M A I N   N E W S

George boycott issue back to square one
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 25
The peace initiative of the two presiding officers of Parliament to end the logjam on the two-year Opposition boycott of Defence Minister George Fernandes went for a six today as the government turned down the Congress’ demand for a discussion in both Houses of Parliament.

Thanks to the Congress’ backtracking on its earlier offer of agreeing to end the impasse if the government allowed a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Fernandes would continue to function without a critical scrutiny in Parliament and the ministry.

While the Congress insisted on a debate on the Tehelka issue in both Houses, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj went on record, accusing the Congress of going back on its promise.

Talking to newspersons, Mrs Swaraj narrated the sequence of events and said the Opposition had agreed that Mr Fernandes’ boycott would end after a discussion on the Tehelka issue in the Upper House and that was “I had gone to the Lok Sabha” for getting the Defence Minister’s statement on Akhnoor postponed from Thursday to Friday at the first instance”.

But then the discussion was not possible on Friday and then it was to take place on Monday, she said, adding that Mr Fernandes’ statement was scheduled for Tuesday morning in the Lok Sabha and later in the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier, Congress spokesman Satyabrata Chaturvedi cleared the party’s stand, saying that “Why only in the Rajya Sabha. We are demanding a discussion in both Houses”.