Ambika Soni slams BJP for ‘obstructionist’ tactics

New Delhi  :  Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni Monday slammed the BJP for its “obstructionist” tactics in parliament and said it was denigrating democratic institutions.

Soni criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley for his comments justifying “parliamentary obstructionism” in rarest of rare occasions.

“He has justified making noise for political interest. It is denigrating democratic institutions,” Soni told mediapersons.

She said Jaitley was Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and she had not heard a senior leader talking in terms of obstructionism.

According to Soni, the government was ready for discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report on coal block allocation and it would have brought out the truth before the people.

She alleged that the opposition was trying to weaken democracy.

Law Minister Salman Khurshid said the BJP was being unreasonable in demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation over the CAG report.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who is also Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha, said the government was willing to discuss the CAG report.

“(We are) of clear cut opinion that it should be discussed,” Shinde said.