Bills wait as National Herald case continues to stalk Parliament

Congress MPs disrupt proceedings, Sonia takes jibe at PM.

New Delhi:

Congress on Friday continued their protest as party members stormed into the Well of the Rajya Sabha over what the party considers \"vendetta politics\" by the Prime Minister's Office in reviving the National Herald case.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment regarding Congress’ disruptions in Parliament, party president Sonia Gandhi responded saying, \"Let him say what he wants.\"

“It is a matter of sorrow that Parliament is not running. Democracy cannot function at the whims and fancies of anyone,\" Modi had said in a sharp reaction to the Winter Session proceedings, as both the Houses were paralysed due to opposition protests and sloganeering.

He also said that the rights of the poor are being ignored with the Parliament not functioning. \"It is not only GST but many pro-poor steps are stuck in Parliament,\" he said.

Earlier, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Friday appealed to Congress MPs not to disrupt Parliament over the National Herald case and deal with legal issues in the courts.

\"Don't disrupt the parliament for political reasons. Politics is politics, we can fight outside but allow Parliament to function. All the national dailies have written an editorial urging the Congress party to end this confrontation in the parliament and answer the legal issues in the courts. Thats the unanimous view of the media as well,\" Naidu told media here.

Naidu also pointed certain cases in the past against BJP which were raised in the Parliament but it did not affected it's functioning.

\"Our party president Amit Shah was sent to jail, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also subjected to several false accusations but Parliament was not disrupted. This is the difference between the BJP and the Congress. I only appeal to them that please allow Parliament to function and let us discuss and debate issues and then decide the issues on the merit,\" he added.

Like the previous two days, proceedings in Rajya Sabha were washed out on Thursday as Congress members continued to create uproar over the Herald case, triggering protests from the ruling side which contended that the House was being held \"hostage\".

Congress has for three days in a row stalled functioning of the Rajya Sabha, where the crucial Goods and Service Tax (GST) is awaiting approval for rolling out the landmark indirect tax regime from April 1, 2016.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley attacked the party saying India has not accepted the diktat 'queen' is above law, a sharp but veiled dig at Sonia Gandhi.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Friday said that his party will continue to raise their voice in the Parliament against political vendetta over the National Herald case saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had extended them the same courtesy during the UPA regime.

\"We have no option but to raise our voice against political vendetta as the Parliament is a law making forum,\" Tiwari said.

\"I don't know if the Prime Minister was referring to this disruption of Parliament or the disruption which his party created two years back. This disruption has been going on since three to four days, but his party disrupted the house for three to four months. So, I think if this formula applies here then this formula applies there also,\" he added.