NEW DELHI -- With two days left for the Monsoon Session to conclude, the Congress Party today frustrated the Modi government's last ditch efforts to allow a discussion of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, and persisted with its demands for the resignations of three senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
While slamming the Congress Party for harming the economy, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley attacked Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for pursuing a policy of disruption, which, he said, had isolated them within the Opposition.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jaitley told the media that the Gandhi family had taken their defeat in the 2014 national elections very badly, and they could not bear anyone else running the country. "This kind of disruptionist politics is harmful for the Congress Party and the nation," he said.
So far, the Congress Party has not allowed any work to be conducted in parliament since the Monsoon Session kicked off on June 21. The Modi government has just two days left to discuss critical bills, especially the GST Bill , which will bring about the biggest indirect tax reform since 1947.
While crores in taxpayers money has been wasted over the three-week logjam in parliament, a resolution at this late stage seems unlikely as the Congress Party remains unflinching in demanding the resignations of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Swaraj and Raje stand accused of helping cricket magnate Lalit Modi, a fugitive from Indian law, who is being investigated for money laundering in connection with the Indian Premier League tournament. Last week, the Mumbai High Court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
Chouhan is being asked to step down over the Vyapam Scam, a massive recruitment racket involving ministers and governments officials in the state, which has become notorious for a series of unexplained deaths since 2010.
The BJP has ruled resignations of its senior leaders, but offered to debate these recent controversies in parliament. The Opposition has attacked Prime Minister Narendra for his stony silence over the past two months. Congress Party leader Anand Sharma today said that Modi "is neither sincere nor serious" on breaking the logjam.
Meanwhile, the support which the Congress Party had within the Opposition has slowly withered away. This week, the Aam Aadmi Party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the Samajvadi Party said that they would no longer support blocking parliament.
Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday, Modi praised Samajvadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for breaking with the Congress Party over its policy to block the parliament.
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While slamming the Congress Party for harming the economy, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley attacked Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for pursuing a policy of disruption, which, he said, had isolated them within the Opposition.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jaitley told the media that the Gandhi family had taken their defeat in the 2014 national elections very badly, and they could not bear anyone else running the country. "This kind of disruptionist politics is harmful for the Congress Party and the nation," he said.
So far, the Congress Party has not allowed any work to be conducted in parliament since the Monsoon Session kicked off on June 21. The Modi government has just two days left to discuss critical bills, especially the GST Bill , which will bring about the biggest indirect tax reform since 1947.
While crores in taxpayers money has been wasted over the three-week logjam in parliament, a resolution at this late stage seems unlikely as the Congress Party remains unflinching in demanding the resignations of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Swaraj and Raje stand accused of helping cricket magnate Lalit Modi, a fugitive from Indian law, who is being investigated for money laundering in connection with the Indian Premier League tournament. Last week, the Mumbai High Court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
Chouhan is being asked to step down over the Vyapam Scam, a massive recruitment racket involving ministers and governments officials in the state, which has become notorious for a series of unexplained deaths since 2010.
The BJP has ruled resignations of its senior leaders, but offered to debate these recent controversies in parliament. The Opposition has attacked Prime Minister Narendra for his stony silence over the past two months. Congress Party leader Anand Sharma today said that Modi "is neither sincere nor serious" on breaking the logjam.
Meanwhile, the support which the Congress Party had within the Opposition has slowly withered away. This week, the Aam Aadmi Party, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), and the Samajvadi Party said that they would no longer support blocking parliament.
Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday, Modi praised Samajvadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for breaking with the Congress Party over its policy to block the parliament.
PM ne Mulayam Singh Yadav ka aabhaar prakat kiya hai: RP Rudy, BJP after BJP Parliamentary Party meeting
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