08-05-2006, 12:54 AM
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/...00607050311.htm
Another book brings House down
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
After Jaswant Singh's A call to Honour, yet another book surfaced on
Wednesday, triggering instant chaos in the Rajya Sabha over noisy
demands for Finance Minister P Chidambaram to resign.
The book Vedanta's Billions authored by one R Poddar claims that
Chidambaram had served as a director of a company Vedanta Resources,
owned by industrialist Anil Agarwal and drawn huge perks.
The author has also claimed there was a 1,000 per cent rise in the
share of Agarwal's Sterlite company during 2003 when Chidambaram was
on the board of Vedanta Resources.
While the Congress was on the offensive on Tuesday in cornering
Jaswant Singh, on Wednesday they found the tables turned on them.
Waving copies of the book in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, members
of the Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party and ADMK demanded
Chidambaram's resignation for his connection with Anil Agarwal's
company, which, according to the book, raised allegations of
corruption, politically motivated business practices and violation of
Indian forest and environment laws.
Deputy chairman K Rehman Khan, however, refused permission to raise
the issue and said the members had sent the notice to the chairman and
it had to be sent to the concerned Minister.
Dissatisfied by the Chair's response, SP, TDP and ADMK members rushed
to the well of the House and raised slogans. When they did not relent
despite repeated pleas by the Chair to return to their seats, Khan
adjourned proceedings till 2.00 pm at 12.15 pm. When the House
reassembled, SP leader Amar Singh demanded a CBI probe to clear the
air on the issue.
He also said when Chidambaram was finance minister in the United Front
Government he was blamed for "fair growth in Fairgrowth Company." That
time too he was asked to resign by the parliamentarians, the SP leader
said.
Citing a precedent during Jawaharlal Nehru's regime, Singh said then
Finance Minister Krishnamachari was removed from the ministry on the
same type of charges.
<b>The book said Chidambaram was a director in Agarwal's company 'Vedanta
Resources' in 2003 at a salary of US $70,000 and other perks before
assuming the responsibility as the Finance Minister of the country.</b>The book also said Anil Aggarwal' family has 88 per cent shares in
Sterlite company.
http://tinyurl.com/mx4pq
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Another book brings House down
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
After Jaswant Singh's A call to Honour, yet another book surfaced on
Wednesday, triggering instant chaos in the Rajya Sabha over noisy
demands for Finance Minister P Chidambaram to resign.
The book Vedanta's Billions authored by one R Poddar claims that
Chidambaram had served as a director of a company Vedanta Resources,
owned by industrialist Anil Agarwal and drawn huge perks.
The author has also claimed there was a 1,000 per cent rise in the
share of Agarwal's Sterlite company during 2003 when Chidambaram was
on the board of Vedanta Resources.
While the Congress was on the offensive on Tuesday in cornering
Jaswant Singh, on Wednesday they found the tables turned on them.
Waving copies of the book in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, members
of the Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party and ADMK demanded
Chidambaram's resignation for his connection with Anil Agarwal's
company, which, according to the book, raised allegations of
corruption, politically motivated business practices and violation of
Indian forest and environment laws.
Deputy chairman K Rehman Khan, however, refused permission to raise
the issue and said the members had sent the notice to the chairman and
it had to be sent to the concerned Minister.
Dissatisfied by the Chair's response, SP, TDP and ADMK members rushed
to the well of the House and raised slogans. When they did not relent
despite repeated pleas by the Chair to return to their seats, Khan
adjourned proceedings till 2.00 pm at 12.15 pm. When the House
reassembled, SP leader Amar Singh demanded a CBI probe to clear the
air on the issue.
He also said when Chidambaram was finance minister in the United Front
Government he was blamed for "fair growth in Fairgrowth Company." That
time too he was asked to resign by the parliamentarians, the SP leader
said.
Citing a precedent during Jawaharlal Nehru's regime, Singh said then
Finance Minister Krishnamachari was removed from the ministry on the
same type of charges.
<b>The book said Chidambaram was a director in Agarwal's company 'Vedanta
Resources' in 2003 at a salary of US $70,000 and other perks before
assuming the responsibility as the Finance Minister of the country.</b>The book also said Anil Aggarwal' family has 88 per cent shares in
Sterlite company.
http://tinyurl.com/mx4pq
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->