New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present in Parliament for the remaining three days of the winter session and accused the Opposition of “changing goalpost” to disrupt functioning of both the Houses.
The Prime Minister, except when he was out, is in Parliament every day. He is the first man to come to the Parliament and the last man to go. He is sitting in his room and watching all that is happening. As and when there is a request, he comes to the House,” Naidu said.
When asked specifically if the Prime Minister will be present in Parliament for the next three days, he said,” He will be.”
Naidu’s remarks come in the background of Opposition’s demand for Modi’s presence in the House during the debate on demonetizationand discussion under a rule which entails voting.
The winter session of the Parliament has witnessed almost complete washout since it began on November 16. It will resume tomorrow and conclude on December 16.
Stressing that the government wants to have a debate on the demonetizationissue, Naidu accused the Opposition of “changing goalpost”, saying the Speaker had allowed the discussion under rule 193 and now it is being disrupted by the Congress-led Opposition.
After the discussion started, the Opposition realised that they “don’t have anything to say” and suddenly started demanding that Prime Minister be present in the House.
“You want Prime Minister to come to House and listen to all the abuses. Who are they (Opposition) to decide and dictate. There is rule 193 and the speaker has already accepted (a debate under it),” he said.
Naidu assails Manmohan, Chidambaram for criticising note ban
Hitting out at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram for criticising the government’s demonetizationdecision, Senior Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today accused them of not having done anything to curb the menace of black money and instead allowed “loot and plunder” through various scams.
Asserting that Modi has shown “political courage” by taking demonetizationdecision, the minister said there may by temporary pain but it was for long term gain. It is a “strong pill for a long time ill caused by Manmohan Singh, Chidambaram and his party,” he added.
Referring to Singh’s allegations that demonetizationis a “monumental management failure” and case of “organised loot and legalised plunder”, Naidu alleged, “Manmohanji loot and plunder happened in your regime. You presided over the loot and plunder of 2G, 3G and CWG…Congress has no moral right to criticise the Prime Minister.”
Accusing Singh of not having done anything to stop “parallel economy”, Naidu said,”I challenge Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh to come out with one single instance where they have shown the intention of fighting (the menance) of black money.”
He said Modi government had to take the gigantic step of demonetizationas chemotherapy to fight the “cancer of corruption”. “And like there are side effects of chemo, this also has temporary effects,” he added.
He also said that the government was advocating “less cash or minimum cash economy and not advocating cashless economy”.