NEW DELHI: With the complete washout of the monsoon session staring the government in its face, it appealed to the Congress to help run the house for the remaining four days.
While, the government may try to bring the reform legislations – GST and the Land Bill – before the session gets over on August 13, in a last bid to salvage the session, the Congress may be in no mood to allow that opportunity to the government. As the suspension of Congress MPs has got over, they are likely to return to the protests in Lok Sabha on Monday.
As external affairs minister Sushma Parliamentary presented her side in the Lalit Modi controversy Affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu asked Congress to return to house to further discuss the issue. “I sincerely appeal to the Congress to return to the House and place their view on the record. I would expect Sonia Gandhi to seriously ponder over the issue after the clarification of Sushma Swaraj and enable proper functioning of the Parliament for at least the remaining four sittings,” Naidu said.
He said order was restored in the Rajya sabha for just for five minutes to take up issue of cross border terrorism. “It would have been in the fitness of things if that was stretched longer for a proper discussion in the House, the House could have collectively addressed the issue of cross border terrorism. But unfortunately, it was not to be. “
But with the appeal also came the attack on the Congress. “The kind of twisted tactics being adopted by the Congress kill democracy. What was the justification for enforcing such a stalemate in Parliament?. A Minister was denied an opportunity to present her view on the baseless, absurd allegations made against her. All this due to juvenile politics.”
In a rather strong statement, Naidu added.
“A placard waving Congress, bent on disrupting proceedings deserved suspension from the House.”
“Parliament is the highest forum for exercise of freedom of speech. Whatever is said on the floor cannot even be questioned in any court of law. But why the Congress running away from debate and creating a logjam? Who benefits from the politics of obstructionism? “
Naidu said Congress only wanted to hurt the Modi Government.
Referring to the issue of suspension of Congress MPs, Naidu said, “the Government was keen about suspended Congress MPs returning to the House and was willing to persuade the Speaker. But the broad question is whether the Congress Party is willing to return to the House and willing to be persuaded to allow the house to function?.”
Congress does not seem to be willing.