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SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR (Ballia) :

Mr. Speaker, Sir, though I did not want to speak on the subject but the members who spoke earlier have inspired me to speak something on this subject. That is why the level at which we are holding discussion on such a serious matter cannot be termed as injustice to the subject. Shri George Fernandes had raised some fundamental issues and sought reply from the Minister of Food. I do not know whether the Minister of Food would be able to reply. I know him for a long time. But known faces seem to be unknown today. Because they are not principled persons as their predecessors. The people do not hesitate in avoiding truth. I do not agree with Shri George that it is not possible to believe all the officials in bureaucracy. After all we have to run the Government and the country too is run by them. These people belong to our country. I do not possess much experience. With a little experience whatever I have, I can say that if most of the people who think about the welfare of the country are given proper directives they would have taken proper steps. In the matter of sugar I would like to raise one question and want to know from the Government whether directives are issued in time. If so, whether their proper implementation has been carried out? I know it. It is a fact that the Government was aware about the less production of sugarcane. It was not a secret matter. The entire world was aware of it. The Ministry of Food knew it. My friend, Shri Mukherjee knew it. It was mentioned in the Public Accounts Committee report that the Food Corporation of India must import sugar at any cost. But the condition was that it should be imported through STC or MMTC. The Ministry of Food had given an assurance to the Public Accounts Committee to implement this recommendation in toto. Afterwards, it was not possible for them to import sugar.

Sir, today it is very easy to level allegations against Shri Kalpnath. Just now one of my hon. friends was sitting here. At present he is not available. Earlier he was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs. Had he tried to speak the truth he would have been sitting with us. Shri Kumaramangalamji, this apprehension troubles the people. Perhaps, Shri Kalpnathji is also terrified with the same fear. It has been said that the Minister of Commerce has not done anything. If the Minister of Commerce asks the Minister of Finance, he is ready to sanction it. This news has been regularly appearing in the Press, that nobody talks about Government files. Who will reply to it? Will it be replied by Shri Kalpnathji, Pranab Mukherjee or the Minister of Finance or my friend Shri Raoji, who is sitting at the helm of affairs. Of these, one will have to answer. Every Department has become inactive as restrictions in any way are imposed on them. These restrictions are not imposed due to our internal compulsions. As Shri George has rightly said that we have imposed restrictions because the Government have made some promises and given assurances to some people and it cannot go beyond that limit. Our people are facing starvation and sugar is being sold at higher rate, but we cannot make import because we cannot spend foreign exchange. We cannot enhance our Budget. These type of things are developing in our country.

