Opposition parties running away from discussion in Parliament: Union Minister Anurag Thakur

Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur on Saturday said the government has nothing to hide on the Adani issue and accused opposition parties of creating a ruckus in Parliament to evade a debate on the “people-friendly” budget.

He alleged that they had insulted President Droupadi Murmu by stalling a discussion on the motion of thanks to the president's address and demanded that they apologise to her.

“We want discussion on the President's address and 2023-24 budget which will guide India from ‘Amrit Kaal to Swarnim Kaal’ and will lay the foundation of New India but the Opposition is running away from discussion,” Thakur told reporters at BJP headquarters here.

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Parliament was adjourned for the second consecutive day on Friday without transacting any business after the Opposition stepped up its demand for an independent investigation into the allegations of fraud against billionaire Gautam Adani's companies that triggered an unprecedented stock crash.

Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted as Opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion and a JPC probe into the fraud-allegation-triggered rout.

Responding to a question on the demand of the Opposition, the information and broadcasting minister said, “The banks, LIC and RBI have already made their statements clear, while the government has nothing to hide.”

“The role of the Opposition is very unfortunate. Their response to the speech of the president is condemnable as they repeatedly humiliated her. They should immediately apologise to her,” he said.

Thakur said the Opposition was rendered speechless by the “people-friendly” budget and instead of having a discussion on it, they are creating a ruckus.

“They will have to give answers for their behaviour in the people’s court,” he said

Briefing the media about the highlights of the budget, he said the Modi government had promised not to allow corruption in the country in 2013-14. “There is not a single allegation of corruption against this government which has been in power for over eight years now.”

“Congress has made this country hollow by rampant corruption. We have been running the government with honesty and will take the country to economic prosperity.

"We provided free Covid vaccines to the public and food to the poor,” he said, adding the government is utilising every penny collected as taxes for the welfare of the masses.

He said Congress will "definitely feel the pain because they have never imagined such a government which is only thinking about the citizens and taking forward the country".

On PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s criticism of BJP policies on J&K, he said, “Some people have lost ground as they were habitual of family rule and grabbing land. They are out of power and they are frustrated.”

Jammu and Kashmir is moving on the path of development under the BJP government and will continue to march ahead. The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A has led to the return of peace, investment and a large inflow of tourists with national flags fluttering on every house, he said.

Thakur said he was jailed in 2011 on reaching J&K while leading a ‘Tiranga yatra’ from Kolkata to Kashmir.

“Jammu and Kashmir has changed and is witnessing massive development,” he said.