NEW DELHI: The entire Opposition in the Rajya Sabha staged a walkout last week when Railway Minister Jaffar Sharef refused to yield to their demand to set up a House committee to probe into the 190 million dollar deal to purchase 30 hi-tech electric locomotives from the Swiss multinational Asca Brown Boveri (ABB) by the railways.
During the five hours of acrimonious debate while the Opposition charged that the claim of the public sector company BHEL to supply the locomotives in collaboration with Hitahi and Sumitomo had been deliberately ignored in favor of the multinational company Sharif defended the deal claiming that nothing irregular had been done. Protesting against the Ministers refusal to set up a House committee the Opposition led by Jaipal Reddy staged a noisy walkout.
Sharif said he did not want to take any step particularly after awarding the contract as it would not only affect the international credibility of the government but also create an embarrassing situation for funding agencies abroad.”
He said there were several Parliamentary committees like the Railway Convention Committee which if they so desired could inquire into the deal. Claiming that the contract had been awarded to a company which had proven technology” and whose bid was “cheapest” at the time of opening of tenders Sharief said “it is up to them (the Opposition) to believe or not believe.”
Intervening in the debate eater he said the controversy raised on the issue was nothing more than a feud between two business houses to bag the order. “Basically it is nothing but a jhagda between two business houses to sell their goods and not an inter-ministerial squabble or anything of the sort” he added.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1992
