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Left to join Opposition on Pathak report issue

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
August 04, 2006

Left parties, who are supporting the United Progressive Alliance government from outside, have decided to go along with the Opposition parties over the breach of privilege of Parliament issue on the leakage of Justice R S Pathak's report on the Volcker issue.

The Opposition charged that there was a clear case of breach of privilege against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too as the report was leaked a day after Justice Pathak handed over the report to Dr Singh.

Speaking to newsmen Brinda Karat, politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, said the government should table the report of Justice Pathak forthwith.

"It is only after the report is made available by the government that one can comment on the contents that have been leaked to the media. But this is a serious issue and it should be investigated who leaked out the report," she said.

Gurudas Gupta, veteran parliamentarian of the Communist Party of India, said the leakage of the report to the media when Parliament was in session needs to be addressed in all seriousness as it involves breach of privilege.

"It indeed is a case for privilege," he said.

He refused to comment on the contents of the matter as it appeared in the newspaper.

"I would like to comment on the contents after going through the report. What is important is who is named and who has not been named. If there is an attempt to cover up someone, the law must take its own course," he said.

Yerran Naidu, leader of the Telgu Desam Party in Lok Sabha, wanted the government to use intelligence agencies and pinpoint the person responsible for the leakage.

"They have Intelligence Bureau to do this kind of job. Now that the report is out, the government would do well to place the report with the action taken report on the table of the House," he said.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

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