New Delhi: Day 1 of the new Parliament session was short - both Houses were adjourned by noon- long enough for the war cries to ring out.
The BJP has formally sought a debate, followed by a vote on corruption and price rise. The Left wants it too. The government says it doesn't have a problem with that, as long as the resolution moved by the Opposition does not refer specifically to a party or an individual.
"How is a debate possible on a resolution that does not include names?" asked CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
"The government is on the back foot," said the BJP's Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. "The guilty cannot lay down the rules of the game." The government, they added, wants to protect the guilty behind "a purdah" (veil).
Before he headed into Parliament this morning, the Prime Minister said he hoped "this session will be constructive and productive." An aspirational remark, given that the Opposition has made it clear that the telecom scam - and the PM's alleged involvement - will be dissected in minute detail. It is also bristling at the PM's remark yesterday that the Opposition has "too many skeletons in its cupboard."
His appeal today that parties unite to solve major problems facing the country thus fell on deaf years. The BJP instead lashed out at him for what it called his "unprovoked and ill-advised" comment that had "vitiated the monsoon session" as it began.
Swaraj and Jaitley took the battle right back to the PM's court to say that this was his way of "sidetracking the issue" because he is "faced with several questions because of recent disclosures relating to the allotment of 2G spectrum and he does not have replies."
Accusing the Prime Minister of being involved in the "micromanagement of the (2G Spectrum) policy, Mr Jaitley said, "The PM knew that the finance ministry wanted an auction of 2G spectrum...Then P Chidambaram (then Finance Minister) changed his stand. "Why, asked the BJP leader, "did Chidambaram change his stand?"
The BJP wants to know why Mr Chidambaram, who is now Home Minister, had approved spectrum allocations made by A Raja "after initially opposing the allotment of 2G spectrum at 2001 rates."
The 2G telecom scam, described as India's largest-ever swindle, is being investigated by the CBI and is being closely monitored by the Supreme Court. It unfolded in 2008, when companies were given mobile network licenses and spectrum at throwaway prices by then Telecom Minister A Raja, who is from the DMK, a major partner in the UPA coalition at the Centre. "The matters in court are best left for court to decide," said the PM this morning.
The BJP says that the PM must take responsibility for not stopping Mr Raja from colluding with companies that he favoured. The government has suggested that Mr Raja manipulated telecom policies. But the PM, says the Opposition, was not unaware of Mr Raja's intent or actions. It has referred to a noting in a government file which says the Prime Minister's Office is to be kept "at arm's length." This, claims the BJP, shows the PM knew of how Mr Raja was bending the rules.
In a clarification issued yesterday, the Prime Minister's Office said that the remark is being misinterpreted. Dr Singh simply wanted to share "informal suggestions" with the departments concerned - including the Telecom Ministry and the government's regulatory arm on telecom - TRAI - consider factors like how much spectrum to assign to new players who had received licenses from Mr Raja. (Read: PMO press release 'Arm's Length' comment)
That's unlikely to carry much weight with the BJP, which will also clash with the government over whether a new anti-corruption law should cover the Prime Minister. The draft of the new Lokpal Bill says the PM is exempt while in office; charges of corruption can be investigated after the PM's term is completed. The BJP said last week that it was not in favour of this.
The BJP has formally sought a debate, followed by a vote on corruption and price rise. The Left wants it too. The government says it doesn't have a problem with that, as long as the resolution moved by the Opposition does not refer specifically to a party or an individual.
"How is a debate possible on a resolution that does not include names?" asked CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
"The government is on the back foot," said the BJP's Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. "The guilty cannot lay down the rules of the game." The government, they added, wants to protect the guilty behind "a purdah" (veil).
Before he headed into Parliament this morning, the Prime Minister said he hoped "this session will be constructive and productive." An aspirational remark, given that the Opposition has made it clear that the telecom scam - and the PM's alleged involvement - will be dissected in minute detail. It is also bristling at the PM's remark yesterday that the Opposition has "too many skeletons in its cupboard."
His appeal today that parties unite to solve major problems facing the country thus fell on deaf years. The BJP instead lashed out at him for what it called his "unprovoked and ill-advised" comment that had "vitiated the monsoon session" as it began.
Swaraj and Jaitley took the battle right back to the PM's court to say that this was his way of "sidetracking the issue" because he is "faced with several questions because of recent disclosures relating to the allotment of 2G spectrum and he does not have replies."
Accusing the Prime Minister of being involved in the "micromanagement of the (2G Spectrum) policy, Mr Jaitley said, "The PM knew that the finance ministry wanted an auction of 2G spectrum...Then P Chidambaram (then Finance Minister) changed his stand. "Why, asked the BJP leader, "did Chidambaram change his stand?"
The BJP wants to know why Mr Chidambaram, who is now Home Minister, had approved spectrum allocations made by A Raja "after initially opposing the allotment of 2G spectrum at 2001 rates."
The 2G telecom scam, described as India's largest-ever swindle, is being investigated by the CBI and is being closely monitored by the Supreme Court. It unfolded in 2008, when companies were given mobile network licenses and spectrum at throwaway prices by then Telecom Minister A Raja, who is from the DMK, a major partner in the UPA coalition at the Centre. "The matters in court are best left for court to decide," said the PM this morning.
The BJP says that the PM must take responsibility for not stopping Mr Raja from colluding with companies that he favoured. The government has suggested that Mr Raja manipulated telecom policies. But the PM, says the Opposition, was not unaware of Mr Raja's intent or actions. It has referred to a noting in a government file which says the Prime Minister's Office is to be kept "at arm's length." This, claims the BJP, shows the PM knew of how Mr Raja was bending the rules.
In a clarification issued yesterday, the Prime Minister's Office said that the remark is being misinterpreted. Dr Singh simply wanted to share "informal suggestions" with the departments concerned - including the Telecom Ministry and the government's regulatory arm on telecom - TRAI - consider factors like how much spectrum to assign to new players who had received licenses from Mr Raja. (Read: PMO press release 'Arm's Length' comment)
That's unlikely to carry much weight with the BJP, which will also clash with the government over whether a new anti-corruption law should cover the Prime Minister. The draft of the new Lokpal Bill says the PM is exempt while in office; charges of corruption can be investigated after the PM's term is completed. The BJP said last week that it was not in favour of this.
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