Congress doing destructive politics: Javadekar

Accusing the Congress of engaging in "destructive" politics, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said it was trying to stall development by blocking legislations in the Rajya Sabha even as bill after bill had been passed by Lok Sabha where representatives are directly chosen by the people.
The Environment and Forest Minister also took a jibe at the Congress, saying that the party had celebrated by beating drums when its leaders got bail in the National Herald case, "which even criminals get".
"The Congress has decided that the country will not be allowed to progress which is why they have hijacked Rajya Sabha and are blocking work. In Lok Sabha, which people elected, bill after bill has been passed," he said.

"The Lok Sabha, which people elected is working but the Congressmen in Rajya Sabha, by creating ruckus, are not letting it funtion. This is real anti-progress face of the Congress," Javadekar said.
Addressing a rally here, the minister said that people should be told about the "sins" of the Congress as the party thinks it can block the progress of the nation by virtue of its numbers in Rajya Sabha. He said questions should be asked of the Congress about its "anti-progress" stance.
This "bullying" by the Congress, he said, will not last long as in the coming years BJP will win more seats in the Upper House.

He said proposed legislations like the Sugar Cess Bill, which would benefit farmers, could not sail through because of Congress's attitude.

Referring to the GST Bill, he said it could add another two per cent to the country's growth figures. The Whistleblower's Bill, a key anti-corruption measure, is also stuck because of Congress's stance, he said.
"Now, you say who is anti-poor?" he asked the gathering.
Attacking the Congress further, the Minister alleged the party is "anti-democratic and scared".
Javadekar said the party celebrated by beating drums when its leaders got bail, which even criminals get. "It is not as if they have won some award," he added.

He said the Congress at one time had 400 MPs in Lok Sabha, a number which shrunk to 44 in the sixteenth Lok Sabha. Referring Lok Sabha results in Madhya Pradesh, Javadekar said that barring two seats, all the constituencies were won by the BJP.
The Minister said he had told his party "I will go to Chhindwara and snatch it (from Congress)."
The Chhindwara seat is considered a bastion of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, who has won from there nine times, including in 2014.
Javadekar also listed over 200 developmental works carried out in Chhindwara from his MPLAD fund and told the gathering that he would continue to visit the area regularly to listen to their problems.

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Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress latched on to the faux pas to attack Javadekar for his "lack of knowledge of history" which, it said, emanates from his party BJP not participating in the freedom struggle.
"It is not Javadekar's fault. Since they and their leaders have not taken part in the freedom movement, they are going to talk like this. It (the remark) shows the level of his knowledge of history," state Congress President Arun Yadav said.