PM Modi was in the Lok Sabha today but Opposition parties staged a walkout after demanding a discussion on the terror attack on an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Nagrota on Tuesday, in which two officers and five jawans were killed.
The government, which said it was ready for a discussion once combing operations had ended in Nagrota, has accused the opposition of looking for excuses to avoid debating demonetisation in the face of people's support for the government's move, which is aimed at combating black or undeclared money.
"Why are they running away from the debate?" said Mr Prasad to NDTV, adding in a swipe at the Congress Vice-President, "Why does Rahul Gandhi not speak in the House? Is he more comfortable reading from a paper? We are willing to listen."
The opposition says PM Modi must explain the cash crunch that has followed the notes ban, which, it alleges, is punishing not the rich, but the poor, especially in rural India, which is excluded from banking and digital transactions.
The government has said PM Modi will participate in the discussions in parliament on the notes ban if the opposition allows the houses to function. Ravi Shankar Prasad said the evidence of people's support for the currency ban, despite the hardships they have endured, lies in recent by-election and civic poll results.
"They have lost Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, what more do they want?" Mr Prasad asked, referring to big wins by the BJP in these states after the currency ban was announced. In municipal elections in Maharashtra and Gujarat this week, the BJP has won seats in rural areas that were considered a stronghold of the Congress for years.
No comments:
Post a Comment