Parliament paralysed as Opposition demands Chidambaram's resignation

New Delhi: The Opposition parties created a ruckus in Parliament for the second day on Friday, demanding Home Minister P Chidambaram's resignation over the conflict of interest controversy.
The members of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) rushed to the well of the House, demanding Chidambaram's resignation, following which both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha had to be adjourned till noon and then till Monday.
Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra said, "We want Chidambaram or the Prime Minister to the present charge of conflict of interest. These are serious allegations. We don't want to comment on the Home Secretary's defence as the Home Minister is his boss. We have solid documentary evidence against him."
The BJP claimed they won't let the House function till the Home Minister resigns. They have also been boycotting him since the start of the winter session over the 2G scam.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Salman Khurshid said that the Law Ministry was open to probe. "We can only comment on what's legal or illegal, nothing beyond that. Only the court can demand clarifications from us. But in the interest of the general public, if the media demands answers, we have no problems in giving details," he said.
CNN-IBN had exposed on Wednesday how the Union Home Minister acted in conflict of interest while withdrawing criminal cases against the owner of the Metropolitan Hotel in the national capital.
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned for the day on the issue on Thursday.
BJP MP Yashwant Sinha said, "Chidambaram has misused his office. He is not only guilty of improper conduct, he is himself guilty of a criminal offence. A criminal cannot be the home minister of the country. Therefore, the BJP has demanded that the Prime Minister must dismiss him immediately."
"If the Home Minister continues to be in the thick cloud of allegations of this nature, I think it is a problem for the government," said CPI MP D Raja.
As Chidambaram came in the line of the Opposition fire, the Delhi government was forced to act. Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna on Thursday revoked the earlier decision not to press for prosecution.
"An FIR was registered on the complaint of a private party against another private party, and I don’t see how the Home Ministry can intervene in a matter like that and ask that it be withdrawn. In my opinion, the Prime Minister is not fit to at that position if on this issue he does not call for Chidambaram's resignation," said Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy.
The Home Ministry, however, came out in defence of the minister, but ended up passing the blame to junior bureaucrats. The Congress also ridiculed the Opposition.
Clearly, it's not just an embarrassment for Chidambaram but for the UPA II and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will find it difficult to defend his Home Minister with an Opposition that is in no mood to relent and compromise.

Source : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ruckus-in-parl-as-oppn-demands-pcs-resignation/212409-37-64.html