New Delhi, December 10
The disinvestment of HPCL and Centaur Hotel and divestment of BPCL created a furore in the Lok Sabha today, with the Opposition charging the government with bypassing the Parliament in taking these decisions. Congress and CPI(M) members demanded a “stop on the loot and plunder” of national property.
The matter was also raised in the Rajya Sabha by Leader of Opposition Manmohan Singh, who maintained that since the petroleum companies had been nationalised by an Act of Parliament, these should be disinvested only after parliamentary approval.
BJP Chief Whip Vijay Kumar Malhotra’s allegation against the Delhi Government virtually ignited the Lok Sabha and a large number of opposition members were immediately up on their feet in protest against the remark. Congress Chief Whip. P.R. Dasmunshi asked Mr Malhotra to substantiate his charge and pleaded with the Chair for expunging the remark from the proceedings. Speaker Manohar Joshi observed that he was prepared to allow a full discussion on the issue of disinvestment.
Raising the matter during zero hour, Mr Dasmunshi said the property of the nation could not be allowed to be “looted and plundered in this manner” and the matter should have been discussed fully in the House and alleged that the government was going against the Act of Parliament.
He said the market price of the land site of Centaur Hotel was much more than the price paid by Batra Hospitality for the hotel.
