Isolated by the rest of Opposition, barring the left, on two crucial Bills in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, the Congress levelled a serious allegation against the Opposition parties saying they “compromised”. However, in a simultaneous placatory move, the party expressed confidence that the Opposition unity on the land Bill remains since they took to streets together early this week.
“Ask them. My charge is that they have been compromised,” party general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters when asked why most of other Opposition parties did not back Congress stand on the two Bills.
Supporting the contention of Singh, his party colleague and former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said, They have been compromised for whatsoever reasons. Only the two know — BJP and the concerned parties.”
Asked whether the Opposition unity that was visible during the protest march by 14 parties against the land Bill has been ruptured, Sharma disagreed saying making any such inference from this will be wrong. “Today we and left voted together but on a number of issues, we have diverse views. In a broader coalition, there will be issues on which people have diverse views,” Sharma said.
While BJD's Anubhav Mohanty rejected the charge that his party supported the Bill under Government pressure, SP's Naresh Agarwal said his party had no options rather than supporting because if they opposed it could have been seen as coming under the pressure of coal mafias.
Mohanty said his party backed the Bill “under the pressure of providing welfare to tribals”. He attacked Singh for taking a dig at his party for withdrawing amendments under pressure. “With regard to Mines and Minerals Amendment bill, we had given two amendments. Government has now accepted to address those issues. There is no question of any pressure,” he said.
Agarwal said that the claims of Congress are wrong and there is no such issue. “Whatever is there is in the interest of State and labourers but at the same time I would criticise the Government for bringing the Coal Bill in haste.”