Demonetisation: Congress doesn't want to debate: Swamy

Confessing that there was lack of preparation in the implementation of demonetisation, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanium Swamy on Monday launched a stinging attack on the Congress Party, saying the grand old party does not want any debate on demonetisation with the ruling regime.

"The Congress doesn't want a debate. They tried to threaten the nation by saying that riots and chaos would broke out due to note ban, but in reality nothing like this happened," he said.

Swamy said the people of the nation believe that the BJP is a better party compared to the rest.

"Although there is some trouble, people still believe that the BJP is a better party compared to them. I agree that there was not much preparation and even the Finance Ministry lagged behind, but they still back the party," he added.

Both Houses of Parliament saw repeated disruptions on Monday as opposition members raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move.

While discussions took place in the Lok Sabha amid sloganeering by the opposition parties, no debate was possible in the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has admitted a motion for a debate, but it does not entail voting.

The discussion, if it goes through, could break the logjam in Parliament, which first met on November 16 for the winter session, but have seen little business owing to the stand-off between the government and the opposition over demonetisation and its fallout.

With the exception of passing the bill to amend the Income Tax Act, which was done despite opposition protests, the Lower House has seen a virtual washout.