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Addressing the Press, Ram Naik said, "Leading a large delegation of business men to Iraq, he gave a letter from the former Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Mr. Saddam Hussein. He was offered coupons for Indian Oil by the Iraqi President himself." Mr. Naik said very rightly, "But he refused the offer when he was told that a surcharge of one dollar per barrel would have to be paid above the United Nations’ price." Mr. Ram Naik did the right thing. But what is next?

The next is very important. Here I come to the conclusion. "Mr. Naik, however, admitted that the businessmen who were part of the delegation would have done business with Iraq. When a Reporter said that deals worth more than a billion dollars were done, Mr. Naik did not deny or contradict the claim saying that he did not have figures. He was asked whether he had facilitated the deals for the Indian companies, Mr. Naik said, "as a leader of the Indian delegation it was his business to do so." Could not have some kickbacks come his way or that of other leaders in the NDA via the Indian companies? Mr. Naik said, "This is an allegation."

SHRI HANNAN MOLLAH (ULUBERIA): It was more than Rs. 1,000 crore.

SHRI RUPCHAND PAL : He was sleeping as a Home Minister. I am not casting any aspersion on the efficiency and the competency of anyone. But he did not care to look into that. And now, he is demanding that there should be an expert committee! Yes, let that be done. We shall produce certain things as to how the RSS had been taking money, how the NRIs had been giving money.

Sir, since you have rung the bell, I would try to just conclude as early as possible. I told you that there is a pattern. I am coming to the Ram Naik part, as to what Mr. Ram Naik had stated.

SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE: The Parliamentary forum cannot be used for that.… (Interruptions) Again, I say that the Parliamentary forum cannot be used for reflecting personal vendetta against an individual.… (Interruptions)

SHRI BRAJA KISHORE TRIPATHY (PURI): What about Shri Ram Naik’s name? All the Members were discussing Shri Ram Naik’s name.… (Interruptions)

MR. SPEAKER: Shri Tripathy, it is very wrong. I do not expect it from you. I warned him saying that he could not refer to anything except what Shri Naik said when he was a Minister. I am, therefore, trying to protect to the best of my ability. As an outsider, what he may have said, that should not be brought in. I did not allow him. Why are you mentioning that? As a Minister, if he had said anything on the floor of the House, you are entitled to refer to that.

What could be the reason of such a large number of visits by party functionaries in the Government, far beyond the normal diplomatic interactions? Shri Ram Naik took a 53-member business delegation. Shri Ram Naik had a two-hour meeting with Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq besides meeting Shri Taha Yassain Ramadhan, Vice-President; Mr. Hikmat Al Azzawi, Deputy Prime Minister; and Dr. Saddoun Hammadi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Iraq.

MR. SPEAKER: Give only the designation.

SHRI DEVENDRA PRASAD YADAV : Shri Ram Naik also had meetings with the Ministers of Oil, Trade, Industry and Minerals, Health, Electricity, Transport and Communications, wherein Oil for Food Programme was discussed in detail. … (Interruptions) मैं संबंध बता देता हूं।…( व्यवधान)