The Hindu : Row over probe into relief works

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Row over probe into relief works

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE July 16. A determined Opposition in the Legislative Council, which staged a dharna in the House demanding the constitution of a Joint House Committee to probe irregularities in the implementation of drought relief works, and the Government's refusal to set up the committee, disrupted the proceedings of the Legislative Council today.

The House, which was first adjourned for 30 minutes, was adjourned for the day after proceedings recommenced, and after the Chairman, B.L. Shankar, had suspended members of the Opposition for a day.

The Chairman had appealed to the Opposition to return to their seats and allow the proceedings to go on. When they did not heed his request, he directed them to leave the House to conduct the remaining business.

Since there was hardly 15 minutes left for the day's proceedings to conclude, the Chairman adjourned the House for the day without conducting any business.

Mr. Shankar said that as the public exchequer was involved, it was the responsibility of the members to ensure that the session continued.

Earlier, the Leader of the House, H.K. Patil, said "task force committees" on drought relief were headed by legislators in their respective constituencies, and propriety demanded that no House Committee should be constituted. If there were specific complaints of irregularities, they could be brought to the notice of the committees, or to the Government, which, he added, would take action against erring officials.

The Leader of the Opposition, D.H. Shankaramurthy, said the Government, by not constituting a House Committee, was trying to hide something.

The Opposition members demanded that the Government constitute a Joint House Committee to go into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of subsidised seeds.

They drew the Government's attention to the alleged irregularities when the Minister for Home and Chairman of the Cabinet subcommittee on drought, Mallikarjun Kharge, was replying to the discussion on drought. The Opposition members charged that certified seeds worth Rs. 30 crore were expected to be made available to farmers at 50 per cent rebate. But seeds of good quality were available in the market at lower rates, they said.

M.C. Nanaiah, M.P. Nadagouda, M.P. Prakash (all AIPJD), M.R. Tanga, B.S. Yediyurappa (both BJP), and others argued that "manipulations'' could not be ruled out in the tender process for the purchase of seeds. In response, Mr. Kharge said the Government would convene a meeting of officials and others concerned, and the Minister for Agriculture would make a statement.

Demanding an inquiry, Mr. Yediyurappa said that the Lokayutka had written to the Chief Secretary on the issue. But this was denied by the Government, and it should reveal the contents of the letter.

The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, intervened, and clarified that it was only a letter, and not an official report by the Lokayukta.

Mr. Kharge, in his reply, gave the details of measures initiated by the Government, including employment created in the past two years, schemes introduced, and programmes taken up for providing drinking water in drought-affected areas. He said the Government had booked six rakes for transporting fodder from Punjab and Haryana. Of them, two rakes, loaded with 275 tonnes and 360 tonnes of fodder, respectively, were expected reach Kolar and Tumkur in a couple of days.

There was a need to impress upon the Union Government of farmers' plight, Mr. Kharge said, and added the State Government was ready for a confrontation.

Expressing their displeasure over the reply, and insisting on the constitution of a Joint House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in the purchase of subsidised seeds, Mr. Shankaramurthy and other BJP members rushed to the well of the House, and observed a dharna before the lunch recess.

The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, D.B. Chandre Gowda, said the Opposition should not insist on constituting the committee as the minister concerned was replying to the discussion on the drought situation in the Lower House.

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