BJP gets ready to make govt sweat in Winter session

The Bharatiya Janata Party would vocally raise coal scam, the alleged misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, among other issues during the winter session of Parliament beginning Thursday, senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday.

Naidu also stressed that there is no dilution or deviation of BJP's stand on Article 370.

"The BJP will raise all important people's issues in the coming session of Parliament. We will take up the coal scam in a big way, the government not acting against the prime minister, but acting against the officers who are known to be honest and the harassment meted out to people who are not amenable to their pressure," Naidu told media persons in Hyderabad.

"The attempts made by the government to dilute the coal scam inquiry, the misuse of CBI, the misuse of IB as and when it suits them, including the Ishrat Jahan case and now trying to frame up even IB officers in the same case in order to settle scores. We will also highlight the issue of frequent cyclones and floods in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha," he said.

Asserting that there is neither dilution nor deviation in BJP's stand on Article 370, he said the party is firmly committed to its abrogation.

"Article 370 is included in Part XXI of the Indian Constitution (temporary, transitional and special provisions) and starts with a heading with 'Temporary provisions with respect to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.'

"Temporary means, how long? It has been 64 years since the article was enacted. This article is the root cause of all the problems in Jammu and Kashmir," Naidu said.

His assertion that there is no change in BJP's stance on Article 370 came following claims that the saffron party has "softened" its stand on the Article in the wake of their prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi calling for a debate on it.

"We are not surprised over the panic reaction of our political opponents on the suggestion made by Narendra Modi because they are sure they will be exposed of their past sins," Naidu said.

Observing that BJP is committed to the formation of Telangana comprising the present 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh with Hyderabad as its capital, he maintained that all other proposals like Rayala Telangana are only leakages from government.

"No proposal has been made to us. We do not have any opportunity to discuss any such proposals. As far as we are concerned, these are ploys by the Congress party," he said.

He alleged that Congress is "calculating only in terms of votes and seats" and not bothered about people's welfare in Telangana or Seemandhra.

Replying to a query, he expressed hope that the BJP would win in at least four of the five states where Assembly polls are being held.

The BJP would also raise the issues of farming community, terror activities and the need to evolve a strong response to the challenges, Naidu added.