NEW DELHI, India, July 28, Reuter: The Lower House of the Indian Parliament was adjoined today after pandemonium broke out over charges of illegal kickbacks in arms deals.
At the start of the new business Session, a determined’ opposition forced suspension of the scheduled question time but its attempts to ‘win a debate to censure the government were frustrated by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress (1) Party.
The vastly outnumbered opposition members squatted on the floor of the House and refused to allow any business to be transacted after they were refused the debate.
Deputy Speaker Thambi Durai adjourned the House for the day after he failed to restore order and Congress members menacingly advanced towards the opposition leaders shouting and gesticulating.
Opposition parties want a debate on some 40 million dollars alleged to have been paid to Indian middlemen by Swedish armsmaker Bofors to gain a 1.3 Billion dollar contract to supply field guns to India.
But Opposition members know that rules of proportional representation would leave them in a minority on the panel, and prevented introduction of a government motion to set it up.
They heckled, shouted and pelted the Congress MPs with crumpled papers, while in the Upper House similar unruly scenes prevailed and at least two brief adjournments were called.
The month-long session of Parliament is expected to be dominated by verbal duels on the bribery allegations.
Gandhi has found himself at the heart of accusations that apart from bribes in arms deals, his close friends had illegal overseas holdings.
The crusade against the government is being led by former Defense Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh who was sacked from the Congress Party 10 days ago.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1987
