Under intense opposition attack, Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that he was willing to face any probe by the finance ministry and would quit as minister as well as MP if charges against him were proven in any court.
As the opposition continued to disrupt the Upper House for the third straight day, Gadkari made a statement for the second time in as many days to insist that CAG had nowhere said that he had done any wrong on the issue of repayment of loans by Purti Group which is linked to his family.
The minister for Roads, Highways and Shipping insisted that there has been no "misappropriation" of funds or "irregularities" and not a single rupee has been deposited in the Purti Group as subsidy.
Dismissing all allegations by the Opposition, Gadkari said "If it is proved in any court of the world that I have indulged in corruption worth even Re 1, I am ready to quit not only from the ministership but also as an MP."
Responding to questions posed by members and demands for a probe, he said "I am ready to face any inquiry on the issue by the finance ministry".
He said he has answers to all the questions and would respond as many times as the opposition asks.
He said company had repaid loan amounting to Rs 72 crore with interest and not Rs 84 crore as is being claimed.
Opposition Congress, however, staged a walkout, saying they not satisfied with the minister's reply.
"An impression is being created that we are raising the CAG report to stall passage of other bills in the House. The impression is wrong. We are unsatisfied with the minister's reply and are walking out," Azad said.
Gadkari also rejected charges that the company had started generating energy from coal against norms saying, proper request was made with the government to enable the company to do so. In this regard, he furnished a letter dated September 14, 2009, seeking IREDA's approval.
He said the company decided to go for coal for producing power as there was a fall in sugarcane production.
Insisting that no favour was done to them, he said, "there is no allegation of corruption against me in the CAG report. CAG report is being distorted and people are being misled for political opportunism."
Congress had been stalling Rajya Sabha for the last three days by demanding his resignation over the allegations. The House was adjourned repeatedly on Tuesday also as Congress insisted on a probe into the findings of the CAG report.
Denying any wrong doing by him or PSKL (Purti Sakhar Karkhana Ltd), the Road Transport and Highways Minister told the Opposition members that he has "answers to all questions" and will respond as many times as they want.
"I am ready to answer as long as you ask. But if you want to do politics, then it is a different matter," he said.
Insisting that the entire loan was settled through one time settlement process, Gadkari asked "Is taking a loan corruption? Is paying back that loan along with interest is corruption?
He said there was no mention of a scam in the CAG report.
The minister reminded the Opposition that when loan was granted to Purti Sakkar Karkhana Limited, there was a UPA government at the Centre as well as in Maharashtra.
"At that time I was not a minister, BJP President or even an MP...Maximum loan was given by IREDA to our companies. Your party had a government them. CAG report is not against me but IREDA. In a way it is a report against a government of your department.
"There are 29 companies, which took loan from IREDA. 18 did not pay the loan while nine did not pay the interest. PSKL has not done any kind of irregularity. There is no such allegation in the CAG report," Gadkari said.
