Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu insisted that the washout for the second consecutive week of the monsoon session was not due to government's fault and that it was unwilling to concede to Congress's demand that Union minister Sushma Swaraj and two BJP chief ministers resign over their alleged role in scams.
He claimed that in the 14 months of the BJP government, there has been no scam, scandal or political vendetta.
Rejecting the opposition's charge the government had not reached out to them, Naidu said he had called a meeting of various parties today morning as well but Congress backed out at the last moment and added that he was looking to call a meeting on Monday.
Congress has already asserted that it would not attend such a meeting until the government comes with a tangible proposal.
Taking a dig at the Opposition, Naidu said Congress may claim "victory" over the washout and feel "happy, very very happy" about it but it had to consider if it was not "harming" the country's development.
"Congress party can claim victory over the washout. Nation has lost out badly. It should introspect if it wants to participate in the nation's development... Congress is ending up hurting itself politically and hurting the country's development," he said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
