'Pathak report allows culprits to go scot-free'

New Delhi, Aug 22: Terming the report of the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority as a ''grey area,'' CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta observed that justice has not been done as he had let the main player go ''scot free.'' Initiating a discussion on the Report of the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority and the Action Taken Report, tabled in the House on August 7, the CPI MP, in a long and passionate speech, said former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh ''should have not stooped so low as to help his son and the family to procure oil contracts.'' Raising the basic question as to how the Indian missions in Iraq and Jordan were made to cooperate with the delegation because of ''political patronage,'' he came down heavily on Mr Natwar Singh for writing as many as three letter to the authorities in Iraq to help his son Jagat Singh and his business colleague Andaleeb Sehgal and other beneficiaries procure oil contracts.

''But I am very sorry to say that the Congress is also to be blamed because it did not monitor the functioning of the members of its delegation,'' Mr Dasgupta said, charging the party whith shying away from a full enquiry. ''It is a colossal failure on the part of the Congress,'' he said.

Urging the Congress to ''go into the roots of the problem and help haul up the criminals,'' he said that Mr Natwar Singh had ''abused his position... so it is enough for him to lose his membership.'' Mr Dasgupta was followed by Ms Maneka Gandhi, who created an uproar when she made references to Congress chief Ms Sonia Gandhi.

Pandemonium prevailed, forcing Deputy Speaker Charnjit Singh Atwal to adjourn the house for 20 minutes till 1800 hrs.

When the House reassembled, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee persuaded the members to let Ms Maneka Gandhi finish her speeech, he emphasised that the rules of the House had to be complied with and assured that he would look into the records and expunge all objectionable portions.

Incidently when the BJP leader reiterated her remarks about the Congress president, the Speaker ordered some of her remarks to be expunged on the grounds tat making allegations degraded the House.

UNI

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