06.08.91
*t03
RE. BANK OF CREDIT & COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL
[English]
SHRI JASWANT SINGH (Chlttorgarh): Mr. Speaker, Sir, yesterday, you had, in the House, assured......
228 Re.Bank of Credit & Commerce International
MR. SPEAKER: Before you make your point, I would like to say that yesterday I was informed by the Government that the statement on the BCCI issue is not ready and they are likely to put it on the Table of the House tomorrow.
lnterruprions)
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Sir, Iet me say what I have to say. On the BCCI issue, you had assured the House that a statement would be made in the House today.
MR. SPEAKER: I did not assure; l said that it should be made.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Sir, l correct myself. You do not assure; you direct and you had directed that a statement should be made in the House today. Now, the List of Business has no such reference. The hon.
Finance Minister is to reply to the Budget debate today.
MR. SPEAKER: He wants to give an explanation to that point.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Would he like to give an explanation as to why the statement is not being made?
MR. SPEAKER: YES.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: In that case, with your permission, I would point out as to what our expectations are about that statement, because there are various angies to it.
MR. SPEAKER: You had raised this matter in Zero Hour. Nothing has crystallised and you expect a statement. I do not know what kind of a statement they are giving. Now, it is between you.
(Interruptions)
SHRI CHANDRA JEET YADAV (Azamgarh): Sir, it is not between one person and another. Several Members made enquiries on several points.
One of the point was that the Bombay Branch of the BCCI had
229 Re.Bank of Credit & Commerce International
said that there are names of several politicians including Members of Parliament and high bureaucrats involved in it. You said, you do not know what is going to be in the statement. We want that the statement must be elaborate. It must give the necessary information asked by the hon. Members.
MR. SPEAKER: Mr. Jaswant Singh, I have allowed you; I have not allowed him.
SHRI CHANDRA JEET YADAV: Sir, I will speak later on.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Sir, our expectations are as follows:
Firstly, a statement should be made today. Our second expectation was that the statement would clarify the aspect of violations of RBI regulations; the statement should make clear enough about the reported or alleged involvement of industrialists or key aides to the former Prime Minister. There is also the aspect of the totality of South Asian dependence on BCCI; a large number of citizens of South Asia, whether they live in UK or elsewhere on the continent or even in the USA, have been badly hit because of BCCI's closure. We expect that the statement would clarify that point also. There is then the aspect of narco-related money having entered the BCCI. There is also the aspect of economic invasion of the country by way of illegal money coming in and going illegally out of the country. There are reports that the BCCI was employed by Pakistan as a conduit for their nuclear programme. Indeed a General of Pakistan Army was arrested in Germany.**was arrested in Germany.
MR. SPEAKER: I will not allow the name to go on record.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: These are all aspects of BCCI. It is reported that BCCI has been aiding Pakis-
**Not recorded.
230 Re. Bank of Credit & Commerce International
tan in its nuclear programme. Therefore, the Government ought to have come forward with that statement today or should ask for permission to do it tomorrow. When they do actually come forward with the statement,they ought to cover all these aspects.
We would request you, Sir, as you had directed, let the statement be made today itself and let it be a comprehensive statement to answer all these queries.
SHRI CHANDRAJIT YADAV: What I am concerned is that the statement should be comprebensive. We have brought to the notice of this House that one Pakistani national is heading this bank. This bank has been already penalised by the British state Bank of U.K. This matter was discussed in the American Senate Committee where it has been mentioned that this bank has been financing certain politicians, certain bureaucrats . . .(lnterruptions)
These are matters which are being discussed all over the world. Are we not supposed to know the details about the activities of the BCCI?
Another important factor is that this Bank is supposed to have been financing the terrorists who are operating in our country, who are a threat to our national unity.
Therefore, what I am requesting is that the statement should be comprehensive. I do not mind particularly, if the statement will be coming tomorrow, but it should be comprehensive. If the Government wants time, let it take. But the entire details should come out in the statement. The names of all those Indian citizens who have their accounts in the BCCI or who are connected directly or indirectly, all those facts should be known to this House and to the country.
