Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed to be in possession of information regarding “personal corruption” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Flanked by 15 other Opposition leaders at a Press conference, Rahul charged the Prime Minister with running away from debate in Parliament on note ban.
Opposition leaders with Rahul said the Parliamentary system was under “threat”.
“The Prime Minister is personally terrified of me being allowed to open my mouth in the lok Sabha because I have information about the Prime Minister that is going to burst his balloon. I am not being allowed to speak in the House,” Rahul said, adding that it was for the first time in history that the Government was not allowing discussions in Parliament.
Asked what kind of information he had, Rahul said, “That information is personal information about Narendra Modiji which I want to state in the lok Sabha. It is on personal corruption by the Prime Minister that I have, we have, detailed information. We want to present it, but the Prime Minister is not allowing us to speak. Read my lips.”
Rahul also tried to bring the entire Opposition on one platform and emerge as its voice. leaders of TMC, NCP, Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI(M) and others were present at the Press meet.
The Gandhi scion said the entire Opposition wants a debate in Parliament and had discussed it with the Speaker to allow it while dispensing all rules. “The Prime Minister should stop taking alibis and he should come to the House and give all of us an opportunity to speak. Then the country should take a decision on whether the Opposition or the Prime Minister is speaking the truth,” he said.
TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who spoke just after Rahul, said the entire Parliamentary system was facing a “threat” as the Government was not allowing the House to function smoothly and the Opposition to speak. “We cannot understand why there’s so much arrogance on the part of the Government. The voice of the Opposition is being gagged,” he said.
P Karunakaran (CPI-M) said all parties came together on the issue of demonetisation and wanted a discussion on it, but the Government was now allowing that to happen.
BSP supremo Mayawati claimed the Modi Government was not ready for demonetisation and the decision taken was hasty. She also attacked the Prime Minister on the issue, saying he was speaking everywhere except for Parliament as he lacked strength to address the House.
“The Government is not willing to answer questions. The Prime Minister is accountable to Parliament but has not come to the lok Sabha. It is very clear that they are not ready to answer the questions raised. The Prime Minister is running away from Parliament which means he is running away from people,” she said.
NCP leader Tariq Anwar said it was for the first time that an atmosphere had been created where the Opposition was not allowed to speak. “It is a conspiracy by the Government. The entire Opposition is united. What is the Government afraid ofIJ We are all united. let us be allowed to speak,” he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal however said if the Congress vice-president actually has documents, he should expose the Prime Minister even outside Parliament.