Now Congress target Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari

Janjivan Bureau
NEW DELHI: Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is the next target of Congress party. Rajya Sabha today failed to transact any business as opposition Congress created ruckus, demanding resignation of Minister Nitin Gadkari in the wake of a CAG report that alleged irregularities involving loan extended to his family-linked Purti group.
The House saw repeated adjournments for six times before the final one
at around 3.45 PM as uproar continued, with Congress members shouting slogans and trooping into the Well.
There were heated exchanges between Congress and ruling BJP memers, who raised questions over the moral authority of Congress to discuss corruption.While the Congress pressed for Gadkari’s resignation and stressed on accountability of ministers to Parliament, the BJP members shouted “Chor Machaye Shor (thief makes noise)”.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “This is not a question of
allegation against an individual MP or minister. This is a CAG report.” Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma slammed the ruling BJP, saying
when they were in opposition they disrupted the house several times over allegations of corruption. “The prime minister has to come to the house… We will not accept anything else. He goes all over the world abusing and vilifying all his predecessors. We will ensure accountability,” Sharma said.”He goes as the prime minister, on the expenditure of public exchequer and then becomes a `pracharak` for his party,” he said.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is ready for a discussion while Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien urged members to follow procedures and give a notice. But the opposition refused to relent.
Congress members trooped near the chairman`s podium several times through the day and shouted slogans demanding Gadkari`s resignation. The war of words between the ruling and the opposition benches continued.
Minister Naqvi slammed the Congress for making “baseless allegations”.
“We have said we have zero tolerance for corruption… We are ready to discuss corruption, the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) will examine
the CAG report.” “The allegations are baseless, we have the CAG report,” he added.
The issue was raised earlier in the day by Congress MP Shantaram Naik,
who said the minister must resign. “Opposition parties demanded resignation of our ministers time to time… now Nitin Gadkari has to resign,” said Naik.He said the CAG has found that PSKL did not comply with the conditions for interest subsidy which stipulated that the renewable energy project was to operate for a minimum of 10 years after its completion. The upper house saw two adjournments during zero hour and three during question hour when Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the house till 2.30 p.m., unable to take up a single question.