Hitting out at the Congress-led Opposition for observing a 'Black Day' against demonetisation decision, the government on Thursday said they are actually observing a ‘Black Money Support Day’.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Venakaiah Naidu also termed the dharna by opposition leaders near the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises as a big tamasha and an insult to the Father of the Nation.
"Our opponents, particularly the Congress, I am told are observing a Black Day. I say what they are observing is a 'Black Money Support Day'," Naidu said.
Attacking the Congress over the protests near the statue of Gandhi, he said the opposition party was actually moving away from the Gandhian spirit.
"Dharna by opposition parties near Gandhi statute in Parliament premises is a big tamasha and an insult to the Father of Nation," he said.
"By posing for photos in front of Mahatama Gandhi, you cannot claim to be a Gandhian. And you cannot make the people believe that you are believers of Gandhism. Scuttling the debate on demonetisation for than two weeks and not allowing Parliament, staging dharnas, going to the Well of the House, abusing the prime minister, raising slogans is in no way going to help democracy," Naidu said.
He added that such an attitude reflected 'weakness' of the Opposition and ‘hatred’ towards the people’s mandate.
"That's why I say they are insulting the Mahatama Gandhi. They are insulting the concept of Satyagraha. It is time Congress realises its folly," he said.
Not allowing Parliament to function only reflects 'contempt' of democracy, he told reporters.
Naidu said that while Gandhi used Satyagraha to ensure victory of truth over evil, Congress was only inflicting 'pain' on people.
The minister observed that praise has poured in from abroad as well on the demonetisation decision.
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Rahul’s allegations highlight his ‘mental bankruptcy’: BJP
Accusing Rahul Gandhi of leveling baseless allegations against the government to grab headlines, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday dared him to speak on demonetisation in Parliament.
Attacking the Congress vice president, the ruling party said on the one hand he claims to speak about the interests of the common man but on the other hand Congress was stalling Parliament for three weeks and wasting public money spent on running it.
Congress ran way from discussion in Parliament when it was in power and it is doing the same now when it is in the opposition, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma alleged.
“His (Rahul’s) charges against the Modi government are borne out of his incompetence and arrogance. He is competing with Arvind Kejriwal in TRP politics by leveling baseless charges on almost daily basis. He is doing so merely for headlines. He should instead speak in Parliament not outside,” Sharma said.
He was reacting after Rahul attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his ‘foolish decision’, a reference to demonetisation, has ‘devastated’ the country.
Sharma hit out at Rahul, saying he was rattled by Modi’s offensive against black money and corruption as they are rooted in the opposition party’s culture and said the Congress leader’s allegations highlight his ‘mental bankruptcy’.
Congress does not want Modi to take developmental measures for the poor and farmers, he said, adding that the prime minister’s fight is not against some political parties or persons but against corruption.
“When 2G, coal block allocation and CWG scams happened during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government, BJP wanted debate in Parliament but Congress ran away from it. It continues to avoid a debate even in opposition. It committed scams worth 12 lakh crore and is rattled by the Modi government's actions,” he claimed.
