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Government prepares for a discussion on Bhagwat

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The opposition in the Lok Sabha today continued to try and force a discussion under Rule 184 of the dismissal of ex-admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, but the ruling coalition evaded the issue.

Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi told Rediff On The NeT that the recent newscast on television that the opposition is reluctant to discuss the issue since it involves the country's security was wrong.

He said the former naval chief had been "injudiciously" dismissed and it is important for the matter to be discussed under Rule 184 in the Lower House of Parliament.

A discussion under Rule 184 ends in a division. The opposition is keen on a vote because a defeat will embarrass the government.

BJP spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu claimed the government is not reluctant to discuss the matter. He said the intricacies of the controversial action had been placed before Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi and Rajya Sabha Chairman Krishan Kant and it is up to them to decide under which rule the discussion should take place.

The government would prefer to have the issue discussed under Rule 193, which is a short discussion without a vote.

Meanwhile, it has already begun marshalling "facts" that are said to be explosive and portray the dismissed naval chief in poor light.

Senior defence ministry officials repeated the allegation of Admiral (retd) S M Nanda that Bhagwat had used his links with Congress politician and former defence minister Sharad Pawar to climb up the professional ladder. They did not elaborate.

The Bhagwat Dismissal

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