Airlines Deals

Agitated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members Friday forced adjournment of the Rajya Sabha over certain remarks made about former foreign minister Jaswant Singh in the context of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar, even as the presiding officer vainly pointed out that these did not exist on the house record.

As Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan called for resuming a short duration discussion on the July 11 Mumbai train bombings, BJP members were on their legs demanding that Congress’ Rajeev Shukla withdraw the allegations he had levelled against Singh during the debate Thursday.

Khan pointed out that Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was then presiding, had expunged the remarks even as Shukla Friday denied making any allegations.

The BJP members continued to demand an apology and party leader Sushma Swaraj stood up to say: “He (Shukla) said that those who were soft on terrorists take them in aeroplanes and give them money. He then turned to (former finance minister) Yashwant Sinha and asked ‘How much money was given’.”

Jaswant Singh had flown to Kandahar on Dec 31, 1999, with three top terrorists, including Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Maulana Masood Azhar, who were released in exchange for the passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 hijacked to the Afghan city while on a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. He has said in the past that money had been demanded in exchange for the passengers but that this had been refused.

Demanding that Shukla withdraw his remark, BJP members threatened to stall the functioning of the house.

“He (Shukla) should be reprimanded,” demanded S.S. Ahluwalia, to which Khan retorted: “Where is the rule for reprimand? Shukla has already said he has not made any personal allegations.”

Shukla, who had stood impassively through this, requested permission to speak but was shouted down in the din.

Khan then quoted from the rulebook to say section 238 stated that no allegation would be made in the house unless prior intimation was given so that the concerned ministry could investigate the matter.

This cut little ice with the BJP members who threatened to advance to the speaker’s podium leading Khan to caution, “The presiding officer too has red and yellow cards.”

The BJP members then backed off, but continued shouting slogans like “withdraw the remark or we will not let the house run”.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri quoted from the book to say: “Under rule 156, if an allegation is made, it has to be proved, but when a member says no allegation has been made, where is the question of proving it?”

As the pandemonium continued, a visibly exasperated Khan stood up and adjourned the house, saying: “The members are not interested in discussing the Mumbai blasts.”