The Opposition Congress continued to disrupt the proceedings of Parliament over the National Herald Case. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Thursday that a number of pro-poor legislations are held up in Parliament due to disruptions, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said: “Let him say what he wants.”
Other parties too criticised the Prime Minister’s statement. ‘Which ‘pro-poor’ legislation is he talking about? A glance at the legislative business listed by the Government before both the Houses of Parliament so far in the ongoing Winter Session makes it clear that the government. Bills are totally unconnected with addressing the real issues facing common people. Majority of the Bills mentioned in the long list supplied by the government. before commencement of the Session are what it has inherited from previous UPA regime. The BJP led government has hardly put in any fresh effort on legislation, leave alone ‘pro-poor’ legislation per-se,” said CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
The Congress also asked the government to table the steps it has taken on the complaints of corruption against Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers. “The last session was washed out due to issues relating to chief ministers of Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Madhra Pradesh. We wanted action. But action was not taken,” asked Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. “We wanted some action to be taken against the concerned person. No notice, no action has been taken. You take action against parties like Trinamool Congress and NCP,” he said.
Azad added thqat the government is trying to create a perception that the Opposition is blocking development over the National Herald case. “Neither print media nor TV took note of this. Stalling of Parliament is not related to the National Herald case in court. This is the impression created. I have clarified earlier,” he said. He said the proceedings of the House were stalled for three days over the remarks made by Minister VK Singh against Dalit children killed in Faridabad.
Deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma told Business Line that the Congress’s stand is that Bills like the Goods and Services Tax Bill should not be passed in a hurry. “There are no substantial suggestions from the government’s side on the concerns raised by us. We have been maintaining that such important legislations should not be passed in a hurry. Let the government make its stand clear on the issues raised by us,” Sharma said.