BJP sting puts Congress on backfoot

The BJP was in an aggressive mood after the Congress stalled proceedings in the House for the second consecutive day demanding <g data-gr-id="35">resignation</g> of Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje in Lalitgate scandal.

BJP president Amit Shah, during a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party, suggested his <g data-gr-id="30">law-makers</g> to remain aggressive in defence of the government. Sushma Swaraj, who is <g data-gr-id="31">under-fire</g>, also addressed the members and shared her side of the story.

Earlier, Swaraj had released a message on micro-blogging site twitter claiming that a Congress leader had sought diplomatic passport for a person, who was accused in the coal scam, referring to former minister of state for coal Santosh Bagrodia.

Her message had an instant effect as the Congress postponed a silent protest against the BJP government. The protest was to be led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi outside the parliament house complex. Instead, Congress leaders came to the House wearing black bands and carrying placards. 

Congress leader of the House Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Veerappa Moily also moved an adjournment motion on the Lalit Modi issue in the Lok Sabha. The Congress found itself cornered further by 3 pm in the evening when the Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Nirmala Sitharaman released a video clipping of a sting operation carried out against Harish Rawat government in Uttarakhand.

“The Uttarakhand Chief Minister and his personal secretary Mohammed Shahid were involved in a liquor scam and loot during Uttarakhand floods. We have a video proof which shows <g data-gr-id="29">involvement</g> of Uttarakhand Chief Minister and his powerful close confidante in the scam,” said Sitharaman.

Hitting back at the Congress for demanding discussion in Parliament over allegations involving Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Chief Ministers, Sitharaman said if all parties have decided to break parliamentary rules to discuss issues, then there should be a debate in Parliament on graft charges against Rawat, Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and their Assam and Kerala counterparts.

The BJP on Wednesday also seized on the conviction of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister P K <g data-gr-id="37">Thungon</g> in a graft case and sought to question Congress’ credentials to raise the issue of corruption and stall parliament. The BJP said skeletons continued to tumble out of Congress closet even now and it had no moral authority to talk of corruption and stall Parliament run on public money.