Sonia Gandhi blames government for Parliament deadlock

Amidst continuous pandemonium in Parliament, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday blamed "the blatant insensitivity of the Modi government" responsible for the deadlock. "The prime minister has been very free with his promises. Yet he seems totally incapable of delivering on them. On the one hand, he never misses an opportunity to claim the moral high ground on transparency, integrity and accountability. On the other, he has been conspicuous by his deafening silence on the blatant transgressions by his external affairs minister and two of his chief ministers. The champion of 'mann ki baat' appears to have retreated into a 'maun vrat," said Gandhi, while addressing the weekly meeting of the Congress MPs.

She made it clear that the Congress will persist both in Parliament and outside to make its points forcefully and emphatically. "Let me make it clear that we are not being aggressive just to match the BJP's aggression of the past. We have been forced to take our position because of the government's completely brazen attitude. Of course, we want both the Houses to function. Of course, we want legislation to be debated and adopted. But we are very clear that there can be no productive discussion and no meaningful proceedings as long as those responsible for their wrong-doings remain in office."

She said, "We have been in office for long periods and we understand the imperatives of governance. We are fully aware of our own responsibility to support programmes and legislation that are in the national interest." However, the "take it or leave it" approach of this government and its supreme leader goes against all democratic norms, she said, warning the government that it is its responsibility to foster an atmosphere conducive to cooperation as "Grandstanding, arrogant and hypocritical lectures will not work."

She also blasted the BJP leaders for sermons on parliamentary behaviour, reminding that they were the first to not only defend but also advocate disruption as a legitimate tactic when they were in the opposition. "Has the BJP already forgotten that it is the author of the "resign-now-debate-later" principle of parliamentary practice which it has used on at least five different occasions in the UPA decade," she asked.

Sonia said the BJP has also forgotten that during those terrible days of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, the then chief minister of Gujarat arrived in the city on 28 November 2008 and chose to be critical of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while the anti-terror operations were underway. "And we are now being accused of not showing statesmanship?"