters concerning the voters. Citing the example of Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Reddy said the senior Congress leader had recommended the case of a widow, who was finally not given a petrol station. The minister, he said, did not reply to the letters sent by the party MPs.

The BJP campaign was trying to obfuscate the issue and the inquiry may cover all recommendations, the spokesman said.