NEW DELHI, MARCH 17: After a sea-saw battle with the Opposition, the Government today agreed to a discussion in Parliament on the whole gamut of Bhagwat issue - his sacking as well as corruption charges - on April 12.The turn-around in the Government's stand came in the all-party meeting comprising 24 leaders of both Houses this morning following the publication of former Navy chief Vishnu Bhagwat's affidavit levelling serious charges of corruption against Defence Minister George Fernandes.``We agreed for a discussion only to clear the Government's position since Bhagwat's affidavit contains only half-truths and lies and it would do more harm to national security and the morale of the armed forces'' said Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Kumaramangalam.According to the agreement thrashed out in today's meeting, the discussion on Admiral Bhagwat's dismissal and charges of corruption in defence deals would be held in the Lok Sabha on April 12. But the schedule for the Rajya Sabha could be fixed asthe Opposition insisted on holding it under rule 170, which entails voting, while the Government maintained that it should be held under rule 176.``If you want to embarrass us, you are free to use any other issue. But please don't involve the defence forces to corner the Government. If will not only affect the morale of the defence forces, but will also tarnish the country's image,'' BJP members are said to have pleaded.Talking to reporters after this afternoon's meeting, senior Congress leader P Shiv Shankar said that it had been decided that there would be a discussion in the Lok Sabha on April 12. ``The discussion will be there in the Rajya Sabha too, but the Government wants it under rule 176, which does not entail voting,'' he observed.According to him, both the sacking and the allegations of corruption in defence deals would be covered in the discussion. ``We'll raise the demand for the JPC probe on both the matters,'' he pointed out.But the Government's climb down is likely to cause it somedamage as it would not be able to rebut Bhagwat's charges until the issue figures in Parliament three weeks later while the opposition will be free to make good use of Bhagwat's affidavit in flinging mud on the Government.Though Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee while addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, categorically ruled out forming a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Bhagwat issue, the opposition is unlikely to settle for anything less than a JPC.The Government will be hard put to resist the demand for a JPC in the Rajya Sabha where the BJP-led coalition is in a minority. Moreso because Congress MP Suresh Pachauri's motion under Rule 170 (discussion followed by voting) has already been admitted.The Rajya Sabha was earlier adjourned barely 10 minutes after the start of zero hour as Pachauri accompanied by almost the entire opposition demanded a debate on the Bhagwat issue and the Treasury benches opposed. ``The schedule of the debate is fixed by the Chairman of the House inconsultation with the leader of the House'', BJP MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra retorted.At today's afternoon's meeting, Congress and Left members pressed for the debate while former Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Prime Ministers I K Gujral, H D Deve Gowda and Chandra Shekhar besides former Union Minister Raja Ramanna protested saying the matter involved a highly sensitive issue and could not be discussed publicly.The BJP leaders who till yesterday were toeing the line taken by Gowda and Mulayam, took a U-turn today and pegged for a ``no-holds barred'' debate. Asked whether public discussion would jeopardise national security, Kumaramangalam said, ``not discussing would damage it more''.
