Holding the BJP responsible for the recent Parliament deadlock followed by the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition, Congress Leader in Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that BJP the disrupted the sessions to cover up its ‘misdeeds’ with regard to vital issues such as Punjab National Bank fraud and Rafale deal. He said that the BJP did not want to allow the discussions over the vital issues in Parliament as it was worried to get exposed before the nation. He was addressing a media conference in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.
“We didn’t outright go for the no-confidence motion. We had repeatedly moved adjournment motions to draw the attention of Lok Sabha on matters of urgent public importance having serious consequences such as PNB scam, Rafale deal, farmers’ suicide and atrocities on Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other States. We even raised short-notice questions. When all of them were simply dismissed without a valid reason, we had to go for the no-confidence motion with the support of over 80 members in Lok Sabha, which was also turned down by the Speaker. The BJP knew that it would have to stand exposed before the nation if discussions over such vital issues are allowed in Parliament. It didn’t want to dent its image, especially ahead of Assembly elections in Karnataka. That is why it disallowed the deliberations, triggering heated debates and disruptions of sessions by NDA partners leading to Parliament deadlock. It is despotism by the majority,” he said.
Welcoming the promulgation of an ordinance, following public outrage against Kathua, Unnao and Surat rapes, allowing the imposition of death sentence for the rape of girls below the age of 12, Mr. Kharge said that he BJP-led Union government did not show similar interest in bringing an ordinance to safeguard the interests of Dalits when the Supreme Court ruled diluting vital sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Karnataka polls
Terming the BJP a force of anti-Constitutional values, Mr. Kharge appealed to the people of Karnataka to vote for Congress to save democracy, secularism, equality, social justice and freedom of speech. He said that vulnerable sections such as Dalits, minorities, downtrodden and women would have no future under a BJP regime.
“BJP is against the core values enshrined in the Constitution. It wants to a totalitarian regime in place of democracy. It wants to control everything including the judiciary and autonomous Constitutional bodies. We have to put an end to BJP’s totalitarianism and save the Constitution. The people of Gujarat have taught a lesson to the BJP to an extent in the recent Assembly elections. Now, it is your [Karnataka’s people] turn to teach the party a good lesson by voting against it in the imminent election.”
He added that the Congress had delivered what it had promised and had moral right to seek votes in the State. “We have fulfilled 155 out of 165 promises made during the 2013 Assembly polls in the State. On the other hand, BJP did not fulfil even a single promise it had made during the last Lok Sabha elections. They can deliver good speeches, but not the actions that could meet people’s needs. We have moral right to seek votes whereas they don’t,” he said.
District Congress Committee President Jagadev Guttedar, Jevargi MLA Ajay Singh, Congress nominee for Gulbarga South Allamaprabhu Patil and others were present.
