Natwar scalp not enough, fire Sonia too: NDA

New Delhi: Despite Opposition's promise to let Parliament proceed smoothly on Wednesday, they disrupted the proceedings demanding Sonia Gandhdi's resignation as Chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC).

The NDA's demand for Natwar Singh's resignation as minister without portfolio has been met, the Opposition created a furore in Parliament and staged walk-outs in both houses saying there cannot be double standards for Natwar Singh and Sonia Gandhi.

They insisted that Sonia Gandhi, just like Natwar Singh, should be held accountable for the Volcker issue.

The BJP demanded that Sonia Gandhi resign from the chairmanship of NAC, which gives her a cabinet rank, as her party has been named a 'non-contractual beneficiary' in the United Nations Oil-for-Food scandal.

After a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party, BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said, "A path for the smooth functioning of Parliament will be paved only when Sonia Gandhdi steps down from NAC."

The NDA has warned that disruptions and agitations will continue till Sonia Gandhi tenders her resignation.

"We will continue to articulate our demand for her resignation in and outside the Parliament," said Malhotra.

Opposition leader L K Advani, while addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting said that the NDA and the BJP were happy that Natwar Singh had resigned but took strong exception to the way in which the entire issue had been allowed to drift.

BJP party members also took offence to Natwar Singh's reasoning that he was resigning as he does not want to be the reason for stalling Parliament proceedings.

The NDA has also submitted notices for discussion on the revelations in the book Mitrokhin Archives II authored by former US Ambassador to India Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

The book talks about the influence of the Soviet and US Intelligence agencies on India, the foreign funding of political parties and their influence on domestic and foreign decisions.

The party also expressed concern about "rampant criminalisation" in Uttar Pradesh where the elected representatives were being targeted in broad daylight and asserted that the menace would have to be fought.