Cong issues whip to members to be present in RS next week

Congress today issued a three-line whip asking its members to be present in Rajya Sabha till conclusion of the Budget session next week amid signals that it will be aggressive on its demand for resignation of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the wake of a CAG report.
"Please be present positively in Rajya Sabha from 11.00 AM onwards on Monday 11th, Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th May without fail as some important business will be taken up in the House.
"Three Line Whip in this regard has already been issued," said a communication from Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad to members of the Upper House.

Azad's action is significant in view of the fact that the AICC has signalled that it would dig its heels in Parliament next week on the demand for resignation of Gadkari in the wake of a CAG report that alleged irregularities involving loan extended to his family-linked Purti group.
Congress leaders have warned that the government was "playing with fire" by ignoring the opposition demand for the resignation of Gadkari.
The Upper House had failed to transact any business as Opposition Congress created ruckus to press the demand.

As Azad had put it in the House:"This is a CAG report against a company Gadkari was heading. Having been indicted he cannot continue as a minister."

Congress leaders have been recalling how the BJP, while in opposition, had not allowed Parliament to function for several days in 2012 over a leaked report of the CAG to press for the resignation of the then Telecom Minister A Raja when the 2G spectrum controversy had broken.
The refrain in the Congress circles is that "It is Gadkari or bills". Important bills like GST and Land Acquisition bills are yet to be taken up in the Upper House and the Congress is pitching for sending the GST bill to Standing Committee, a stand being opposed by the government.
Reports had it that Gadkari, who has just returned from Iran after concluding the Chabahar port agreement, may have to respond to the issue in Parliament when it reconvenes on Monday as the Congress appears to be in no mood to relent on the matter.