Oppn wants JPC panel to probe into Guruswamy’s charges against Centre

NEW DELHI, MARCH 5: The Opposition on Friday demanded setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the multi-crore scam c...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 5: The Opposition on Friday demanded setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the multi-crore scam charges made by Mohan Guruswamy, former advisor to the Finance Minister, against the Centre even as the Government dismissed them as "frustrations of a man who has been sacked".

"The allegations are absolutely without any foundation… If even a part of any of the charge is proved, I am ready to resign," Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said in response to the issue raised by deputy leader of Congress P Shiv Shanker in the Lok Sabha at zero hour.

Shiv Shanker said that Guruswamy’s charges were of a serious nature as he has virtually accused Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of advocating for the Hindujas, Home Minister L K Advani of lobbying for Essar and I&B Minister Pramod Mahajan of siding with the Mittals.

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He said that Guruswamy has also accused that in the decision on steel prices, the Government had allowed Rs 5,000 crore to be siphoned off.

Guruswamy’s charges have opened a can of worms as they have brought the integrity of the Centre and its ministers and officials under cloud, he said.

"We have nothing to hide. We are prepared for a discussion and any inquiry by anyone to probe the charges. They do not hold any water," Sinha said.

Referring to Guruswamy’s charge about Unit Trust of India’s move to sell its shares to British American Tobacco (BAT) at lower rates, the Finance Minister said that the UTI had received no proposal from the multinational, nor was any step taken to transfer the ITC shares to it. "This is a figment of imagination of my former consultant," Sinha said.

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Supporting Shiv Shanker, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda wanted to know what was the floor price for steel fixed by the Government and alleged that Directorate General of Foreign Trade’s (DGFT) decision in this regard led to siphoning of Rs 1,000 crore of public money in two months.

Sinha said it was common knowledge that the steel industry had gone through lot of problems due to crash in international prices of steel.

Commenting on Guruswamy’s dismissal, the Finance Minister also said that his former consultant claimed to have resigned on January 27 but he had proceeded on an official tour to US and later, on January 31, joined the VSNL roadshow.

"If he had sent in his papers (resignation) on January 27, why did he go on an official tour on January 31," he asked.

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Stating that the issues raised by Guruswamy "deserve to be dismissed", Sinha said that he was not an officer of the ministry but was appointed only as a "consultant to the Finance Minister in the Department of Expenditure".

Asserting that the Government was prepared for a full-fledged discussion in the House on the issue, Sinha said it was up to the Speaker to decide on how the matter should be dealt.

Amidst persistent demands from several Opposition members to speak on the issue, Speaker G M C Balayogi said the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the House would take a decision on when to hold discussion on it.