231 Re. Bank of Credit & Commerce International
[Translation]
SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN (Rosera): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would not go into the details of this matter, because it is being discussed within and outside the House and reports about this matter are being published in various newspapers also. The Minister of Finance and the leader of the House are prescnt here. When the news started appearing in the Press, it was the duty of the Government to clarify the matter Suo motu, because with the passage of time, the doubt increases and the needle of suspicion points to one direction and it was the culmination of combined action of the then Government and its Head and industrialists, bureaucrats and other people associated with it. The leader of the House had made an announcement in the House yesterday that a statement on this matter would be made. Today the Finance Minister is also present in the House. The entire matter is being discussed for the last one week and the Government is completely silent over the matter. I would like to know as to why the statement would be made tomorrow? (lnterruptions)
SHRI MADAN LAL KHURANA (South Delhi): Mr. Speaker, Sir, my
submission is that mere statement on this matter is not sufficient, instead there should be a thorough discussion on this subject under Rule 193. The matter is being discussed all over the world these days.
(Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Khurana Please don't speak like that.
[English]
We will see afterwards.
(Interruptions)
SHRI SAIFFUDDIN CHOUDHURY (Katwa): Sir, the statement has to be comprehensive because it has many dimensions, it has international dimension; it has a dimensions
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that encompasses the politicians and some of the bureaucrats of our country. It has another dimension of aiding the terrorists which is connected with the attempt to destabilise our country. It has sullied the image of our country.
So, when the statement is made, immediately we should have a discussion on the basis of the comprehensive statement. And then, we have to decide, as I said yesterday--the need will be there so far as I understand, to institute a House Committee also to look into the matter.
MR. SPEAKER: We are going much beyond that.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI MANMOHAN SINGH): Sir, l appreciate the sentiments expressed in this House I apologise to the House that I have not been able to come forward with a statement today. I need some time to collect all the facts and I promise you that by tomorrow I will be able to make a statement.
[Translation]
SRI PHOOL CHAND VERMA (Shajapur): Mr. Speaker, Sir, we had given you a notice. (Interruptions)
[English]
SHRI E. AHAMED (Manjeri): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to draw the attention of the Government to the sad plight of more than 6000 Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan who are stranded in Bomlbay due to want of emigration clearance. These 6000 people have already obtained valid employment visa from the Gulf countries. But they have been denied clearance by the Emigration Department in Bombay. The emigration clearance has been given to the 233
degree holders and diploma holders whereas the unskilled labour and also the manual labourers who have obtained employment visa with great difficulty have been denied.
May I also submit to the attention of the hon. Minister of Labour that any delay on our part to provide clearance will also result in the replacement of our labour force in the Gulf countries by Bangladeshis, Philippinos and Sri Lankans have been taking that place.
Therefore, I urge upon the Government to take it as a very serious matter. Especially now, our country is faced with economic crisis and also unemployment problem.
There are 6000 people who are living in agony and who are stranded in Bombay. They may also be helped.
[Translation]
SHRI SURAJ MANDAL (Godda): Mr. Speaker, Sir, Godda district of Bihar is an extremely backward area. This district was formed in 1983 and the maximum number of coal mines of the country are located in this area. There is a project called Rajmahal Project and till now no arrangement has been made to provide cooking gas to the people of this district. I have been writing to the Government of India even when I was an MLA in Bihar Assembly to set up an agency of cooking gas at the earliest in my district, but no arrangements have been made to supply cooking gas to the people in my backward area. Hon. Petroleum Minister is present here. l would like to urge him that keeping in view the backwardness of this area, a cooking gas agency may be set up in the headquarters of my District without any lapse of time so that the cooking gas is made available to the inhabitants of that place.
SHRI BRISHIN PATEL (Siwan): Mr. Speaker, Sir, a cotton mill has been set up in Siwan district of Bihar
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with an investment of crores of rupees and that cotton mill is in the production stage. Despite that I regret to say that this cotton mill has not started functioning till date. I would like to urge upon the central Government through you that the cotton mill should start production immediately so that all the unemployed youths may get employment and the economic condition of that area may improve.
[English]
SHRI PALA K.M. MATHEW (Idukki): Sir, I rise to plead for a
section of voiceless people who belong to the overwhelming silent majority, I mean the bonded labour. Bonded labour is prevalent on an alarmingly large-scale in this country. Nobody has been punished so far for persecuting, under-paying and oppressing them and for not giving them their remuneration and all that.
The National Commission which has been promised is not yet set up.
The Human Rights Commission recommended to the concerned UN Agencies that all loans and aid to such countries which do not exterminate this evil should be stopped.
No survey has been made to identify the bonded labour. It is our international commitment.
So, I would request the Government to take steps immediately for identifying them and then for subsequent extermination and abolition of the bonded labour.
SHRI R. SRIDHARAN (Madras South): Sir, Shri Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute in New Delhi is almost closed. The institution is in a dilapidated building in the university campus. There are no X-Ray films. Sputum and blood tests are not conducted for the last few days.
