File Photo: Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia
Amid reports that the Monsoon Session could be a washout with the opposition disrupting it over controversies facing the Modi government, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia today said running Parliament was the job of the government, which was maintaing a "shocking" silence on them.
Mr Scindia, Congress' chief whip in the Lok Sabha, said the party will highlight the controversies surrounding the government, including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and seek her resignation.
"This government has to be accountable and explain itself to the people of India and also take action. Running of Parliament is the responsibility of the government and therefore if it explains its stand and takes action then I don't see why Parliament should not run. But if they don't do that then it is their responsibility," Mr Scindia told PTI.
Asked whether the Congress will seek the resignation of Swaraj, who is embroiled in a controversy over helping former IPL chairman Lalit Modi to get travel documents in the UK, the Congress leader said "the Congress party has very clearly articulated that."
He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "shocking" silence on the row involving Ms Swaraj and the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh. The Modi Government and BJP have also been in the line of fire over Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's links with Lalit Modi and HRD Minister Smriti Irani's educational qualifications.
"It (PM's silence) is shocking because while he was in the opposition he raised multiple issues and today there is silence on everything.
"There is not a word coming out on any of the issues that has captured the nation's imagination and therefore we would want his response as well. During the session we will seek his response," he said.
On the contentious land bill, the MP from Guna said "multiple voices of dissent" were being heard on the issue even within the government.
"There are multiple voices of dissent within the government. The opposition has been very clear and very vocal in their dissent on this bill but even within the government there are multiple voices.
"Whether it is the allies, Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena or other parties. They have completely opposed the government on the land acquisition bill," he said.
"There are 15 political parties that are opposing the land acquisition bill. There are voices within their own party. So If they are so adamant on imposing something like that then it will be opposed by every political party," he said.
Mr Scindia said there were many issues that needed to be raised. In the last two months there has been an "abysmal" failure of this government on multiple fronts, he said.
"Whether it is a number of corruption issues that have come forward across the board where multiple stakes are involved, central ministers are involved.
"Whether we talk about the abysmal failure on the agricultural sector with regard to the fact that you may have a deficient monsoon, their policies with regard to compensation, their policy with regard to land acquisition, their policy with regard to no assistance from a budgetary outlay point of view for agriculture," he said.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu had earlier said, "In a democracy, debate and discussions are the only process for finding solution... the government is ready for any debate. The Opposition should not try to stall Parliament proceedings."