New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, on Tuesday fired another salvo at the Congress saying that the ruling party got 'Mota Maal' (kickbacks) from Karnataka's Reddy brothers too. Sushma had on Monday alleged that Congress party had received hefty kickbacks in the coal blocks allocation.
"Laloo Yadav wants to know as to who got 'Mota Maal' from Reddy Bros? I would like to inform him and the country that the Mota Maal from Reddy Bros has also gone to the Congress Party. All the Mines were allotted to them by the Congress Government on the recommendations of the Congress Chief Minister. I demand that all documents related to the recommendations and allotment to Reddy Bros be made public. The country will then know the truth as to who got them the monetary benefits and who made recommendations for them. All the facts should be placed before the nation," Sushma tweeted on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Congress party is likely to serve legal notice to Sushma Swaraj for her remarks in coalgate.
Attacking the Congress over the CAG report on coal blocks allocations, Sushma had said, "Inhe mota maal mila hai (The Congress has earned massive profits on the deal). Value of coal was at an all-time high. Everyone was desperate to get their hands on the mines. The Congress didn't want to adopt a direct route for allocation, they played a cunning game."
Responding to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's blackmail comment, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley said, "A government whose integrity has been painted black in the coal deals, cannot be blackmailed. The staple diet of the Congress ever since Bofors has been kickbacks and commissions," he said.
Sonia finally broke her silence on Tuesday to exhort her party members to fight the "intemperate criticism and negative politics" of BJP over the coal blocks allocations.
"We need to fight the intemperate criticism and negative politics of BJP. They are holding Parliament to ransom," she told party members at an early morning meet.
She further condemned the Sushma Swaraj for her choice of words at a press conference she held along with party colleague Arun Jaitley.
Sonia said, "This is the handiwork of the BJP which shows scant respect for democracy. We must effectively go out and rebut and repel them in the upcoming elections."
"BJP's belief is our way or no way. We are prepared to debate. But blackmail has become the political bread and butter of the BJP," she added.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has refused to join a public debate on the issue of coal blocks allocation. The announcement was made by the CAG in an official statement. The auditing body said, "Being a Constitutional authority, the C&AG (Vinod Rai) feels that it would be improper on his part to join a public debate on this issue."
What happened in Parliament today:
The coal war between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress stalled Parliament for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. Both the Houses were adjourned till Thursday as the Opposition MPs continued to demand Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over the CAG report on coal blocks allocation, alleging that he was morally responsible for the huge loss to the state exchequer due to the faulty policy of giving away mines to private player, and not auctioning them to the highest bidder.
Earlier, the Opposition MPs walked to the well of the House in the Rajya Sabha shouting slogans demanding the Prime Minister's resignation. Earlier Kirti Azad, BJP MP in the Lok Sabha, met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in an attempt to end the deadlock even as the party stuck to its demand for the Prime Minister's resignation.
Even though Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as well as Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde held separate meetings with BJP leaders, there was no end to the deadlock that has seen Parliament transact very little business.
The battle lines have in fact hardened with the BJP sharpening its attack on the Prime Minister, and the Congress President asking her MPs to rebut and repel the BJP attack.
Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked her party MPs to go on the offensive. Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party, Sonia said, "We need to fight the intemperate criticism and negative politics of BJP. It is holding Parliament to ransom. I condemn the words being used by the Leader of the Opposition. We must effectively go out and rebut and repel them in the upcoming elections. We are prepared for a debate. The BJP has no respect for democracy. Blackmail has become its political bread and butter. Their belief is 'our way or no way'."
Sonia's comments came in for even more criticism from the BJP as its leaders said they do not need to take lessons from her. Hitting back at Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who on Tuesday condemned BJP leader Sushma Swaraj's choice of words at a press conference where she said Congress had gained "mota maal" or massive bribe in coal blocks allocations, BJP leaders said that she should first look within.
"We don't need lessons from Sonia. She was the one to use the term 'maut ka saudagar' for Narendra Modi. Was it parliamentary or civil on her part?" asked BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
Venkaiah Naidu said that it was Congress party members who had called NDA leader George Fernandes 'coffin chor' (thief).
Congress should stop its doublespeak. Why didn't Sonia find those comments of Congress leaders undemocratic where they called George Fernandes 'coffin chor'?" he asked.
The leaders added that the BJP was firm on its stand and would not let Parliament function. "We won't let the House function. We appeal to all parties to join us in this," said Naidu.
Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi was seen speaking to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav before the House convened on Tuesday. However, outside Parliament, senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohan Singh hinted at internal politics in the Congress.
"BJP wants to create a vacuum at the helm of the country. Who will be the Prime Minister? Will Jaitley be the PM? It could also be internal politics of the Congress as well where some Congressmen want to replace Manmohan Singh with Rahul Gandhi," Mohan Singh said.
The Congress refuted Mohan Singh's allegations saying his party has made it clear that Manmohan Singh is its Prime Minister.
The Congress has already rejected the possibility of a trust vote or adjournment of the Monsoon Session, and instead decided to fight back. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said his party workers will take to the streets against the BJP, if needed.
On the other hand CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury called the disruptions in Parliament a case of match-fixing by the BJP and Congress. He said Left parties favour a debate in Parliament on coal blocks allocation.
But with the two principal parties in Parliament sticking to their stands, it looks like the Monsoon Session is heading for a washout.
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