Congress wants to stall House to avoid debate: Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi: Union information and broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday that Congress and its allies did not want Parliament to function, and were shying away from a debate on demonetisation as the poor look at Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “messiah” following the decision.

The senior minister said Congress was “rattled” by the smooth functioning of the Rajya Sabha earlier as it was not interested in a fruitful discussion.

Calling the demonetisation measure a “national project” and massive social mobilisation, he said people’s lives will be impacted for a “better tomorrow”. The government is concerned about the hardhip being faced by the masses and is taking measures based to ease it.

“Modi ji is very popular in the country, and after this step he has become further popular. The poor of the country are looking at Modi as their messiah. We cannot understand why the Congress and its friends are raising a ruckus (in Parliament),” he said. “Congress is now saying that the PM should come only then the debate will go on, demanding JPC probe. There is an attempt to divert from the issue. It does not have facts and public opinion is turning against it,” he added.

They do not want Parliament to function and seem to be moving in that direction,” he told reporters. He accused the opposition party of taking a U-turn after initially agreeing to a debate.

On the demand by some opposition leaders that the PM speak on the issue, the Minister pointed out that Modi has intervened during various debates in Parliament earlier. But it cannot be a practice as the precedence is of ministers concerned replying on the behalf of government, he added.

Congress leaders are discussing the issue outside Parliament just for the sake of it and are not willing to take part in a debate and give meaningful feedback to the government to resolve issues, he said.

Reacting to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s remarks yesterday in Rajya Sabha, Naidu asked Congress to clarify if it was his personal remark or the party’s official line. Naidu claimed while appealing Opposition parties to resume the debate in Parliament.

The minister said that people want Parliament to debate demonetisation but the opposition has disappointed them as well as the government by disrupting it.

“Are you against cleaning up of the economy? Are you against black money, hoarders. Or you are against the problems faced by the people,” he asked, urging the rival parties to start a discussion and offer their suggestions to the government.