New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today accused Congress of doing "negative politics" and using "obstructionism" to oppose the land bill, even as he expressed hope that "every way will be found" for its passage.
Terming the protest march by Congress and other parties against the land acquisition bill as one, whose sole purpose is to stall development in the country, he said, they had no right to do so and this will push the "country backwards".
"The sole purpose of Congress party's march to Rashtrapati Bhawan is to stall development in the country. It is a continuation of Congress' politics of obstructionism," he said, adding "Congress is adopting obstructionism both as a strategy and now like an ideology".
He termed it as "negative politics" that is intended to keep India backwards.
Asked about the fate of the land bill in the wake of opposition parties getting together against it, Jaitley said, "Every way will be found for its passage."
The finance minister, also a senior BJP leader, said the Ordinance provides discretion to state governments to continue under the old law or enforce any of the provisions of the new Section 10-A and questioned that the Congress and its friendly parties have no right to "stop" states from progressing.
"They have no right to stop those states which want to progress," he said, wondering why any political party with any commitment to development must oppose this bill.
Jaitley said the Ordinance is totally in "favour of farmers" and agriculture sector and through it rural infrastructure will be created, industrial corridors will come up in rural areas and it provides for creation of affordable housing for the poor migrating from rural to urban areas.
"This section of society has the right to progress. It has hopes and aspirations to live a good life," he said.
