Fresh Crisis On Chidambaram, Opposition Demands His Exit After Delhi Court Allows Swa
Fresh Crisis On Chidambaram, Opposition Demands His Exit After Delhi Court Allows Swamy To Depose
New Delhi, Dec 8, 2011 : Both houes of Parliament witnessed uproar on Thursday as opposition members, particularly of BJP and JD-U, demanded the resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram, within minutes of a Delhi court allowing Janata Party chief Dr Subramanian Swamy to depose about Chidambaram's role in the 2G case.
The CBI court allowed Swamy to depose as a witness and lead further evidence in support of his private complaint against Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum case.
“Complainant Dr Subramanian Swamy is permitted to recall himself as complainant witness one for leading further evidence,” Special CBI Judge O P Saini said.
The court told Swamy that the list of witnesses, which he had filed with his application, for summoning some senior CBI officials and other public servants to press his case would be allowed only after he could explain the relevance of their testimony.
“Other witnesses as mentioned in the list of witnesses filed with the application, shall be allowed to be summoned only after relevance of their testimony is explained by the complainant (Swamy),” the court said.
The judge said Swamy could lead evidence in support of his complaint as he has referred to the role of other conspirators in it.
“In view of the facts that complainant was not aware of the identity of additional proposed accused (s) at the time of filing of complaint, but has now come to know about it, he is not prevented in law from leading evidence on this point, more so, when he has referred to the role of other conspirators in his complaint,” the judge said.
The court directed Swamy to appear in the witness box on December 17 to lead further evidence in support of his complaint against Chidambaram.
The court had on December 3 reserved its order on Swamy’s plea seeking permission to examine himself afresh, senior CBI officials and others to prove that Chidambaram had taken a joint decision with former Telecom Minister A Raja regarding fixing the price for 2G spectrum.
He had claimed that Chidambaram, as the then Finance Minister, had permitted Swan Telecom and Unitech, who had secured the licences, to sell their shares to foreign companies.
Both houses of Parliament had to be adjourned after NDA members demanded Chidambaram's resignation on the issue.
Question hour could not be taken up in both houses, with BJP and JD-U members demanding Chidambaram's resignation.Both houses were first adjourned till noon, and afterwards till 2 PM.
DMK member T R Baalu was heard demanding a discussion on the Mullaperiyar dam issue in Parliament while some other members trooped into the Well and raised slogans.
BJP members continued to raise slogans ‘Griha Mantri Istifa Do (Home Minister resign)’ from their seats.
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi later told reporters that since a Delhi court has taken note of this, there should be a probe. “In this situation, Chidambaram should submit his resignation on his own, or else the Prime Minister should sack him,” he said.
Ahead of the Winter Session, the NDA had decided to boycott Chidambaram in Parliament, alleging his involvement in the 2G scam during his tenure as Finance Minister. The NDA wants Chidambaram to quit.indiatvnews.com