JOIN USMinister Smriti Irani holds Congress responsible for the deadlock in Parliament
Smriti Irani, Union minister for women and and child development, on Saturday, questioned that while the government is open for any conversation, why is the Congress Party (and the Opposition) denying the ‘respect’ to the President by initiating with the vote of thanks.
“I can only say that the government has time and again said that we are open for any conversation but why would you not begin with the vote of thanks of the President’s speech,” she said, adding “that the Opposition has always taken a stand which is anti the honourable President of India is known to every citizen of the country.”
Smriti Irani said that President Droupadi Murmu’s speech lays the foundations for the future of India, and also exhibits “our present potential, (and) is an issue that needs to be debated, and thanks to be given to honourable President of India”.
The Union minister held Congress responsible for the stand-off, instead. “Why would the Congress Party deny that respect to the President of India. But then, I am not very surprised. That they will deny respect to the President of India because that has been their political mandate from the day that the honourable president took office,” she said.
Responding to queries on West Bengal, the minister said that the state government, from the year 2017-18 onwards, still has a pendency of Rs 26,751 lakh, the amount which has remained unspent with the state from the minister’s department alone.
Irani stated that the Bengal government, last year, had submitted in writing to her ministry that the funds under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, were being used by the state and projected as its own scheme. “This is in writing from the government of Bengal. Can they deny this? They cannot.”
Talking about railways, Irani said that the average allocation to Bengal in terms of outlay during 2009-14 was around Rs 4,300 crore. In 2023-24, this allocation nearly tripled to Rs 11,900 crore