No biweekly injections or bi-weekly medicines are given to the patients. The
235
patients are asked to go to the other hospitals in the City. They are not being admitted into the hospital since no proper arrangement is made. No proper study is made regarding the number of patients and treatment given to them. The Post-Graduate students are put to great hardship because there are no patients. No bed-side teaching studies are conducted.
I would, therefore, request the hon. Minister of Health and Family welfare to immediately look into the matter.
SHRI SUDHIR SAWANT (Rajapur): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to bring to the notice of the Government a vital issue affecting the Konkan area of Maharashtra and Goa. As you know, Sir, this area is the most backward area in the country. It is served by only one road, by the National Highway called the Bombay-Goa Highway. We had a ferry service which, was closed down three years ago. We had an air service of Vayudoot which was also stopped. The Ratnagiri Airport is the only Airport which is there in this area, which is also being dismantled.
This road the Bombay-Goa National Highway oannot be termed as a Highway in any case when you look at the appearance of it. This Highway is repaired every year. During the monsoon season the surface disintegrate because of me heavy precipitation in this area.
I would, therefore, request that the Government must now take firm action against the contractors and also allocate more resources so that the road surface is developed in such a manner that the surface disintegration is not allowed to happen every year.
(Interruptons)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seats. I have to do one after the other. You cannot just press like this. There are Members on that side also. I am saying, please take your seat.
236
SHRI SUDHIR GIRI (Contai): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the workers and labourers engaged in the salt-producing factories throughout the entire sea coast areas all over the country do not get wages even at the minimum scale as fixed up by the Minimum Wages Act. The labourers in many factories have to start their work even before the sun-rise and continue their work even after the sun-set with an hour's recess in the noon thereby stretching the working hours by more than twelve hours a day. We are all aware of the present hard days in the present situation of spiralling price. It is, therefore, obvious how miserable and distressing conditions the salt workers are living in. Labourers having at least five members of each family at an average find it really a total impossibility to live on the meagre wage of Rs. 14 or Rs. 16 per day-there remaining no work, no pay day. It is unimaginable how thcse salt workers are pulling on their days of unbearable sufferings. Further, the Budget proposals have already started infationary pressure in the market and the essential consumers' items have begun to reflect the same.
Sir under the circumstances, I would urge upon the Government, the Ministry of Industry to take initiatives immediately to bring forward legislative measures to fix up the daily minimum wages of the workers and labourers engaged in the salt-factories whether big or small and help the poor people overcome the present hardship prevailing in our country.
(Interruptions)
SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (Andaman-Nicobar): Mr. Speaker. Sir, during my visit to Calcutta, I had seen more than 200 Andaman bound passengers--men, women and children--who had been stranded there for the last three months. They are now staying on the footpaths of Calcutta. They are facing starvation because of nonavailability of any food. These people are particularly from Andhra Pradesh, from Ranchi area of Bihar, West Ben-
237
gal and Orissa. They are mostly the working class people who have come from Andaman and Nicobar Island during the vacation time to see their families in the mainland. Now they are not in a position to go back.
Unfortunately, the shipping ticket which necessitates these people to reach Andaman and Nicobar Island, has been withheld by the Shipping Corporation of India, Calcutta. These people are not getting their tickets. This is a very serious matter. People are facing starvation.
I request the Leader of the House to kindly pass on this to the Minister of Surface Transport so that these people--on 15 th, there will be a ship--are given the passage to go back to their places.I request Shri Arjun Singhji to look into the matter. (Interruptions) SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (Bankura): The Jute Corporation of lndia was formed to procure jute directly from the growers so that the jute growers of West Bengal may get statutory minimum price fixed by the Government, if not the fair price. This was an assurance given by the first Prine Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, after the partition of India, to the farmers of West Bengal who started growing jute in West Bangal and our country became selfsufficient in jute growing. These jute growers are now starving because of the policy of the Textiles Ministry, the policy of the Government of India not to procure jute this year. The Jute Corporation of India is not coming to the market. They are not procuring jute from any of the jute growing districts of West Bengal. Unless the Jute Corporation of India starts procuring jute immediately in West Bengal, the jute price in West Bengal will come down further and the jute growers will die. I demand a statement from the Minister of Textiles. I demand that the Jute Corporation of India should start procuring jute immediately from the jute growers of West Bengal. Unless this is done, the price which has already fallen in West Bengal, will fall down further in West Bengal, in Bihar, in Orissa and the other jute
238
growing States of our country. (Interruptions)
SHRI SRIKANTA JENA (Cuttack): Jute growers are suffering a lot.
