Arun Jaitley taunts Sonia Gandhi Congress hits back

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday hit out at the Congress for not allowing a discussion in Parliament on the Gurdaspur terror attack issue.

“Gurdaspur attack is a very serious incident. A major cross-border terror incident has recurred after a significant period of time. It is extremely important for India’s Parliament to discuss this attack,” Jaitley said.

“We expect Congress President Sonia Gandhi to respond why the Congress didn’t allow a discussion on the Gurdaspur terror attack,” Jaitley said, criticising the Congress for “presenting the country as a divided house” on a day that all political parties should have stood together.

“On a day like today when the entire country should have spoken in one voice, we did not expect Congress to present India as a divided house.”

“At least they should have spoken in one voice on an issue like national security. We expect the Congress will once again review its negative and irresponsible behaviour,” the Finance Minister said.

Meanwhile, Anand Sharma said, “The House has spoken in one voice in condemning terrorism and the terrorist attack in Gurdaspur… It would have been advisable to have a consensus on a discussion.”

The Congress prevented discussion in the House, it prevented people of the country from knowing how political leaders react to these incidents, the minister said further.

Earlier on Thursday, Congress MPs kept shouting and raising slogans when Home Minister Rajnath Singh was making a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the Gurdaspur terror attack issue.

Seven persons, including four security personnel, were killed and 16, including six security personnel, were injured in the terrorist attack in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district of Punjab on July 27.

Three terrorists who had infiltrated into India from Pakistan were also killed.

Jaitley also slammed those Congress leaders who had made statements in favour of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon, who was hanged this morning.

“Irresponsible statements have come from some Congress leaders with regard to punishment given to principal accused of 1993 Mumbai blasts. This is also a cause of concern,” Jaitley said.

“Mainstream national parties are expected to react in a responsible manner. These are not expected to show the country as a divided house,” he added.

“We expect Congress president Sonia ji to clarify as to why her party not permitted a discussion in Parliament on issues of national security,” the BJP leader asked.

Making his statement in the Rajya Sabha, Rajnath Singh linked the Gurdaspur attack to Pakistan and said the three terrorists had infiltrated from there to carry out the strike.

“Any effort by the enemies of our nation to undermine India’s territorial integrity and security or imperil the safety and security of our citizens will meet an effective and forceful response from our security forces,” Singh said.

The government “has been and will remain resolute in this regard,” he added.