Union minister Arun Jaitley has refuted claims that Prime Minister Modi questioned his predecessors’ commitment to the country. Speaking today at Rajya Sabha, the BJP leader clarified that Modi had neither questioned nor intended to question former leaders Manmohan Singh and Hamid Ansari’s commitments to the nation. Clearly refusing to apologize as per the opposition’s demands, he termed the accusations against Modi erroneous and added that they, BJP, hold the former PM and former Vice President in high regard.
“PM in his speeches neither questioned nor intended to question Mr. Singh and Mr. Ansari dedication to this nation. Any perception of such kind is erroneous. We hold these two leaders as well as their commitment to the nation in high regard,” said the finance minister earlier today.
Prime Minister Modi came under fire from the opposition following his utterances at a campaign rally earlier this month. At the rally held in Palanpur, Gujarat, Modi accused Singh of colluding with some Pakistani officials in a bid to steer the outcome of the elections. He claimed that the former PM had met some Pakistani officials at Congress leader Shankar Aiyar’s house over dinner on December 6. Singh has however since dismissed the claims as mere falsehoods and innuendos. It is these particular utterances that have continued to see endless calls for apology by the PM from opposition quarters.
It has not been business as usual in Rajya Sabha ever since Modi’s public utterances. The house has been faced with several adjournments and interruptions following continuous demands by Congress that Modi apologizes. Congress wanted him to apologize for insinuating that Pakistan is trying to interfere with Gujarat’s Assembly elections and that Singh and his camp are at the centre of it. Modi particularly singled out Pakistani ambassador to India Mehmood Sohail and Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Kurshid Kasuri as the individuals at the said dinner.
Gujarat Assembly elections have since been held with BJP’s Vijay Rupani retaining his position as the Chief Minister. BJP however won with a lower number than before. This resulted from a number of losses to the opposition, Indian National Congress. As per Gujarat Legislative Assembly’s 192 member composition, a party needs a total of 92 seats in order to be the assembly’s majority. BJP garnered a total of 99 seats this time round. This is away from 115 seats that it swept in the preceding polls. This means that it loses 16 seats in the recently held polls.
In regards to current composition, BJP forms 49.1% of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. With exception of one government leaning independent candidate, the rest of the seats are occupied by the opposition with India National Congress forming the bulk of it. There are currently a total of two independent members in the whole assembly. Bharatsihn Solanki continues to lead the assembly’assembly’s opposition wing. He has been the president of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee ever since December 2015.
It remains to be seen how Congress will take Army’s latest remarks. This is considering the fact that Modi hasn’t issued any apology as per the opposition’s demands.
