Jogi bows to SC diktat on Balco security

Jogi bows to SC diktat on Balco security
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today said his Government would provide adequate security to workers and management of the Balco plant at Korba as per a Supreme Court directive and suggested a dialogue between the workers and management to resolve the ongoing crisis.

"The apex court's order is paramount and we understand our responsibilities. Nobody who wants to voluntarily work in the plant would be forcibly stopped and the state government would provide them total security," Jogi told reporters.

Asked whether the court's order was tantamount to an indictment of his Government, Jogi said, "no, it is a directive which we will implement."

"This is an issue between the workers and management which they should sit down and sort out," he added.

Ruling out the possibility of prospective investors getting scared away by the controversy, the Chief Minister reiterated the charge that the disinvestment agreement was "unconstitutional" as it violated laws pertaining to transfer of tribal land.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday restrained the Chhattisgarh Government from disrupting supply of water, electricity and food to the Balco plant at Korba or the township and directed it to provide adequate security to workers and new management.

Earlier, Opposition and treasury benches clashed in Lok Sabha on the Balco disinvestment issue with Congress and Left parties questioning Government's propriety in moving the Supreme Court on a sensitive issue of Centre-State relations without taking Chhattisgarh state into confidence.

CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee accused the Government of taking recourse to the judiciary to go ahead with its ``sinister disinvestment policy'' and destabilise the Constitutional equilibrium.

Defending the Government move during zero hour, Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie said there were alarming reports that water and electricity to the Balco plant would be cut, management would not be allowed to enter the state as also creating law and order situation by burning an ambulance and damaging a CISF van.

Countering the Opposition charge of not consulting the state government, Shourie said the Disinvestment Secretary had written to Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary about the disturbing reports and possibility of damage to the plant, but had not yet received any response.

At one stage, there were charges and counter-charges traded between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan and Chatterjee.

Shourie said technical experts were of the view that irretrievable harm to the tune of over Rs 100 crore could be caused to the plant if timely action was not not taken.

Raising the issue, CPI-M member Rupchand Pal charged the Centre with bypassing the political executive in the state.

Mahajan took exception to Opposition members commenting on a ruling of the apex court.

Several Congress members including Satyavrat Chaturvedi and S Jaipal Reddy also protested against the Centre's decision to ignore the Congress-ruled state.

Vijay Kumar Malhotra (BJP) accused Jogi of breaking the law by inciting people and issuing all sorts of threats to the Centre.

In the midst of the melee, Speaker G M C Balayogi adjourned the House for lunch recess.