New Delhi/ Hyderabad: The BJP-led central government wanted the Congress to make its stand clear on the controversial comment made by its party leader Gulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of demonetization of big currency notes which has put the common man to numerous hardships in the country.
The opposition members in the upper house of parliament wanted the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate on the demonetisation crisis on Thursday and created pandemonium in the House. Amidst the ruckus, Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad lashed out that the death toll due to demonetisation was more than those who had died in Pakistan firing in Uri. This remark by Azad triggered off loud protests from the BJP and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu insisted the Deputy Chairman, who was presiding, to expunge the comment besides wanting an apology from the Congress party for “insulting the sentiments of the Uri martyrs”.
Though the remarks by Azad were expunged from records later, it had not cooled down the tempers of the BJP members, who utilized it to launch a counter attack on the Congress which was leading the logjam of the proceedings in both the Houses of parliament.
Even as the opposition members led by the Congress leaders once again stormed into the well of the Rajya Sabha and stalled the proceedings demanding the presence of the PM in the House to reply to their debate, the BJP members too including some ministers stood up and demanded an apology from the Congress fir Azad’s remarks. Thus the protests by the opposition and counter protests by the ruling BJP ultimately led to the House being repeatedly adjourned.
Speaking to the media later Venkaiah Naidu termed the remarks of Azad as “anti national” and wanted whether the Congress, which had ruled the country for over sis decades, should make it’s stand clear as to whether it endorsed its members remark or stood by the country and apologize for its members brash behaviour. He asserted that the Congress member had not only hurt the sentiments of those families which had sacrificed the lives of their kin for the nation but also insulted the entire country.
Venkaiah Naidu further said that the Congress seemed to be more not interested in weeding out black money and fake currency and hence was creating hurdles for the smooth functioning of parliament. The Government was prepared to answer to all the queries of the opposition members and the Prime Minister would also reply at an appropriate time. (NSS)