The Government must make a statement on this point. This is a very serious problem throughout the country. This problem is there ln Orissa also. (Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA: It is a question of life and death for the forty lakh jute workers in the country. The Leader of the House is here. He should make a statement.
(lnterruptions)
SHRI SRIKANTA JENA: You can direct the Minister or the Leader of the House to make a statement on this issue. This is one of the very serious matters which the jute growers of Bengal, Orissa and Bihar are facing.
(Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You have made that point. Now Shri Agnihotri to speak.
(lnterruption)
SHRI SRIKANTA JENA: We want a statement from the Minister on this issue. (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: This is an important point; you have made it. You sit down now. There are other Members also who must get an opportunity. You made your point, let them also make their points.
(Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA: We want a statement from the Minister. The Leader of the House is here, he should speak.
SHRI SRIKANTA JENA: The Minister can respond to this matter.
Nearly 50-60 lakh jute growers are unable to sell their product.
(Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You have made that point; now allow others to speak 239
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA: This is the life and death question of jute growers of our country. The Government is silent on this issue.
THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ARJUN SINGH): After all, there is a propriety in such matters. When hon. Members make mention of any fact, it is for mention and it goes to the hon.
Minister and then they in the natural course of events would take note of it. If the hon. Member wants that I should specifically draw his attention, I will do so also. (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Only what Shri Agnihotri says will go on record.
[Translation]
SHRI RAJENDRA AGNIHOTRI (Jhansi): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have drawn the attention of this House through you time and again to the fact that in our country a number of projects are being implemented in various states, which are directly under the control of Government of India. Hundreds and thousands of labourers are engaged in these projects as work-charged labour and on daily wage basis. According to the laws of the Labour Department which the Government of India have got passed in this House, the services of these people should be regularised, but labourers working in these projects have not been regularised under Labour Laws even after 7 or 8 years of service.
Under the present days of price rise, these labourers, whose number is in lakhs, are not getting the allowances, good salary and other facilities which are due to them.
I urge upon the Government through you that the services of these labourers should be regularised under the Labour Laws. Thousands of labourers have been working in Rajghat Project in Uttar Pradesh, Narmada Project and Cauvery Project for the last 7-8 years. Government of India should
240
look into this matter immediately and the services of these labourers should be regularised, otherwise there would be great resentment among the labourers which would be a matter of shame for this Government.
[English]
SHRI KODIKKUNIL SURESH (Adoor): I would like to draw the
attention of the House to the fact that Keralites are using coconut oil, as no other edible oil is produced in Kerala. The only alternative edible oil liked by Keralites is palmoline; but its supply has come to a standstill. It has become difficult to use coconut oil by the common man as the price of coconut oil has reached so high and people are facing acute shortage of edibls oil.
Therefore I request the Government to release a special quota of 10,000 tonnes oś palmoline oil during the festival season.
[Translation]
SHRI SARAT CHANDRA PATTANAYAK (Bolangir): Mr. Speaker. Sir, I would like to bring to the notice of the House a horrible incident that took place at the site of Indravati irrigation project in Kalahandi district of Orissa. Due to heavy rains tunnel of the project got flooded, and about 100 workers lost their lives and nearly 500 are reported missing. Orissa Government till date has not given any compensation to the victims. Therefore I request you to constitute a committee of the Members to go into the causes of accident and for an on the spot investigation, so as to facilitate early disbursal of compensation to the families of the deceased.
SHRI LALIT ORAON (Lohardaga): Mr. Speaker, Sir, in Bihar in 1990, most of the districts came under the spell of heavy hailstorm......(Interruptions) ...... resulting in heavy damage to 'kuchcha' houses and rabi crop in the rural areas. On the receipt 241
of report from the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned districts, as called by the Government, assistance was provided to the 21 affected districts in the state. But Ranchi & Gumla districts, which are predominantly tribal districts, were not provided any assistance.
These districts were also affected.
Therefore, through you I would like to request the Government to provide assistance to these two affected districts.
SHRI RAM KAPSE (Thane): Mr. Speaker, Sir, during the press
conference at Lucknow the hon. Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Shri Madhavrao Scindia, branded leaders of B.J.P. as traitors.......
(lnterruptions)........ In a democratic set up hurling of such abuses as traitor repeatedly in the press conference and nonrefutal of such utterances afterwards, to my mind reflects lack of faith in democracy of Shri Madhavrao Scindia.
[English]
He should withdraw his words and that is my demand. He should withdraw his words .......
