NDA convenor Sharad Yadav points out serious lapses in Union commerce minister Anand Sharma’s statement on the rice scam in the Lok Sabha last week. Sharma said the transactions were purely commercial and not part of any humanitarian aid. Excerpts:
What disturbs you most about the rice export scam?
A food aid programme and a commercial deal can never go together. If the DGFT (directorate-general of foreign trade) notifications clearly stated that the ban would be lifted for the food aid programme, how can it now become a fully commercial deal as the commerce minister stated?
So you are not satisfied with his statement in the Lok Sabha?
Not at all, which is why all opposition parties, including the BJP, the Left, the BJD and even the Samajwadi Party staged a walkout in Parliament. The minister’s statement hides more than it reveals and is incomplete. I tried to raise several important questions in relation to this scam. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to. We’ll continue to raise these questions until we get to the bottom of this scam.
The minister says PSUs have violated guidelines. But could this have happened without the then commerce minister, Kamal Nath, being aware of it?
Even if he was unaware, he should resign. What is the responsibility of the then commerce minister if not to prevent scams like this?
The commerce minister has promised that inquiries will be held and responsibility fixed?
An internal inquiry will not reveal the truth and the CBI is not an autonomous agency. We have demanded for a joint parliamentary probe.
