Vindictiveness and dialogue cannot coexist: Congress

In the midst of an ongoing dialogue on the pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, the Congress today shot back at the government saying vindictiveness and constructive cooperationcannot coexist.
Stating that the choice to take the dialogue forward now rests with the government and the Prime Minister, deputy leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said, "confrontation and vendetta cannot coexist with constructive cooperation.
"It is for the Prime Minister and the government now to make amends and also make their choice."
Sharma's statement came in the wake of ED notices to former Haryana Chief Minister BhupinderSingh Hooda and some others over allotment of land in Panchkula to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).

The Congress leader also raised objections to the blocking of a private members bill in Rajya Sabha for special package to Andhra Pradesh, saying, "On Friday, government engaged in a self-defeating exercise by disrupting Parliament to prevent the consideration and passage of a private member's bill for a special package for Andhra Pradesh.
"That is the major issue. Then there is also continuous misuse of power, abuse of power and authority and misuse of institutions for targeted political vendetta."

Sharma said while the Government has been engaging with the principal opposition partyfor a serious dialogue to reach a consensus on the GST bill, the Prime Minister's statement of seeking cooperation fromthe opposition and consensus on major national issues rings hollow, given the confrontationist mindset.

"We as opposition shall defend our rights and do what an opposition in a Parliamentary democracy is expected to do.
"Let there be no mistake that the Indian National Congress has the capability and the determination for a political fightback to defeat this vindictive agenda," he said on the AJL issue, at a time when a second structured dialogue on GST Bill is on the cards between the Government and the opposition.