Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu Slams Opposition on Parliament Disruptions

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today slammed Congress and other rival parties over repeated disruptions in Parliament and said the Centre is ready to accommodate view of the Opposition if their request is fair.

Appealing to the Opposition not to indulge in a blame-game, Naidu expressed hope that the issues would be resolved at an all-party meeting called tomorrow.

"I appeal to Congress please do not hurt the interest of the country. Let us not indulge in a blame game. Come to Parliament, let us discuss it.

"Tomorrow I have called for an all-party meeting and I hope the meeting will be fruitful and we will be able to resolve the issues and then move forward," he said.

The senior BJP leader said, "As far as the government (is concerned), we have not done anything wrong, nothing illegal, nothing immoral has been done by any of our ministers. We are ready to discuss any issue at any length... Government is always ready to walk an extra mile to accommodate view of the Opposition, if their request is fair."

Stressing that there is no substitute for a healthy debate in Parliament, he said, "If you want democracy to succeed and if you want people's aspirations to be highlighted then the only way is you raise them in Parliament. And if you want to criticise the government, you can criticise as you have been doing it also."

He requested the Opposition parties to allow Parliament to function even as he asserted that they cannot put any pre-conditions.

"My request to Congress party and Opposition (parties) is to please allow Parliament to function. Whatever you want to say, say it on the floor of the House. You have given notice for motion to discuss about Lalitgate and other issues.

"The government from the day one is saying we are willing to discuss each and every issue. That being the case you should not have any problem. You cannot put any pre-conditions," Mr Naidu said.

Backing party colleagues Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje who are under fire over the Lalit Modi issue, he said, "My (BJP) Minister Sushma Swaraj is one of the most dynamic, and also effective minister and is doing great job. She has not done anything wrong... nothing illegal and nothing immoral has been done by either Swaraj or even Vasundhara Raje, who was not even Rajasthan Chief Minister at that time."

"It is unfair to drag their names and then carry out a campaign against them. Even if you want to discuss these issues, the government is saying from day one, discuss them in Parliament. Even Sushma Swaraj has also said she is ready to make a statement (in Parliament)," the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

"But unfortunately, the Opposition parties, particularly Congress which has given a notice for discussion, are going back on the discussion and laying pre-conditions...It is not fair," he said.

He said when they were in Opposition, even some of their senior leaders were denied to speak.

"Disproportionate to your (Congress) strength you are getting time (now) in Parliament but we suffered as Opposition earlier as we were denied (to speak) and sometimes Advaniji and Sushma Swaraj were also denied to speak at that time," Mr Naidu said.

"You don't allow the House to function and you try to demean the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), who is one of the most popular Prime Minister of the country."

"We have not raised the issues... 2G, Spectrum, coal auction or CWG, they were all found by the CAG and then the media took them up and in certain cases courts have taken cognisance of the same.

"Then (only) the Opposition insisted (on it) in the Parliament and then it was referred to Joint Parliamentary Committee, but here (with regard to allegations now against BJP ministers) there is no specific allegation at all," Mr Naidu asserted.

He said there are other important issues, people are agitated on farmers problems - series of suicides are taking place in different parts of the country and there are floods in certain areas affecting lakhs of people.

There are issues like price rise and hostages in Libya and people of those areas (representatives) are very much concerned and they want to raise those issue in Parliament, Mr Naidu pointed out.

"You cannot deny an opportunity to others who want to raise those issues," the minister said.