Cong stalled RS to avoid govt's reply on Aircel-Maxis deal: BJP

BJP today accused the Congress of hatching a "plot" with its allies to stall the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha to avoid the government's reply on the Aircel-Maxis deal.

BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of hatching a "plot" with its allies to stall the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha to avoid the government's reply on the Aircel-Maxis deal.

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"It was of course a contrived stalling as we expected stalling of the House. The UPA government per se got together to stall it. It's a charge against the UPA government and the country would remain aghast that the facts which we wanted to ascertain from the finance minister were not given to us," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters in New Delhi.

Rudy said, "It was a plot, it was a design by the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh, and Sonia Gandhi to stall the proceedings and prevent the country from knowing the facts which the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha had raised."

Blaming the Congress party for deliberately stalling the House proceedings, the BJP leader said they had feared so in the morning itself the way the issue of the finance minister's statement on Aircel-Maxis deal was listed last in the business of the House.

"We had raised objections in the morning that the government did not intend to reply on the issue and feared something would happen. Our contention has been proved right and the DMK, an ally of the government, stalled the House proceedings in order to avoid the government from replying on the issue," he said.

Rudy said, "Possibly in order to avoid facing the Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha on the issue, the government had chosen to take this path. It is unfortunate and we condemn it."

He also blamed the UPA of setting a precedent in stalling House proceedings to avoid a contentious issue.

"The Congress government when it wishes to stall something they indulge in...House disruption by either using their own ally parties or themselves. Last time also they did something similar to stall the House proceedings on the Lokpal issue," he said.