LF seeks to talk PSUs, spares SP on Babri

The debacle in the Assembly elections had hardly dampened the Opposition’s spirit in Parliament today, as it vociferously took on the C...

The debacle in the Assembly elections had hardly dampened the Opposition’s spirit in Parliament today, as it vociferously took on the Centre over the alleged CVC report on Cabinet ministers milking PSUs, the violence in Assam and Bihar over railway recruitment and the Babri demolition case.

‘‘We will demand a discussion on the CVC report in the House on Monday,’’ CPI(M) leader Somnath Chatterjee said. The Left had initially sought a statement from PM A.B. Vajpayee on what ‘‘actually transpired’’ during his meeting with CVC P. Shankar on the PSU issue.

But with the Prime MInister on a trip to Nigeria, the Left decided to settle for the next best thing — a discussion while the issue is still hot.

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‘‘Parliament cannot be ignored in this manner and the members have a right to know and we should be taken into confidence on the crucial matter. It is the duty of the government to make the report available to us,’’ Chatterjee said. Linking the anti-Bihari violence in Assam with the dismal employment situation, the Left leader said the BJP and its allies were fanning sectarianism.

Pressed to keep its dwindling flock together in face of the BJP’s rising status, Chatterjee took care to downplay the Samajwadi Party’s U-turn on the Ayodhya chargesheet. He went to the extent of calling SP chief and UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav ‘‘a friend who will never compromise to strengthen communal forces’’.

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