Bansal defends himself in LS over booth allotment case

At the centre of a raging controversy in a booth allotment case in Chandigarh, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today put up a robust defence in the Lok Sabha, saying all the accusations against him were aimed at vilifying him and called them "a cheap gimmick".

His remarks led to an uproar and amdist pandemonium, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 1400 hrs.

Defending himself in the Zero Hour, Mr Bansal said the booths were allotted under a government scheme and the inquiry into what the Opposition is calling a scam was carried out by an officer individually and it was not a SDM probe.

He said he got a phone call from Chandigarh last week from someone who informed him that his name has cropped up in a booth allotment case.

He said let there be a CBI inquiry into the alleged scam and if even one ounce of his involvement was found he would never head towards Parliament.

Mr Bansal wondered why the "inquiry" by that individual officer which was to be finished in one week took seven years.

Mr Bansal said only those people were levelling these allegations who cannot digest this fact that he is making a return to Parliament term after term.

He said coorporation elections in Chandigarh in November was another reason that some people were trying to taint his image.

He also challenged Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Siddhu to contest against him in parliamentary polls after three years, saying that way they would come to know how popular he is there and what kind of respect he commands there.

Thereafter, Ms Swaraj rose from her seat to give an answer to what she called the challenge of Mr Bansal on which SP members raised objections and demanded that their leader Mulayam Singh Yadav be allowed first to speak on the "lawlessness" in Uttar Pradesh.

But BJP members trooped into the Well of the House and demanded that Ms Swaraj be allowed to speak first as Mr Bansal had directly challenged her. Sharp exchanges were witnessed between SP and BJP members, who both were insisting that their leaders be allowed to speak first.

Speaker Meira Kumar tried to calm them down, but all her appeals went unheeded. Sensing the mood of the members of both parties, Ms Kumar adjourned the House till 1400 hrs.

Earlier, on the same issue the Question Hour was adjourned till noon. The BJP while seeking the resignation of Mr Bansal said his name had figured in an inquiry report that charged him with favouring some people in the allotment of booths.

Before that, Samajwadi Party members rushed to the well of the House seeking the Centre's intervention in Uttar Pradesh where they alleged the state government's repressive measures were rising day by day with members of their party being the prime target.

NNN