Remove Sushma, Chouhan, Raje to run House, says Congress

Bracing for the opposition onslaught in Parliament, government and the ruling BJP decided to aggressively counter the attack on its leaders and rake up controversies that involved Congress leaders.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Union Minister of Communications & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad leaves after meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President, Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday, July 19, 2015. (PTI Photo)

Two days before the Monsoon Session of Parliament gets underway, the main opposition Congress on Sunday put the removal of BJP ministers and chief ministers facing allegations in the Lalit Modi affair and Vyapam scandal as a condition to let the House function.

Stating that the Narendra Modi-led government was the “most thick-skinned” one since Independence, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he hoped the Prime Minister would announce resignations of “those facing charges” in the controversies relating to Lalit Modi and Vyapam on the opening day itself.

Besides MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Azad referred to Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde, ministers in Maharashtra’s BJP-led government.

“We hope the Prime Minister would announce the resignations of those involved in the Lalit Modi controversy and that of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister under whose leadership dozens of witnesses in the Vyapam scam have been murdered…Then it would be easier to run Parliament and easier to pass Bills,” he said.

Azad said the BJP leadership is learnt to have summoned both Chouhan and Raje. “We hope they will be asked to step down,” he said.

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Stating that the smooth functioning of Parliament was “100 per cent” in the hands of the goverment, he said, “It is not in the hands of the Opposition…the government has to take the initiative to run Parliament.”

He said the UPA government took action against ministers and CMs even when “minor charges” were levelled against them. Attacking Modi, Azad said he has never seen a PM who has not acted against ministers facing “such serious charges”.

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“This is such a thick skinned government. Perhaps the most thick skinned since Independence…Even Atalji felt there should be some action after the 2002 Gujarat riots…This government has no respect for the sentiments of the people,” he said.

Asked about the pending GST bill, Azad said that Congress has not given any dissent note. It was Congress’s bill and it is not against it, he added. “But a bill is sent to the joint standing or a select committee so that all parties get an opportunity to build consensus. Our party has also given amendments. Just because Congress has given amendments, to think that accepting it will diminish their (BJP’s) power, domination, pride… that is undemocratic and dictatorial,” he said.

“We will give amendments through which states will be benefited, people will not be burdened and the friction between Centre and states will go down…whatever suggestion we will give will not be partisan,” he said.