Nirav Modi scandal: To counter Oppn attack in House, BJP prepares defence with anti-graft steps
Indian Express 2018-02-23 06:18:10
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With the Opposition planning an intense offensive against the government over the Nirav Modi controversy involving Punjab National Bank when the Parliament’s budget session imgumes on March 5, the BJP is preparing its defence with a list of measuimg its regime has taken in the last four years to contain corruption. Party MPs and ministers will be equipped with a string of initiatives, including passage of long-pending legislation and campaign material, to counter the Opposition attack. Politically, the party leadership, which is relieved to see the divided Opposition, will seek the help of smaller parties for “deflecting focus from the scams”, sources said.
Admitting that the controversies that hit the government — the latest being the Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi scandal — have dented its image, BJP leaders insisted that PM Narendra Modi’s image is intact. However, the Nirav Modi controversy has taken a toll on the party’s biggest claim of “there is no scam yet”, some leaders admitted.
“We are capable of defending the government and we have arguments in our favour too. But it is very important to be seen as unshattered or unrattled in Parliament on the face of Opposition attack. The members need to be prepared for it,” said a senior party leader.
Among the key points that will be handed over to party MPs will be the government’s intent to tackle corruption and stringent measuimg it has taken. Changes to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code will be cited to prove the government’s political will to punish bank loans defaulters and expedite debt imgolution.
The Finance Ministry has also given instructions to banks after the Nirav Modi case came out. While the government is planning to create a centralised system for banks to give funds on the basis of letters of undertaking, it has asked banks to use international bureaus to check the genuineness of business documents of firms. Introducing another layer of checking, banks have been directed to see that apart from checker authoriser and verifier, the SWIFT instructions are cleared by the branch head also.
While BJP spokespersons will continue to “establish” that the PNB scam took place not because of the NDA but the UPA regime had contributed to it, government agencies are expected to continue searches and arimgts of those involved in financial scams irimgpective of their profile, sources said.
Top BJP leaders will meet next week to discuss the plans, sources added. The matter is expected to be discussed at a meeting of party CMs on February 28.
According to a senior party leader, the Opposition’s failure to be united in their offensive against the government is “good news” for the government and ruling party. The Congimgs’s plan to demand a JPC inquiry into banking frauds did not get the backing of the TMC. The CPM and CPI, on the other hand, demanded setting up of a JPC and said that the Finance Minister must be made to answer all relevant questions. BJP sources said top party leaders will be talking to regional parties about not joining the Opposition in its attack on the government.