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Two Central Ministers including Defence Minister AK Antony and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh face the threat of privilege motion. While Samajwadi Party MP in Rajya Sabha Mohan Singh is peeved over the Defence Minister not giving a proper reply, JD(U) members are up in arms over Ramesh’s remark that MPs are not in favour of social audit of MPLAD scheme.
Mohan Singh may move a privilege motion against Defence Minister AK Antony for not giving a “proper” answer to his question on Army chief General VK Singh’s age issue in the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Rajya Sabha last week. The Defence Ministry is reviewing the clarification sought from the Rajya Sabha MP and will give an answer shortly.
In a written reply to a question raised by Mohan Singh on September 7, Antony said the Army chief’s age, date of birth has been maintained as May 10, 1950 at the time of his appointment as Corps Commander in 2006 and subsequently as Eastern Command head and finally as the Army chief. He, however, says his correct date of birth is May 10, 1951.
The Samajwadi Party leader said the Defence Minister did not give a “proper” reply to his question and “I am not satisfied.” Mohan Singh said he had sought clarification from Antony and if he did not get a proper reply even now the MP may move a privilege motion against the Defence Minister.
The Elder said the Defence Minister has accepted that a different date of birth also exists in certain documents and mentioned May 10, 1950 as Army chief’s date of birth from the year 2006 but he has not given any explanation about the records prior to 2006.
“Antony has not told me which date of birth existed in General Singh’s service records prior to 2006. If it was different, then was there any bungling in changing it? All these things have to be clarified,” he said.
For its part, the JD(U) demanded an apology from Ramesh for his remarks suggesting that MPs were against social audit of the MPLAD scheme. The miffed MPs said if Ramesh does not apologise, they will take the matter to the Privileges Committee of Parliament.
JD(U) general secretary Shivanand Tiwari said Ramesh should tell when his Ministry had given a proposal for social audit of the MPLADS and who opposed it. Tiwari claimed that Ramesh’s remarks that the MPs were against such a monitoring implied that MPs “are resorting to corrupt practices”.
Addressing a function of civil society organisations on MGNREGA here on Thursday, Ramesh had said MPs seeking social audit of all and sundry programmes are not willing for such a monitoring when it comes to the MPLAD scheme.
Mohan Singh may move a privilege motion against Defence Minister AK Antony for not giving a “proper” answer to his question on Army chief General VK Singh’s age issue in the recently concluded Monsoon Session of the Rajya Sabha last week. The Defence Ministry is reviewing the clarification sought from the Rajya Sabha MP and will give an answer shortly.
In a written reply to a question raised by Mohan Singh on September 7, Antony said the Army chief’s age, date of birth has been maintained as May 10, 1950 at the time of his appointment as Corps Commander in 2006 and subsequently as Eastern Command head and finally as the Army chief. He, however, says his correct date of birth is May 10, 1951.
The Samajwadi Party leader said the Defence Minister did not give a “proper” reply to his question and “I am not satisfied.” Mohan Singh said he had sought clarification from Antony and if he did not get a proper reply even now the MP may move a privilege motion against the Defence Minister.
The Elder said the Defence Minister has accepted that a different date of birth also exists in certain documents and mentioned May 10, 1950 as Army chief’s date of birth from the year 2006 but he has not given any explanation about the records prior to 2006.
“Antony has not told me which date of birth existed in General Singh’s service records prior to 2006. If it was different, then was there any bungling in changing it? All these things have to be clarified,” he said.
For its part, the JD(U) demanded an apology from Ramesh for his remarks suggesting that MPs were against social audit of the MPLAD scheme. The miffed MPs said if Ramesh does not apologise, they will take the matter to the Privileges Committee of Parliament.
JD(U) general secretary Shivanand Tiwari said Ramesh should tell when his Ministry had given a proposal for social audit of the MPLADS and who opposed it. Tiwari claimed that Ramesh’s remarks that the MPs were against such a monitoring implied that MPs “are resorting to corrupt practices”.
Addressing a function of civil society organisations on MGNREGA here on Thursday, Ramesh had said MPs seeking social audit of all and sundry programmes are not willing for such a monitoring when it comes to the MPLAD scheme.
