CPI(M) today charged that it was through its "arrogance and obduracy" that the government "successfully" ensured that the Monsoon session was a complete wash-out and also claimed that disruptions in Parliament suited BJP's own political expediency.
The government filibustered the Monsoon session and blamed the opposition for it, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said here after the current session ended today as scheduled after witnessing continuous disruptions throughout the four weeks of its duration beginning July 21.
While BJP has blamed the opposition for obstructing the proceedings and disrupting the House, particularly in Rajya Sabha, the Left countered it by saying that it was BJP which, due to political reasons, is not serious about pursuing a reforms agenda.
"They (BJP) did not push land Bill as they had the Bihar elections in mind and feared a backlash from farmers as the Bill has been perceived as an anti-farmer measure," Yechury said.
On GST, as well, BJP wants to go slow with an eye on some potential allies, he further claimed.
"BJP is trying to ally with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the Jayalalitha-led party is against GST. In Odisha, too, BJD has some issues with GST. Since these parties are potential allies, BJP did not want to push it (GST Bill)," he said.
Parliament faced continuous disruptions in the session just concluded due to protests by opposition parties who were demanding the ouster of senior BJP leaders who are caught in controversy -- External Affairs Minister Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the Lalit Modi controversy, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the Vyapam scam in his state.
However, Yechury defended the opposition's demand for the resignations of the three BJP leaders.
"What we were demanding is that these persons should demit office till the inquiry is over," the CPI(M) leader said, adding that "there are instances of that in the past".
Yechury said that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was leading the first NDA government at the Centre and "there were allegations against the then Defence Minister George Fernandes, he was asked to demit office till the inquiry was over".
The CPI(M) leader said that the same could have been done by the Narendra Modi government as well, but it did not allow that because of its "arrogance and obduracy" and, as a result, the whole session was lost.
