In yet another setback,
deposed Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra was today indicted by an anti- graft
body over a controversial rice subsidy scheme and will face impeachment that
could dash her hopes of an electoral comeback, a day after a court dismissed
her from office. The National Anti-Corruption Commission voted unanimously to
indict 46-year-old Yingluck on charges of dereliction of duty in overseeing the
controversial rice subsidy programme. Under the rice subsidy scheme, for which
Yingluck was indicted today, the government bought rice from Thai farmers at a
much higher price than on the global market. However, it resulted in the
accumulation of huge stockpiles of rice and hit Thailand's rice exports hard.
Yingluck was accused of negligence linked to the rice scheme with her political
foes alleging the scheme drained Thai finances, damaged the country's rice
producing industry and fostered massive corruption. "The commission
considers there is enough evidence to indict (Yingluck) and refers (the case)
to the Senate," Panthep Klanarongran, chief of the National
Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) told reporters. The case will now be voted on
at the Senate. If impeached, Yingluck will be barred from politics for five
years. "The NACC had submitted letters to warn the defendant twice that
the project would create problems and incur great losses, as well as allow
corruption to take place throughout every step of the scheme,"
Commissioner Vicha Mahakun told reporters. "Yet the defendant did not
consider suspending the project as soon as she learned about the country's
great losses from running the project," Mahakun said. The NACC is also
considering whether to file criminal charges against Yingluck. The
Constitutional Court ousted Yingluck and nine cabinet members yesterday after
finding her guilty of abuse of power for the benefit of her powerful family in
transferring then National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri in 2011. Both
the rulings are a huge blow to the pro-government "Red Shirt"
movement. However, the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee
(PDRC) welcomed the developments with protesters who were demanding Yingluck's
resignation organising a march through the main Sukhumvit road today.
Yingluck's attempt through an amnesty bill to engineer a pardon for Thaksin,
who was sentenced to prison, sparked a series of mass protests in Bangkok led
by PDRC. About 25 people have been killed and hundreds others wounded in
political violence in six months of protests.
Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar attracted opposition BJP's ire today in Rajya Sabha when he said he was not interested in listening to speech of a BJP member on vote on account, prompting the Chair to adjourn the House amid uproar. During the Zero Hour, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien allowed Aiyar, who wanted to ask a question, to do so, which was opposed by BJP members. Kurien asked Aiyar whether he yielded to allow others to speak, to which he said he had no objection and he can ask his question later. As the House got ready to initiate discussion on Vote on Account, Kurien said, "Let us reduce the discussion to two hours from four hours," which was opposed by BJP members including Piyush Goyal who was given a chance to speak on Vote on Account. When it was agreed that discussion will take place as per schedule, Aiyar remarked he was not interested in listening to the speech by BJP member. "You had given me the chance to ask a question
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