Chopper row: Chair warns Swamy over provoking Oppn members

Subramanian Swamy, who triggered huge protests from Congress on Wednesday over his attempts to drag party chief Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland helicopter row, again made some controversial remarks in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, which the Chair immediately expunged and warned him of action for “unnecessarily provoking” members on the other side.

Expunging Swamy’s reference to the Constitution of another country that triggered vociferous protests from Congress members, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien also ordered media not to report the remarks.

Trouble broke out after Chaudhary Munavver Saleem (SP) in a Zero Hour mention referred to Swamy being part of the movement in 1970s to protect the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Swamy got up to clarify saying he had no objection to minority education institutions but the Constitution prohibits the State from financing them.

He was countered on this by the Opposition, to which he responded by dragging the name of another country, a reference that led to agitated Congress members rushing into the Well.

Kurien said he was expunging the reference to the Constitution of another country, but that did not satisfy the Congress members, who continued to shout slogans against Swamy.

The BJP MP, who took oath only on Monday, insisted that since his name has been taken by another member, he has a right to reply and again went on to refer to the country, drawing sharp rebuke from the Chair. “I will take action against you. Subramanian Swamy you are unnecessarily provoking. I will have to take action against you... you are provoking,” Kurien said.

Observing that what Swamy said would not go on record, he said “what has been expunged should not be reported by media”.

Congress members sought action against Swamy with Jairam Ramesh saying he was “needling and provoking” by bringing in reference to another country. “This is deliberate,” he added.

With Congress members continuing to protest, Kurien asked them to return to their seats and said it was a deliberate attempt to subvert the Zero Hour.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the VVIP chopper scam and asked her to name those who received the “kickbacks”. “All I want to ask her is that those, who gave bribe are in jail in Italy, then where are those who received the kickbacks? Who were in power at that time? They are responsible and they should bring out the truth. It should be disclosed before the people of the country,” he said. Taking a jibe at Gandhi over her remarks on Wednesday that she did not fear anyone, Shah said she is “right” and that is why such “scams” keep coming out in the open. “That is why when the National Herald corruption case happens, you say you do not fear anybody. When the AgustaWestland case occurs, you say you do not fear anybody. I want to tell her that we in BJP are afraid of the Constitution, rules and public norms," he said.