Just now, the Minister of Agriculture has left the House. As my friend Shri Surya Narayan was saying rightly that the agriculture policy has been a success. Shri George has said that nowadays sugarcane is being sown comparatively on lesser area in Maharashtra. Grapes are being exported. We should congratulate the people of Maharashtra. I feel happy to see that grapes, ‘Kinnu’ and guava will be exported in the world market. In this way, we will earn foreign exchange. But it will result in nonavailability of sugar to the people. These two things are inter-linked. While discussing GATT agreement had pointed out to the Minister of Food about his wrong policies. Scheme of agricultural production for the purpose of export is being formulated for the first time in our country. This scheme was first introduced in African countries 20-25 years ago in which food production was neglected and production of coffee and cocoa was encouraged. They earned a lot of money for 12 years. The people who were owing these industries were happy. But one day they ruined this industry. All industries were closed. Big farms now do not exist. Today African countries are facing starvation. Small countries cannot depend on other countries in the matter of food, sugar, wheat, rice and grams. Our country is a big country. It cannot depend on other countries. Not only I am saying these words but the people who believe in ‘Swedeshi’ and self-reliance had advocated this concept since independence days. I feel happy to listen the speech of the Prime Minister delivered in the session of All India Congress Committee in which he declares that our country favours Swadeshi, self-reliance conscious and believes in Gandhism. Gandhiji had taken a dream to see the village self-reliant. We feel ashamed in making the country selfreliant and declares this Government as Gandhian Government. We pronounce the policies of Gandhiji. This is the basic concept of our country. Why should the farmers of Maharashtra sow sugarcane, when they get less remunerative price? They should sow grapes, to have more benefit, although the Government may spend more to import sugar. The Minister of Finance creates hurdles and says that the Minister of Commerce cannot import sugar. P.A.C. has issued directives that the Minister of Food cannot import sugar and it is said that the sugar should be imported through O.G.L. When an industrialist imports sugar, he imports it to earn profit and not to reduce the price of sugar and facilitate its supply to poor and thus does not help the Government. Just now, my colleague was making deliberations. Perhaps he is associated with the sugar industry. SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Pardon me. He is son of a person for whom I have a great respect. Today, Shri Vasant Dada Patil would have thought it ten times as to why the sugar is being sold in the market at the rate of Rs. 18- 20 per kilo instead of Rs. 10-12 per kilo. Would the Government conduct an inquiry into it? Would somebody be held responsible for it? Are sugar mill owners ready to take the responsibility? The Minister of Food should ponder over it. Suddenly what happens? Prime Minister goes on a foreign trip. The Minister of Food visits his constituency. Three Government officials whose names, I would not like to mention take a unanimous decision to import sugar worth Rs. 400 crore. Why? Who has authorised them to do so? Nobody knows it. Just now Shri George was saying that global tenders are invited on a day’s notice. On the second day, they had tried to cancel the tender on 8 hours’ notice. When the Minister of Food arrives in Delhi he is informed that directive had been issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. When the Minister of Food desired to record it on the file, it was not carried out. The same very officer had given an assurance that directive issued by PAC headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be implemented. When he was asked why he had done so despite the fact that he had given the assurance in writing, then the file was removed from the Ministry of Food and subsequently found in P.A.C. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask whether it is the way to run the country? Only by abusing Ministers or some other people will not yield any result. Until the file is recovered from the PAC, the P.M.O. cannot contradict in the matter and declare that the Ministry of Food has committed a mistake. Constantly for seven days there had been Press reports in the national and international media that the Minister of Food had violated the orders of the Prime Minister. But the P.M.O. had not acted. When it is known that the Ministry of Food had given an assurance in writing to the P.A.C. through the same official, then the statement is issued that there is no difference of opinion, between the Ministry of Food and the P.M.O. I do not know the view point of the Minister of Food. I also do not know whether the Prime Minister is aware of the matter or not. But the P.M.O. is functioning in a very different way. Press reported that the officials take decision themselves. In a Cabinet form of Government, it is the first time that the decision is taken by an official without the knowledge of the concerned Minister on the plea of directives received from the P.M.O. When the officers were asked to record it in the file, they refused. I am not concerned about whether the sugar is sold at Rs. 5/- or Rs. 5000/- per kg. But these tendencies are dangerous and one day these officers will sell out the country and we will not be able to know about it. It is not a simple matter. That is why I am compelled to speak. Do not take the debate as merely a loss of Rs. 4000 or 5000 crores. I do not want to go into who the culprit was or what was the amount of bribe. The question is whether we are running a civilized administration or democracy? In a Parliamentary democracy the Cabinet members may have difference of opinion. The Government will have to decide and assign the responsibility who had authorised the officials for inviting global tender without informing any Minister. How does the P.M.O. come in between the two? The Prime Minister, the Minister of Commerce and the Minister of Finance were not aware of the fact. The Minister of Food too was not aware of this decision. I know it as he has already given his statement. Later on they backed out from their statements. Secondly, the Secretary had issued a statement against the Minister. A senior officer of the Ministry of Commerce had said that a high official had pressurised him many times on phones, to import from such companies which are not even registered. All these things are happening. Through you I would like to urge upon my Congress friends not to make it a party issue. Do not give political colour to every issue. I know it that you will defeat this motion. I know that you will get the majority. You have seen that the people of the country had rejected you and us also twice even after having majority. What will happen if all the people are rejected in politics. The politicians will be disheartened. What will happen to the country? You will have to ponder over this problem. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you have to pay a little attention as the P.A.C. functions as per your directive. Is it an ordinary thing that the assurances given to the P.A.C. have been disappeared from the files of Ministry of Food? It should be observed from this angle that the economic policies will play a pivotal role. In the world, nobody will help us in making us prosperous and wealthy. Shri Pranabji has been with us since 1962. He is one of my old friends. We have intensively worked together to revive the economic policies of that time for years. One day I had said that he has become the citizen of the world whereas I remained an Indian. I surprise to see Shri Pranabji. I know Shri Kalpnathji since his student life. He was happy with the socialist movement and even today he is in high spirits while talking. But I don’t know why he is keeping mum? Why did not he speak today? Is the portfolio of the Minister is too important, to observe self-restraint. The man who has no idea of decorum, the dignity of the country cannot be safe in his hands. I am not demanding his resignation. There is no need to tender resignation. Fortunately hon. Shri Arjun Singh has come. I would request him. “Arjunasya Pratigya Dwai, Na-Cha Dainyam Na Playanam.” Do not be humble and renounce the world. I am not asking to protest it in the House but you can resist it at least in the Cabinet. This matter should be examined. How will the inquiry be conducted? Personally, I am not against any person, I have nothing to do in the matter. But it pains me when I see that the entire dignity of the country and the Parliamentary democracy is being tarnished and high officials are fighting each other and disgracing bureaucracy. These people are running our administration. It may not be so as we are compelled to form our opinion about all the officials. Just now Shri George has exprssed the same view point. A dangerous bell is ringing not for him but for the entire nation. Therefore, I would like to request to take up the matter seriously. If you are able to issue directives to these officials in the right perspective, it would benefit a lot.