PNB fraud case: Congress claims govt orchestrating protests to avoid discussing scam in Parliament

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is killing democracy by orchestrating protests on various issues in the Parliament to avoid discussing the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, the Congress said on Tuesday.

File image of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. PIB

"All these are government-sponsored agitations that are meant to adjourn the Houses," said the party's leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge referring to issues like the constitutional amendment, the Telugu Desam Party's demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu's call to set up the Cauvery Management Board.

"They are finding excuses to avoid discussing the Nirav Modi and PNB scandal," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Kharge said they have been wanting to take up the issue through an adjournment motion since the Parliament session began and despite giving daily notice and meeting the Speaker, the government has been rejecting their demand as it wants to keep the scam away from public eye.

He said the government generally goes on passing the bills and demands even when the opposition leaders are agitating in front of the presiding officer's podium. But in last few days, it has been adjourning the houses within two minutes of protest by their alliance and supporting leaders including NDA ministers.

"It's the job of Parliamentary affairs minister to run the House. Even the prime minister has remained silent," he said and added the government is defaming the opposition by blaming them for adjournments.

Kharge said they had demands for discussion on six issues on social justice, farmers, railways, road and transport, health and family welfare, and youth affairs but were not given the time.

"Suddenly at 2 am, I received an agenda saying guillotine will happen for all the six issues and other bills like supplementary bill, appropriation bill and finance bill. If all these have to be done on guillotine or voice vote, then why call the Parliament," he asked.

"We wanted time for discussion but the government surely does not want that and is running away from it. This is an attempt to finish democracy," he added.