Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, during a debate on black money
Speaking first in a debate on untaxed or black money, the main opposition Congress today accused the ruling BJP of using the issue as a political tool "to acquire power" and reneging on its election promise of bringing back crores stashed away by Indians parked in accounts abroad.
Here are the latest developments:
In the Rajya Sabha, former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said, "The country has been misled... a promise was made to bring back black money within 100 days."
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said in that house, "The Government said there were 50 names, didn't reveal them. The NDA questions our integrity, what about theirs?"
He also said, "They made a mountain of a molehill. The government must stop big talk."
The speakers have asked the BJP to "apologise for lying to the country."
Faced with a united Opposition, the government had last evening agreed to discussions, but without a vote at the end of it.
A united Opposition stalled Parliament for some time on Tuesday, the first working day of the Winter session. "100 days are over, where is the black money?" chanted members of the Trinamool Congress, Congress, RJD, Samajwadi Party and AAP, trooping into the well of the Lok Sabha over the issue.
This morning, they again demanded that the black money debate be taken up before any other business in the House.
"We had promised to take concrete steps to bring back black money. We have taken steps. That everyone knows. What did the Congress do to bring back black money," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu outside Parliament on Tuesday.
In the Winter session, Opposition parties plan to coordinate efforts to block key legislation in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, where the government is in a minority. Among major bills that the government wants to push through is its big reform, the Insurance Bill.
The Winter session will continue till December 23 and will have 22 sittings. The government has detailed 37 bills - including the Insurance Bill and the Goods and Service Tax Bill.
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