BJP seeks structured debate on Bofors

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Even as both houses of parliament were disrupted over Bofors scam Thursday, they are expected to see peaceful proceedings Friday as the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to follow it up in an orderly manner.

Party sources say the BJP wants structured debate on the issue and will raise it through different methods in the two houses next week.

In the Rajya Sabha, the issue will be raised during the debate on the working of the defence ministry, scheduled for Wednesday (May 2), which, according to party sources, will be initiated by Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley.

In the Lok Sabha, notice has been given for holding a short duration discussion on defence preparedness under Rule 193, which entails a special discussion without voting. The Bofors scam will be raised along with other issues related to the defence ministry that emerged recently.

The Bofors scam has come to haunt the Congress-led government again as former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom, the original whistleblower of the kickback scam, in an interview disclosed that the late Rajiv Gandhi "watched the massive cover-up" and the guilty, Italian Ottavio Quattrocchi, got away.

In an interview to media watchdog The Hoot, Lindstrom, however, gave a clean chit to the former prime minister for his alleged direct role in the payoff scandal.

On Thursday, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha could not function till 2 p.m. with the opposition aggressively raising the issue. At 2 p.m., however, both houses resumed their scheduled business.