In LS, Jaitley asks Cong what it did against black money

THE GOVERNMENT used a brief debate on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants Thursday to defend demonetisation and accused the Opposition Congress of “inaction” against black money.

“Congress was in power between 200414. Today, I challenge them to spell out a single step that they had taken during 10-year of their rule against black money,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while replying to the debate. “Today, they shout slogans that central government has facilitated black money holders to pay just 50 per cent taxes... in fact, it is more... Under the scheme they announced 8 per cent was the effective taxation. Now they feel that 65 per cent tax is less.”

He said difficulties faced by people will ease soon. “I want to specify that the prime minister has said we will make efforts to minimise the difficulties faced by the people till December 30. There is an effort to reduce inconvenience for the people,” he said.

He said RBI has been putting more currency into the market and government making efforts to make transactions less-cash.

As Jaitley spoke, the Opposition chanted, “Narendra Modi bhag gaya ”;“Mann ki Baat bandh karo ”;“Jhoote sapne bandh karo”; “Desh ko lootna bandh karo”.

TRS, BJD, TDP, YSR Congress and INLD MPS also took part in the discussion, most speaking about difficulties to people.

The Speaker adjourned the House immediately after the bills were cleared.

In the morning, Lok Sabha had to be adjourned twice due to sloganeering.

MPS of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Left, many of them sporting black armbands to mark a month of demonetisation, rushed into the well after the Speaker disallowed the Congress’s Leader of the House from raising his issue at the start of the session. About 40 minutes into question hour, the Speaker adjourned the House.

After the House resumed, zero hour proceedings too were drowned out by shouting Opposition MPS. The Speaker adjourned the House 50 minutes later.