Missing Alagiri has Oppn up in arms

The absence of Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister M K Alagiri created more embarrassment for the government on Friday with the Opposition raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha....

The absence of Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister M K Alagiri created more embarrassment for the government on Friday with the Opposition raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha. Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitely said a minister cannot remain non-accountable to Parliament in perpetuity.

AIADMK member V Maitreyan raised the issue as Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena started replying during the Question Hour. He sought to know whether Alagiri who is said to be holidaying in Maldives has taken the permission from the Chair to go on a visit when the House is in session.

While Congress and DMK members tried to shout down Maitreyan,BJP members came to his support,leading to acrimonious scenes. With ruling and opposition members arguing with each other,disrupting the proceedings for several minutes,Chairman Hamid Ansari turned to Jaitely seeking his cooperation.

Jaitely pointed out that the Opposition had been aggrieved over the fact that a minister remains non-accountable to Parliament. Does this government proceed on the basis that there is one minister in this government who shall not be accountable to Parliament, he asked. He said the opposition was willing to cooperate to run the Question Hour,but pointed out that at some stage,the Chair will also have to protect the dignity of the House that there cannot be a minister who is non-accountable in perpetuity.

DMK member and Telecom Minister A Raja objected to the remark,while Minister of State in Prime Ministers Office Prithviraj Chavan said a deputy minister is fully within his rights to reply to supplementaries.

Maitreyan,however,kept asking whether the minister had sought the permission of the Chair before proceeding on a private tour. He was joined by BJP members Prakash Javadekar,Rudra Narayan Pany and Vinay Katiyar,while Congress Rajiv Shukla and Santosh Bagrodia and DMKs Tiruchi Siva countered them.