 "Congress MP Veerappa Moily")
Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have been "number one accused" in the Rafale issue had Lokpal been implemented, the Congress on Monday said in Lok Sabha that his broad shoulders cannot stand the "bullet of corruption".
If anybody has to be held guilty in Rafale deal, "it is the PM and PM alone", Congress leader Veerappa Moily said launching a scathing attack against Modi and the Union government during a discussion on the interim budget.
He alleged that the Rafale issue has become a "household scandal" and that Modi may "escape" his responsibility today but not in the days to come.
Moily cited recent critical media reports on the fighter aircraft deal to target the government.
While the defence budget saw only a paltry increase in absolute terms and the allocation to the sector as percentage of the GDP has gone down, he alleged the ruling BJP is using money to "buy" MLAs, build "palatial" offices and filling its coffers.
On the Rafale deal, in which the Congress has accused the government of corruption, Moily said, "Now it is crystal clear why Lokpal (law) is not being implemented If it had been in place, the PM would be number one accused."
He was referring to the law on setting up anti-corruption ombudsman.
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Due to this "guilty conscience", the Union government has been using investigative agencies against its rivals, he alleged.
In an apparent reference to Modi's comments about his "56 -inch chest", Moily said, "When bullet of corruption is hit, his broad shoulders cannot bear it."
Modi had earlier hit out the Congress over the Rafale issue, saying the party did not want the country's armed forces to be strengthened, and had asked if it was bidding for any private player.
During his reply to the discussion on motion of thanks on the President's address, the Prime Minister had alleged that no defence deal under the Congress was without kickbacks.
Moily on Monday also targeted the government over unemployment issue and accused it of "fudging" statistics.
If the GDP is growing at 7.5 per cent, "can it be without creating jobs," he said, adding according to latest NSSO estimate, the country's unemployment stood at a 45-year high.
There is a "job crisis", which they are not prepared to accept, Moily said.
Citing various data, Moily alleged that the government has significantly reduced the budget for different programmes including for welfare of farmers and women.
"Now Rafael will fail and Rahul will win," he said, alleging the ruling government has no respect for Parliament and Constitution.
Supporting the demand of the TDP, he said the NDA government denied the "legitimate support" to Andhra Pradesh and did not grant it special status which was promised on the floor of Parliament.
"This shows they have scant regard for Parliament, scant regard for Constitution of India. I want to tell you (TDP), the Congress party is fully with you and today or tomorrow we will implement it.
"They (the government) believe only in Reliance, their integrity lies in relying on Reliance," he said.
He said that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has promised that "we will implement that".
"After demonetisation, Rs 2 lakh crore worth of GDP was lost, industrial output and MSMEs suffered and now the government will pay for the sin committed against poor people," he said.
They need to prove that they are a clean government and that is why they spend on advertisements, he said adding "If the youth are so enamoured by Mudra Yojana, then why are youths seeking jobs?"
"40 per cent of Mudra funds are lying idle, Mudra loans are leading to rising NPAs. In five years of this government, NPAs have risen from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore.
"If you give then another five years, then the public sector banks will be wiped out or liquidated," he claimed.
Moily said that the government is accumulating "sin after sin".
He alleged the government has not addressed the serious problems of farmers and instead paid windfall to private players.
He claimed that the government has cut budget allocations for all the women welfare schemes.
"They do not care about women....This is the impression... if women started cursing you, you will never come again," he said.
He also said that funds for 'Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao' have also decreased and it has been reduced to a slogan only as the amount was mainly spent on advertisements.
"It is only for PM bachao," he said, adding huge amounts were spent on media advertisement and on chosen channels.
He also alleged that the government did not release the caste-based census as it is not interested in it.
Taking a swipe at the government, he said it is "good at manufacturing news, lies and web of lies. Nobel prize should be given to them for the web of lies".
