Government indulging only in gimmicks: Congress

The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of indulging in "gimmicks" by announcing the NDA MPs will not take salaries for 23 days the Parliament post-break Budget session was washed out.

The opposition party also claimed that the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill that the government wanted to bring in Parliament for approval was also a "gimmick".

Congress spokesperson Raj Babbar said: "The government is misleading the country that the opposition did not let Parliament function for 23 days. They are indulging in gimmick after gimmick. They are now saying they will not draw salaries for 23 days."

He alleged that it was a ploy to divert public attention.

The Congress leader said the opposition wanted Parliament to function normally to raise issues of public interst but the government had no such intentions.

Babbbar said: "They are blaming the opposition for not helping in bringing the anti-graft law and not letting the house function. The law is just a gimmick."

He said his party had given notice in the beginning of the session to discuss issues pertaining to the country.

"The first issue is bank frauds involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Modi had promised to bring back black money from abroad. The opposition wanted a discussion on this.

"The second issue is special status for Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister (Chandrababu Naidu) is in Delhi. Modi has cheated them politically," Babbar said.

"There is a riot-like situation in the country on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The government wants to weaken the law as they have given a statement in the court. As responsible opposition, we wanted a discusssion on these issues."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Thursday held the Congress as the "main culprit" for the washout of the second half of the Budget session and said it will hurt the opposition party badly in the Karnataka Assembly polls.

--IANS

sid/tsb