Congress resorting to flimsy political gimmicks, says Venkaiah Naidu

New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday hit back at Congress leader Jairam Ramesh over his remarks that Government showed "utter contempt" of Rajya Sabha by passing Aadhar Bill as Money Bill and accused Congress of resorting to "flimsy political gimmicks" under a "game-plan".

"It is not the government which showed 'utter contempt' of Rajya Sabha but it is the Congress which is showing 'utter contempt' to people's mandate by holding the Upper House with its obstructive attitude.

"The statement of senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that the NDA government showed utter contempt of Rajya Sabha on Aadhar Bill is reprehensible and once again shows the Congress mindset of opposing a progressive legislation for the sake of opposition even though it aims at transforming the lives of millions of poor and marginalised sections in the country," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in a statement.

He also accused Mr Ramesh of "casting aspersions" on the wisdom  and impartiality of the Speaker by raising questions over her decision to treat the Aadhar Bill as money bill.

Noting that it was "unfair" on the part of Mr Ramesh to "question the prerogative of Lok Sabha Speaker" in declaring Aadhar Bill as a  Money Bill, Mr Naidu said that by stating that it was the recommendation of the government to consider it as a Money bill, the Congress leader, a member of Rajya Sabha, is "casting aspersions" on the wisdom  and impartiality of the Speaker.

Insisting that there has been absolutely no attempt to bypass Rajya Sabha and the the Congress leader was raking up a "needless controversy" over the semantics of a Money Bill, Mr Naidu said that the Aadhar Bill could not be termed anything else but a Money Bill as it involved drawing huge expenditure to provide subsidies.

"In such a situation, it is simply untenable for anybody to contest the categorisation of Aadhar Bill as a Money Bill. Secondly, where is the question of bypassing Rajya Sabha when due Parliamentary processes have been followed at every stage," he said.

Accusing Congress of adopting an "obstructive" attitude and "blocking" important welfare and development-oriented bills, Mr Naidu said the Congress is showing utter contempt towards people's mandate.

"By adopting an obstructive attitude and blocking important welfare and development-oriented bills, the Congress is showing utter contempt towards people's mandate," he said.