Some people cannot accept transparency: PM’s dig at Opposition on electoral bonds

IN AN apparent dig at the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said some people have issues with anything that is undertaken to ensure transparency and these days electoral bonds have become “their favourite topic”. Modi’s remarks were his first since the issue of electoral bonds snowballed into a political flashpoint following a report by a news portal that the Reserve Bank of India and the Election Commission had reservations against the bonds but were overruled by his Government. In an apparent swipe at the Congress, Modi also said the “sensitive and emotional” Ayodhya issue could have been solved much earlier, but due to “vote bank” politics of some parties it got dragged for so long. Modi, while addressing Republic TV Summit here, said Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir was a temporary provision in the Constitution from day one but due to the “political selfishness of some people and families”, it was considered as permanent.

Taking a dig at the Opposition led by the Congress, he said that there was a pattern to some people raising issues just before every parliamentary session. “These people resort to some or the other lies and then it is imposed on everyone. If you recall that some people resorted to chaos over NPAs (non performing assets)... There was a pattern,” he said. “Before the session, news is planted or made a breaking news. There was a similar pattern in NPAs, EVMs, Rafale (fighter jet deal) and a few days back when the government cut down the corporate tax, they again started,” Modi said.

“These days election (electoral) bonds has become their favourite topic. Some people have issues if anything happens in the country to ensure transparency,” he said. Modi spoke at length about the two important developments about his Government’s second term -- abrogation of Article 370 provisions and Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya case.