Modi had recently said that, ‘We had heard of income, sales and excise taxes but for the first time, we heard about a Jayanti tax in Delhi without which nothing was moving. There was a storm over the environment ministry and all files were blocked.’
Then Natarajan countering Modi’s remark denied allegations against her and claimed that she has been targeted as she was very vocal against him in the past and had blocked two of his projects.
Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman asked why Congress showed no ‘rage’ when the Natarajan stalled several crucial projects which has hampered country’s growth.
‘Our party has every reason to raise this issue. Modi’s ‘Jayanthi tax’ remarks were not made off the cuff or on the sly. The environment and forests ministry under Natarajan has failed strike a balance between protecting the environment and not hampering the growth. The ministry was functioning for some collateral interests, which brought down the growth rate,’ she said.
She said that as per media reports nearly 350 files were pending during Natarajan’s tenure. ‘Why were so many files and decisions pending? Why did the Prime Minister’s Office didn’t intervene when the projects were not been cleared? The ministry functioned as a red ministry as it did not clear files and red flagged them. The ministry was cherry picking projects,’ Sitharaman said.
‘There is so much outrage in Congress over Modi’s remarks on ‘Jayanthi tax’. This outrage should have been there when files were not being cleared and the minister was holding back projects. The Congress party praises themselves with Bharat Nirman, but what about Natarajan’s sitting over the files and taking the country back to the licence-quota raj (era),’ the BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, Congress termed Narendra Modi’s ‘Jayanthi tax’ barb Natarajan as ‘in very bad taste’, saying BJP’s prime ministerial candidate ‘only knows to abuse’.
‘Modi’s comment on Jayanthi Natarajan is in a very bad taste. (It) should be condemned. He only knows to abuse but doesn’t give his vision,’ party general secretary Digvijaya Singh said on Twitter.
Modi had on Sunday made a reference to the removal of Natarajan from the environment ministry, saying for the first time he had heard of ‘Jayanthi tax’, apparently referring to swirling allegations during her tenure.
Then Natarajan countering Modi’s remark denied allegations against her and claimed that she has been targeted as she was very vocal against him in the past and had blocked two of his projects.
Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman asked why Congress showed no ‘rage’ when the Natarajan stalled several crucial projects which has hampered country’s growth.
‘Our party has every reason to raise this issue. Modi’s ‘Jayanthi tax’ remarks were not made off the cuff or on the sly. The environment and forests ministry under Natarajan has failed strike a balance between protecting the environment and not hampering the growth. The ministry was functioning for some collateral interests, which brought down the growth rate,’ she said.
She said that as per media reports nearly 350 files were pending during Natarajan’s tenure. ‘Why were so many files and decisions pending? Why did the Prime Minister’s Office didn’t intervene when the projects were not been cleared? The ministry functioned as a red ministry as it did not clear files and red flagged them. The ministry was cherry picking projects,’ Sitharaman said.
‘There is so much outrage in Congress over Modi’s remarks on ‘Jayanthi tax’. This outrage should have been there when files were not being cleared and the minister was holding back projects. The Congress party praises themselves with Bharat Nirman, but what about Natarajan’s sitting over the files and taking the country back to the licence-quota raj (era),’ the BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, Congress termed Narendra Modi’s ‘Jayanthi tax’ barb Natarajan as ‘in very bad taste’, saying BJP’s prime ministerial candidate ‘only knows to abuse’.
‘Modi’s comment on Jayanthi Natarajan is in a very bad taste. (It) should be condemned. He only knows to abuse but doesn’t give his vision,’ party general secretary Digvijaya Singh said on Twitter.
Modi had on Sunday made a reference to the removal of Natarajan from the environment ministry, saying for the first time he had heard of ‘Jayanthi tax’, apparently referring to swirling allegations during her tenure.