The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice on Wednesday following protests from the Congress regarding allegations that a relative of the Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju was involved in a Rs. 450- crore transportation scam at a hydel power project in Arunachal Pradesh.
A Gujarat-cadre IPS officer, Satish Verma, who assisted the CBI in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case, had alleged before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that his services as Central Vigilance Officer (CVO) of NEEPCO in Shillong were curtailed as he had unearthed the “transportation scam” that involved a relative of Mr. Rijiju.
On Wednesday, Mr. Rijiju questioned the “character” of the former CVO, and said that the officer had acted in an illegal manner.
“Look at the character of this CVO [Mr. Verma] who has sent this malicious report [to CAT]. He was transferred on July 5. Ten days later, he wrote back-dated letters and he took away all the documents from the establishment department. What kind of officer is he? And how fraudulently he was working is very clear now. The officer was acting illegally. The Congress party is exposed,” said Mr. Rijiju at his North Block office. He was non-committal when asked if the government would order a probe against Mr. Verma.
On Thursday, Opposition members shouted slogans and indulged in heated exchanges with the BJP members over the alleged misuse of office by Mr. Rijiju, besides raising anti-government slogans on the demonetisation issue.
During the Question Hour at noon, some members were heard raising slogans over allegations against the Minister. Chairman Hamid Ansari, pressed for taking up the Question Hour, was heard saying that there cannot be a “Jekyll and Hyde character”.As the protests continued, Mr. Ansari adjourned the House till 2 p.m.
Rare unanimity
When the House reassembled, a rare unanimity was witnessed as the members passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014. After the Bill was passed, Congress MP Anand Sharma raised the issue of allegations against Mr. Rijiju, which led to protests from the members of the Treasury benches.
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien told Mr. Sharma: “There is rule, there is a procedure. Go by that. You cannot suo motu raise an allegation.” Members of the Congress and the BJP indulged in shouting slogans in the House.
Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended Mr. Rijiju and said the allegations were “totally false and fabricated. ... I dare you for a debate on this.” He particularly told Congress members, “Your party is misleading you.”
