CBI ‘doctored’ tapes: Opp rocks Parliament

Parliament saw uproar in both Houses today over CBI’s admission in Rae Barelli court that video and audio tapes submitted by it in Ayod...

Parliament saw uproar in both Houses today over CBI’s admission in Rae Barelli court that video and audio tapes submitted by it in Ayodhya case do not contain speeches of Dy PM L.K. Advani, HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and a few other ministers on the day of the Babri Masjid demolition.

While Lok Sabha was adjourned over the issue, Rajya Sabha decided to discuss it on Monday. This is unprecedented as Parliament does not discuss an issue twice in the same session. The decision was taken at a meeting between Congress-led Opposition and Government at the instance of Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. This followed a stormy start to the day’s proceedings as the Opposition demanded Advani’s resignation over the CBI failing to present evidence against him

BJP vs Cong on Advani

BJP: Let the Congress produce a tape to prove that Advani was involved in the Babri demolition…The CBI tapes, which it says are doctored, were prepared during the tenure of Narasimha Rao.
Cong: The BJP is sabotaging the case to get its leaders off the hook. Advani is too thick-skinned to resign, but it is the Govt’s responsibility to agree to a discussion.

The debate in the House will be on a short duration discussion notice under Rule 176. It was decided to ‘‘discuss the role of the Government with respect to the investigative agencies in Ayodhya’’. Shekhawat initially did not entertain a notice by Congress member Suresh Pachouri for suspension of Question Hour to debate the Ayodhya issue but was forced to adjourn the House later.

A visibly disturbed Shekhawat reminded the members that they had taken a ‘‘pledge’’ never to demand adjournment of the Question Hour in deference to common masses. Congress argued it was an extraordinary situation, ‘‘where the PM should speak to clarify and to give re-assurance to the country that CBI was not being misused’’.

In the Lok Sabha, the ruckus began after the House met for the day, when the Opposition protested against the ‘‘misuse’’ of CBI to get senior leaders of the Sangh Parivar ‘‘off the hook’’, and demanded Advani’s arrest. The Congress submitted a notice for an adjournment motion on the CBI’s evidence not mentioning Advani. Giving the notice, Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi charged that CBI’s tapes were ‘‘doctored and tampered with’’. He also demanded that all the evidence in the matter be tabled in the House. This plunged Lok Sabha into turmoil before it was adjourned for lunch. When it reconvened, the pandemonium continued, forcing the House to again adjourn a few minutes later.

Meanwhile, the Rae Bareilly special court has fixed August 8 for further hearing in the case.