PM Modi answerable to India, not Queen of Britain: Congress

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress Party on Thursday said that the former is answerable to the people of India on issues of intolerance, inflation and GST, and not to the Queen of Britain.

"The Winter Session is beginning from today and the government has to answer in the Parliament. It should discuss issues and take steps," Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told ANI.

"It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that the Parliament works. If any issue comes up here, the Prime Minister does not reply but speaks in London and Britain. There is crisis in the nation but the Prime Minister goes to foreign countries and says there is no issue of intolerance here. He is not liable to answer the queen of Britain, but to the people of this nation," he added.

Tiwari further said that issues like the GST Bill, intolerance and inflation are important and should be raised and discussed in the House.

"We are ready for debate and discussion. From the opposition side, the session will go in a peaceful manner," he added.

The Congress Party had earlier asserted that the Winter Session of Parliament cannot be restricted to a bill of the government, but certain issues like debate over rising intolerance in the country, farmers' suicide will be top agenda for the Opposition.

Meanwhile, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu stressed that ease of doing business and academic reforms are the government's top agenda in the session.