rediff.com
rediff.com
News
      HOME | NEWS | REPORT
December 11, 2001
1540 IST

NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
SOUTH ASIA
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES
US ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF



 Earn From
 Insurance


 Click Here to get
 minimum
 guaranteed 6%*
 returns on your
 premiums


  Call India
   Direct Service

 • Save upto 60% over
    AT&T, MCI
 • Rates 29.9¢/min
   Select Cities



   Prepaid Cards

 • Mumbai 24¢/min
 • Chennai 33¢/min
 • Other Cities




 India Abroad
Weekly Newspaper

  In-depth news

  Community Focus

  16 Page Magazine
For 4 free issues
Click here!

 Search the Internet
         Tips
E-Mail this report to a friend
Print this page Best Printed on  HP Laserjets

Uproar over coffin scam paralyses Parliament

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

An angry Opposition took the government to task on Tuesday over a Comptroller and Auditor General report in which strictures have been passed against the Ministry of Defence for purchasing caskets of poor quality at exorbitant rates. The caskets were meant for Kargil martyrs.

Agitated opposition members forced adjournment of both Houses demanding Defence Minister George Fernandes's resignation

Senior Congress leader and former Union finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh led the opposition assault in the Rajya Sabha. "Money has been made from coffins for the Kargil martyrs and it has shocked the nation," he said.

The demand for the defence minister's resignation triggered chaos in the House with the treasury benches matching the Opposition slogan for slogan.

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the government "shares the concern" of the Opposition over the CAG report and was willing to "discuss this issue or any other issue."

Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh said that "while the caskets cost $ 172 apiece, the Ministry of Defence brought them for $ 2500." The caskets have been lying unused because of their poor quality, he added.

In the Lok Sabha, speaker G M C Balyogi could not start the question hour as Opposition members kept insisting on a discussion on the CAG report. He adjourned the House 20 minutes before the lunch break.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report

ADVERTISEMENT      
NEWS | MONEY | SPORTS | MOVIES | CHAT | CRICKET | SEARCH
ASTROLOGY | CONTESTS | E-CARDS | NEWSLINKS | ROMANCE | WOMEN
SHOPPING | BOOKS | MUSIC | PERSONAL HOMEPAGES | FREE EMAIL| MESSENGER | FEEDBACK