Congress today termed the passage of a bill that seeks to tax money deposited in banks post demonetisation without any discussion in Lok Sabha as "undemocratic and a complete affront" to the authority of India's parliament and constitution and "travesty of constitutional propriety".
The Congress said that it will discuss the issue with all opposition parties and address the issue collectively and appropriately.
Amid din, the Taxation Laws (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2016 a bill which seeks to tax money deposited in banks post demonetisation was passed in the Lok Sabha within minutes without any debate
"What happened today was travesty of Constitutional propriety by a Finance minister who claims to have intricate knowledge of law. That is why it becomes doubly culpable.
"The manner in which the Constitution was trampled upon by a government drunk with arrogance of numbers is unprecedented in India's constitutional history. It reflects a complete affront to the authority of India's Parliament and to Constitutional procedures," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
He said this reflects the mindset of the Prime Minister and his Finance Minister, who has in the past disregarded the very House of which he is the leader and by virtue of which he sits in Parliament.
"That he will continue to disregard not one House of which he is the leader but both the Houses with impunity. But both Jaitleyji and Modiji should not forget that howsoever high they may be, the Constitution is above you.
"The Congress Party as also all other political parties will use every platform to decide within the framework of our Constitution to protect and uphold the Constitutional procedure, its propriety and its majesty," he said.
Surjewala accused the Prime Minister of "trampling" democracy and said this revealed his "real face".
He said "Modiji's new '50:50 Black Money Holders Welfare Scheme' proves the protection net extended to those with ill gotten wealth. Modiji brings two back to back fair and lovely schemes to convert black money with 50 pc tax, no questions, no prosecution. Is this the normal Modiji?."
Another Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev said the manner in which the bill was passed is undemocratic and unfair
She said the Parliamentary practices have been "trampled" by Modi government and today was a perfect example of this.
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Sushmita Dev said what one has seen in Parliament and what happened before both the Houses started business, there was yet another "record breaking effort" by Prime Minister Modi to "deflect" the real problem that the people of India are facing.
The Congress leader said, the President must assent before the Amendment is considered in the House but that was surpassed.
"Ostensibly, apparently this is only an attempt to hide by far the largest scam that India has seen that the Modi government has perpetuated. We have consistently said this Government either by way of JPC or any other method must explain to the nation, the surge in the bank accounts in September 2016 which has not been accounted for," she said.
Dev said more catastrophically, what happened in the Lok Sabha today, in a very hurried way the Taxation Law IInd Amendment Bill 2016 was introduced in the Lok Sabha despite the House not being in order.
"I believe that for the first time in the history of Parliament the Treasury Benches which have consistently surpassed the Parliamentary system went a step ahead by surpassing the Presidential Assent and Consent that is required before an Amendment is considered brought in the House," she said.
Dev said the Finance Minister gave "flimsy explanation" for this.
"What is far greater blasphemy is what is this Amendment Bill which is actually introduced in our system," she said.
