New Delhi, Aug 5: Dismissing opposition's criticism, Law Minister Salman Khurshid today said the CAG report on Commonwealth Games projects cannot be compared to Karnataka Lokayukta report on illegal mining which led to the resignation of B S Yeddyurappa from chief minister's post. He also said the matter is before Parliament which should “be given a chance to reflect on the issue.
“...If someone objects to a specific contract given under a particular decision, that particular contract is found not the best possible contract and there are certain features that have to be explained, that can't be put in same category as what happened in Karnataka,” Khurshid told reporters outside Parliament House.
Disagreeing with the demand that Dikshit should also resign like Yeddyurappa, the Minister said the remarks in the CAG report should not be taken out of context. “You can't take one thing out of context,” he said.
“What is the complaint that has made against Yeddyurappa? What are the findings which have come. How serious they are? How vast impact is on the ecology and environment and the manner in which governance should take steps?,” he asked.
Asked if he thought there was no basis for opposition to seek resignation of Dikshit, the Minister said, “I am not saying anything. All I am saying is the matter is before Parliament. Please give Parliament a chance to reflect”.
Criticising the Opposition for “screaming and shouting” before the report was tabled in Parliament, he said, “At what stage an appropriate response is to be given and what is the nature of the objection or the nature of finding of report, I think all these things have to be examined in a proper context (in Parliament)”.
“Let parliament see what kind of report has been made, what reply if at all is there to the report and let Parliament make up its mind... decide or suggest what needs to be done,” Khurshid said.
Referring to media reports on CAG findings, the Union Minister said, the report “should have been in Parliament before we started discussing it....
“But for the past one week we have been hearing about what is in the report and I think it is completely unacceptable that we should take a view on it even before it comes to Parliament and when it comes before Parliament, we pontificate outside as to what is right and wrong.”
On Yeddyurappa's resignation, Khurshid said, “You didn't need a report to ask the chief minister to step down. We all know what has been happening in Karnataka and if anybody wants to equate it with any other report... is not being fair”. PTI
