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Govt to reply on Baalu issue today
Tribune News Service/PTI

New Delhi, April 29
The Government will reply on the controversy generated by union minister T.R. Baalu, tomorrow and union petroleum minister Murli Deora will defend the government.

Opposition parties led by the BJP and the AIADMK today raised the Ballu issue in the Rajya Sabha for the fifth consecutive day demanding a categorical assurance from the government as to when it would reply to the matter.

As soon as the zero hour began, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj reminded the chair of parliamentary affairs minister Vayalar Ravi's assurance in this regard and wanted to know as to when the government would respond.

She said leader of opposition in the Upper House Jaswant Singh had wanted the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give a clarification over the reported recommendation by the PMO to expedite supply of natural gas to firms run by the union minister's family. Minister of state for parliamentary affairs V Narayanasamy then intervened and said that the government would get back today itself as to when it would respond.

Baalu refuses to quit

Under intense opposition attack, union minister T R Baalu tonight dismissed demands for his resignation terming his detractors as those opposed to the Setu Samudram project and the OBC reservation. “They are my well wishers. Since we are steadfast with the Setu Samudram project and on the issue of OBC reservation, they are making such demands,” Baalu said in a sarcastic response to the campaign by the BJP and the AIADMK for his ouster.