Joshis remarks create flutter

This was strongly contested by JDU leaders Mangani Lal Mandal and Captain Jainarain Nishad along with the BJPs Shahnawaz Hussain and Udai Singh. First,they Centre do not make funds available and then they give false statements, they were heard saying.

An unfazed Joshi,however,read out the Bihar statistics and termed the Opposition protest a political ploy. I know from where it is coming. It is time for Assembly elections,so they BJP and JD-U are trying to blame the Government of India, he said in a clear departure from convention of ministers avoiding partisan response during the question hour.

Last year,Joshi had given a partisan answer to a question on Chhattisgarhs NREGS demand. The Chhattisgarh government does not have guts to pay Rs 75 a day under NREGA but seeks Rs 100, he said,prompting Congress president Sonia Gandhi to mutter something to Joshi,and Mukherjee to remind him of parliamentary propriety.