Demands for Nitin Gadkari’s resignation disrupt Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, May 8: The Rajya Sabha witnessed a ruckus on Friday as opposition parties led by Congress demanded resignation of Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for alleged irregularities in a company owned by him.A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has named Gadkari as one of the “promoters and/or directors” of Purti Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. that was sanctioned a loan of Rs. 84.12 crore by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) in violation of guidelines.The issue was raised during zero hour by Congress MP Shantaram Naik, who said the minister must resign. “Opposition parties demanded resignation of our ministers time to time… now Nitin Gadkari has to resign,” said Naik. Congress MP Anand Sharma said the government was accountable on the issue. “This is a serious matter…the present ruling party when they were in opposition would stall the house until the action was taken… I am saying on behalf of opposition this issue cannot be confined to zero hour, there should be accountability,” said Sharma.Congress members then started raising slogans demanding the minister’s resignation. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the allegations were “baseless”. “Congress party has become a confused party… these allegations are baseless,” he said.