Crying "match-fixing" between the BJP led central government and Trinamool Congress, CPM members created pandemonium in the upper house over a sting that purportedly shows several TMC MPs taking bribe in stashes of hard cash.
High voltage election politics played out in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with members of the Left parties vociferously demanding a joint parliamentary probe (JPC) into the alleged bribery scam of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.
Crying "match-fixing" between the BJP led central government and Trinamool Congress, CPM members created pandemonium in the upper house over a sting that purportedly shows several TMC MPs taking bribe in stashes of hard cash.
Trooping into the well, they sought from the deputy chairman PJ Kurien to take cognisance of the "very serious" matter and institute a JPC inquiry.
As the Zero hour began, Kurien said announced that two notices on the issue have not been admitted by the Chairman but allowed Derek O'Brien of TMC and Sitaram Yechury of CPM to speak on the issue.
Refuting the allegations, O'Brien said that before alleging anything the veracity and authenticity of both the sting operator and videos should be checked.
Alleging that such insinuations are being deliberately planted because of elections, O'Brien said, "The sting...its credibility needs to be checked."
Charging BJP government for not doing anything in such a serious matter, Yechury demanded investigation into the video.
"Why is the government not ordering an investigation? It looks like they are also complicit...," Yechury said, adding there was "match-fixing going on between the two (government and TMC)."
This led Kurien to remark that CPM members "have a reputation of not coming into the Well of the House but they are breaking that tradition."
"We came into the Well as we want to uphold the integrity of the House. Our members are caught taking money. House Committee should investigate. Let there be a JPC," said Yechury reminding the Chair that the chair referred the Vijay Mallya case to the Ethics Committee why it cannot be done in this case.
To this Kurien said that then the House was unanimous. Now the House is divided as one side believes the video and the other says it is doctored.
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