Unrelenting on the Volcker issue, the Opposition today staged a noisy walkout in Lok Sabha pressing their demand for resignation of Sonia Gandhi as Chairperson of National Advisory Council, alleging that Rs 528 crores from Iraqi oil deals had been stashed away in foreign banks.
Flaunting copies of newspaper reports, Bharatiya Janata Party Deputy Leader V K Malhotra asked the government whether the Enforcement Directorate probing the Volcker findings had submitted its report to the government. As President of the Congress, Gandhi was responsible for the "scam" and must resign from NAC, he demanded. Malhotra said news reports also gave details of foreign banks in which the money has been parked.
Opposition members trooped out of the House with Malhotra contending that the government's "silence" showed that the ED has given its report on this issue. In the Rajya Sabha, there was procedural wrangle, as Leader of Opposition Jaswant Singh wanted Government to fix a date for clarification on the statement made by Prime Minister on the Volcker issue. After about half an hour of acrimony, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri announced that clarifications would be taken up on December 15.
There were heated exchanges between the Left and the BJP on whether Volcker issue or the EPF be taken up first. The matter was set to rest when Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said only EPF issue would be taken up.