Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted a discussion in Parliament on the funding of political parties but the Opposition created a furore in the House to prevent him from doing so, BJP president Amit Shah said on Saturday.
Blaming the Opposition parties for stalling the proceedings of the winter session of Parliament, Mr. Shah said they “have no desire that politics be freed of black money.”
Furore in House
“On the opening day of the winter session, Modiji, at an all-party meeting, said there must be a discussion and change in the funding of political parties. From panchayat to Parliament elections, they must all be held on a single day. But the whole Opposition created a furore and did not allow the proceedings,” Mr. Shah said.
Addressing a “parivartan rally” in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur, Mr. Shah said he would still “appeal” to all Opposition party leaders to come forward and participate in a discussion initiated by the Prime Minister to clean up politics.
An ‘excuse’
The BJP chief also lashed out at the Opposition parties for using the long queues outside banks as an “excuse” to attack Mr. Modi. He said the Centre had predicted that common people would have to face difficulty but it was for the country’s good in the long run. “Modiji said there will be discomfort for 50 days but the country will improve for 50 years,” Mr. Shah said.
He specifically targeted the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee for their opposition to the move. “I cannot understand what losses they suffered due to demonetisation? Till November 7, they would ask, ‘Modi ji, what did you do for black money?’ After November 8, they ask, ‘Modi ji why did you do this?’ Things have changed from ‘what’ to ‘why,’” Mr. Shah said.
Mr. Shah asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to give an account of the development work done by his “full majority” government instead of harping on notebandi . “Don’t try to distract the people with demonetisation,” Mr. Shah told Mr. Yadav.
He also appealed to the people of Uttar Pradesh to give his party a two-thirds majority in the upcoming Assembly polls so that the Centre-State coordination on the development front was smooth. The Akhilesh Yadav-led State government was not allowing the Centre’s welfare schemes to be implemented, Mr. Shah alleged.
