New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today hinted that the BJP is virtually blackmailing the government over issues like the crucial goods and services tax, to get it to go soft on Amit Shah, the accused minister in Gujarat riots case.
"The Opposition parties, particularly the BJP party, has taken a very hostile attitude and the reason that has been given quite frankly, I cannot I think can mention in public. They say because you have taken some decision against a particular person, who was a minister in Gujarat, you must reverse it or you... I don't want to add further," said Dr Singh.
The Prime Minister stopped short of naming the minister but he appeared to be alluding to Amit Shah, who was arrested last July by the CBI in connection with fake encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. The BJP flatly denied the allegation saying their opposition to GST had started much before Shah's arrest.
"Mr Amit Shah has been wrongly and falsely implicated...As far as the environment of the cooperation between the Opposition and the government is concerned, if you continue to misuse the CBI, if you continue to take action against Opposition governments...why Amit Shah?" questioned Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
With the BJP not giving up on its strategy of targeting the Prime Minister, the war of words is likely to intensify, as the budget session draws closer.