NEW DELHI: Not much legislative business could be transacted in both the houses of the parliament as the Congress persisted with disruptions in both the houses of the Parliament thus signalling it could also be a washout like the monsoon session.
A day after Congress vice present Rahul Gandhi accused the PMO to behind the court case against him and his mother Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a scathing attack on Gandhis saying the leaders of the Congress Party created ‘Chakravyuh’ for themselves through series of financial transactions.
Jaitley while distanced the government of any action against the Congress leaders in National Heralds case added, “The Government has passed no order in relation to the disputed transactions. There is equality before the law. No one is above the law. India has never accepted the dictat that the queen is not answerable to the law.”
The veiled reference to ‘Queen’ was hard to miss in the BJP leader’s comment. He termed Congress allegations of political vendetta as “Goebbelsian propaganda”.
“Why should the Congress Party and its leaders not contest the notice before the Court? The Government cannot help them in the matter, nor can the Parliament. Why then disturb the Parliament and prevent the legislative activity from continuing?” Jaitley said in a blog, where he gave detailed analysis of the financial impropriety in the National Heralds case. He said none of the government agency had proceeded against Gandhis, and it was Subramanian Swamy as a private citizen had pursued the case in court.
Jaitley argued that a political party collect funds for its political activities gets an Income Tax exemption. But Congress gave loan of Rs 90 crore to a newspaper company. “Prima facie, it can be said that there a breach of the provisions of the Income Tax Act in as much as an exempted income is used for a non-exempt purpose,” he added.
As bitter acrimony has replaced the initial thaw between the Congress and the Government, sources said there was little hope for the session, including the much awaited GST.
IN Lok Sabha, the Congress refused to participate in the legislative business for the second consecutive day. This time he also raised a different issue demanding apology from BJP MP Veerendra Singh who had made “offensive” certain remarks against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and senior leader Jyotiradiya Scindia.
Both Congress and Trinamool Congress walked out of the house in protest as the BJP MP was not apologising.
IN the Rajya Sabha, relentless protest by Congress members over its "vendetta politics" charge against the government in the 'National Herald' case virtually stalled Rajya Sabha proceedings.
The House was adjourned five times - twice each during Zero Hour and the Question Hour and once after it reassembled at 2 PM, as the government charged the main opposition party with making the House a 'hostage'.
As Congress members stormed the Well raising slogans, BJP members were also on their feet, as Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterated that the government was ready for discussion on "all issues"."We are ready for a debate on all the issues, including the National Herald case and Himachal Pradesh chief minister's issue. We are ready for a debate right away. Why is Parliament not allowed to function...They are running away from debate. Start discussion on...on all issues," he said amid din.
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While Congress members continued to raise anti-government slogans from the Well, AIADMK members also moved into the aisles in the morning demanding that the devastation caused by the Chennai floods be declared a national calamity.
A BJD member Anubhav Mohanty raised the issue of Polvaram alleging that the government has become "a party to it instead of playing the role of an arbitrator". "My state of Odisha is agitated. This is a social issue not a political issue," he said, demanding that there should be "no Polavaram before the Supreme Court decision" and asked the government to "withdraw" its decision on it. He also soought an "immediate assurance" from the Centre that there
will no Polavaram till the Supreme Court decided on the issue.