Congress a destructive opposition, says BJP

On a day Congress MPs sat on a dharna at parliament's Gandhi statue  to protest the Speaker’s decision to suspend 25 of their MPs from Lok Sabha, the ruling party lashed out at Sonia Gandhi for calling it a “black day for democracy”.

“Congress has abdicated the responsibilities of a constructive opposition and is using its numerical strength in Parliament, especially in Rajya Sabha, to adopt a negative strategy," the BJP resolution said.

“BJP Parliamentary party condemns the obstructionist, narrow and anti-development mindset of Congress as it will have a serious and adverse influence in long term on the country which is emerging as an important economic power in the world,” it said.

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and most of his ministerial colleagues were present at the meeting.

"Congress has become a “destructive” opposition party," Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after the meeting.

The Congress is boycotting the Lok Sabha for five days starting Tuesday protesting suspension of its MPs.In a rare sight, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too joined the protest.

Sonia Gandhi said : "In my opinion, parliamentary democracy is being murdered."

Rahul Gandhi, who took  a more prominent part in voicing the party's ire over Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's action, said :"The Prime Minister has a habit of sharing his 'mann ki baat'. He should also try and listen to the mann ki baat of the people of India."

He also reiterated his charge against Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, whose resignation the Congress is demanding for helping tainted cricket magnate Lalit Modi. "There is clear evidence that Sushma Swaraj has broken the law," he said.

Rahul  said the Congress would continue its protest over the demand that  Swaraj and two BJP chief ministers caught in scandals must quit. 

"It's not the demand of the Congress. It is the demand of the people of India," he said.

On Monday, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan ordered suspension of 25 Congress lawmakers for five days for "persistently, wilfully obstructing" the House that has been in logjam for ten successive days following a bitter standoff between the Treasury and Opposition benches. 

This is the first time that so many MPs have faced disciplinary action together.

The Congress has 44 members in the Lok Sabha. The party gets support in its protest from other opposition parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, Janata Dal (United), Trinamool Congress and the Left.

Sonia Gandhi said after the Speaker ordered the suspension, "It is a dark day for democracy."

The  Congress is expected to harden its stand in what could lead to a bigger political stalemate.

The Congress-led opposition has been unrelenting in their demand for the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for their alleged help to disgraced cricket tycoon Lalit Modi and that of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for Vyapam scam.

As the BJP has also taken a tough stand against the opposition pressure the whole situation has led to a total deadlock in parliamentary business.

The government needs to push through in the current monsoon session several key bills pertaining to its avowed reforms.