[Translation]
and tender an apology in the House. ...... (Interruptions).........
[EngIish]
SHRI LAL K. ADVANI (Gandhi Nagar): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am sure that many of his own colleagues must have felt anguished by the statement of the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. I am sure that many of my colleagues on this side who may disagree with me and my party's views very sharply would agree with me that in democratic politics, there are limits to criticism. Otherwise one has to bear with criticism, one has to bear even condemnation. Even very unflattering harsh epithets can be hurled
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at each other. But I am sure every patriot who participates in democratic politics would regard this particular word which has been consciously and deliberately used and repeatedly used--'traitor'--is the vilest abuse that can be hurled at a patriot. On behalf of my party, I take very strong exception to this statement made at Lucknow by the Minister of Civil Aviation. I would say that here is a Government which has, from the very first day been saying that we would like to bring a consensus with the Opposition parties even when we disagree. There have been some attempts and sometimes we have meetings. Let them realise that this is a statement not made by any ordinary Minister. He is a Minister of the Union Cabinet. Therefore, my party is forced to say that unless Mr. Madhav Rao Scindia unqualifiedly apologises for this Lucknow statement, my party would have to reconsider its entire attitude to the Government itself as a whole.
I am sure that most of his colleagues in the Union Cabinet also must have been disturbed by this statement. The leader of the House is here. Therefore, through him, I would like to see that suitable amends are made for this statement.
SHRI INDRAJIT GUPTA (Midnapore): Sir, I fully agree that the kind of public statement which has been attributed to the Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, should no have been made. But there should not be double standards. We are frequently reading in the Press public statements made by prominent leaders of Mr. Advani's party, who are using the same expression. (Interruptions) They have been saying that Communists are traitors. (Interruptions) We have been continually called traitors. We have never raised it here. But there should not be double standards.
SHRI LAL K. ADVANI: I entirely agree with Mr. Indrajit Gupta (Interruptions)
243
SHRI SAIFUDDIN CHOUDHURY (Katwa): Sir, we are called traitors. We do not take it seriously because we are not traitors. (Interruptions) SHRI LAL K. ADVANI: I entirely agree with what Mr. Indrajit Gupta has said that there should be no double standards.
SHRI ARJUN SINGH: Sir, I am glad that the honourable Leader of the Opposition has agreed to this that there should never be double standards on what we think is correct. l think, anybody saying that any other Indian is not a patriot is not a very light-hearted comment or remark unless one has something substantial to go by. What has been alleged to have been said by my colleague, I think. it would be fair that the House and you, Sir, allow me the opportunity to bring this to his knowledge. I am sure, he will make suitable amends, if necessary.
If he has not said it or he has been wrongly reported, he will say accordingly.
[Translation]
SHRI MADAN LAL KHURANA: Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is not
so....(Interruptions)...I cannot be cowed down. I will not sit before making my point...(Interruptions)...not at least like this. See, he said...(Interruptions)...
[English]
MR. SPEAKER: I am not allowing you to quote from the newspaper.
MR. SPEAKER: This will not go on record.
MR. SPEAKER: You know, it was handled very properly. Please do not prolong it. What you wanted, you got it.
MR. SPEAKER: Now, it is not necessary.
(Interruptions)
244
MR. SPEAKER: Mr. Khurana, please understand the nicety and the subtlety involved in it.
(Interruptions)
[Translation]
SHRI MADAN LAL KHURANA: You are explaining nicety to us, please explain nicety to them also...(Interruptions)....
MR. SPEAKER: Now it is all nicely over.
(Interruptions)
SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES (Muzaffarpur): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the
Minister of Civil Supplies of Bihar is in Delhi today for consultations with many Central Ministries. Bihar is in the grip of drought and many representations have been submitted to the Centre during the last few days requesting release of essential commodities for distribution in the affected areas, by the State Government. They are demanding increase in the quota of wheat, rice, edible oils, sugar, kerosene oil, cooking gas, coal and diesel to the State. I do not want to say anything more but would only like to draw the attention of the Central Government through you regarding the demands of the State Government. The Central Government should take urgent steps to fulfil the demands of Bihar.
SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN (Rosera): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the issue raised by Shri George Fernandes is very serious. The House is well aware of the dichotomous situation prevailing in Bihar, where on the one hand it is a flood and drought prone state and on the other hand minerals in plenty are found in the State. Minerals come under the purview of the Centre, quite reasonable so, but the people of Bihar are left to face the furies of floods and drought. Therefore, I request the Government to meet the requirements of Bihar Government and reduction in quota be
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