Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today claimed that he has information about PM Modis personal involvement in corruption. He said that this was the reason that PM was running away from the oppostion and the parliament. Rahul said that he was ready for discussion in the parliament at any point of time and that the Government was not allowing him.
On theother hand the stand-off between the government and opposition over how to debate the notes ban continues. The opposition wants a vote at the end, the government says no. An offer from the Congress to discuss demonetisation under “no rule” was not received well by the ruling BJP last week.
The opposition has demanded that PM Modi must be present through the debate and then explain the notes ban, accusing him of speaking only outside parliament. The BJP says the PM is ready to speak but the opposition has not allowed him to by disrupting parliament.
If there is a debate, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will speak first and the BJP fears that the opposition may, after that speech, disrupt proceedings and not allow PM Modi to speak. Both the BJP and the Congress have issued whips or orders that all lawmakers be present in parliament for the rest of the session.
At a meeting this morning, the opposition decided it will demand in parliament the resignation of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who it has accused of facilitating a 450-crore scam in a big hydro-electric project in his home state Arunachal Pradesh. Mr Rijiju has denied the charges.
The Congress expects a counter-attack from the BJP over the AgustaWestland helicopter deal after former Air Chief SP Tyagi, arrested on Friday, alleged that the then Prime Minister’s office of the Congress government had tweaked the deal in favour of the UK-based helicopter maker.
Congress sources said they expect the BJP to bring up the AgustaWestland issue to “divert attention from hardships facing people due to demonetisation,” amid a massive cash crunch that continues.
The Winter Session, which began on November 16, will conclude on Friday, and has so far been washed out by continuous disruption by the opposition over PM Modi’s ban on 500 and 1000 rupee notes aimed at bringing back black or unaccounted money into the system, curb fake currency circulation and deter terror financing.
“The Prime Minister has brought honest people on the streets while the rich and the corrupt are taking money through the backdoor of banks,” alleged Rahul Gandhi at a wholesale market yesterday, signalling a fierce attack in parliament if there is debate.
The government has said it has the firm support of people in its battle against corruption. PM Modi has assured citizens that the massive cash crunch caused by the notes ban will ease within 50 days of his sudden announcement of November 8.
