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Parliament adjourned over Bhagwat issue

Both houses of Parliament were adjourned till 1400 hours today as the Congress launched a fresh offensive on the government, demanding the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the allegations made by sacked naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat.

In the Lok Sabha, the Congress members were not satisfied with Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani's response that the committee of members of Parliament set up on the Bhagwat issue was yet to take a decision on whether to have a discussion on the subject and, if so, in what form. ''We want JPC,'' the agitated members shouted and stalled the proceedings of the House, forcing Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed to adjourn the House till 1400 hours.

Chairman Krishan Kant adjourned the Rajya Sabha after the Congress members demanded an immediate discussion on the Bhagwat issue through a substantive motion.

The Congress members argued that the Business Advisory Committee had agreed to have a discussion on the subject today. However, it was not listed in the agenda for the day.

Meanwhile, an all party meeting, convened by Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, could not agree on the modalities of a discussion in Parliament on the issue.

Former prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral told the media that the meeting will be held again tomorrow.

According to sources, the Bharatiya Janata Party wants the proposed sub-committee to decide whether the discussion should be held at all in Parliament.

On the other side, the Left parties were adamant on a discussion in the House.

It was agreed in principle that the proposed sub-committee should have 22 members with former prime minister Chandra Shekhar as its convenor. A formal decision is expected to be taken tomorrow, sources said.

Three former prime ministers -- Chandra Shekhar, H D Deva Gowda and Gujral -- leader of the Opposition Sharad Pawar and former home minister Indrajit Gupta were among those who attended the meeting, besides Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes and Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Kumaramangalam.

UNI

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