PM Modi should clarify his remark against former diplomat: Congress

Ahead of parliament winter session on Friday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify his remark against former diplomats of conspiring with Pakistan for the Gujarat Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, Azad said, "The entire Opposition has given a notice that for the first time a Prime Minister has accused former prime minister, former vice president and diplomats of conspiring with Pakistan for the Gujarat Assembly elections. I believe this is a very serious allegation and Prime Minister Narendra Modi must clarify this in Parliament. If the Prime Minister is using such allegations just to win the elections then it is a worrisome issue."

He added that if that allegation is true then they should be punished but if the remark is baseless then the one who has alleged should be called upon.

"We always cooperate in Parliament sessions but the Centre never does so. The world media has not taken up this issue otherwise this is an international issue," the senior Congress leader asserted.

During campaigning in Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi had alleged that Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former vice president Hamid Ansari met with Pakistan's High Commissioner and Foreign Minister ahead of the Gujarat elections.

The winter session of Parliament will begin today.

The session, which is set to commence more than a month after its schedule, will end on January 5, 2018 and this session of the Parliament will have 14 sittings.

Issues like the Muslim Womens Rights on Marriage Bill related to triple talaq and legislation on granting Constitutional status to the Backward Class Commission are among the important bills, which will be tabled for discussion and passage.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the Supplementary Demand for Grants and three ordinances including GST compensation to states will also be a prominent issue of discussion.

On the first day, the Lok Sabha will be adjourned for the day after paying tribute to its sitting and former members who passed away after the Monsoon Session.

The Parliament Winter Session is also expected to witness heavy fireworks as the Congress Party will try to corner the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government over a range of issues.

The Centre was recently targetted by the Opposition for delaying the winter session allegedly in the wake of Gujarat Assembly elections.

Congress outgoing president Sonia Gandhi slammed the Centre, saying it was sabotaging the Winter Session of Parliament on flimsy grounds.