Govt ready to discuss Volcker report: PM

NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (Agencies): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today described as "unfortunate" the disruption of Parliament proceedings by the Opposition on the issue of Iraqi oil pay-offs scam and said that government was prepared to discuss the issue in both the Houses.

"The government is prepared to discuss the Volcker Committee report today and now," he said in a statement issued by his Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru.

On the adjournment of both Houses, the Prime Minister said "It is unfortunate that Parliament was disrupted today." Earlier in the day, an unrelenting Opposition forced adjournment of both Houses over the Volcker Committee report and demanded resignation of Union Minister K Natwar Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

While the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after a first half-an-hour suspension, proceedings in Rajya Sabha ended abruptly at noon amidst slogan shouting by the Opposition NDA.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunshi's assurance of a discussion on the Volcker Committee report, in which the Congress and Singh are enlisted among "non-contractual" beneficiaries of the pay-offs, went unheeded as an agitated Opposition said the Lok Sabha could function only if both of them resigned.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Upper House as BJP member Rudra Narayan Pani spearheaded the attack, shouting "We want Natwar Singh to go."