Kolkata: Trinamool Congress today hit back at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his veiled attack on it accusing it of creating obstructions in the Rajya Sabha and said BJP should fight the party politically and not make it a “slanging match”.
“BJP should fight us politically. Don't play these dirty games, Mr.Jaitley. Don't make it a street-slanging match: TMC leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien tweeted.
“Jaitley cannot use weekend bytes to try and put spin to things. Not at all. Not acceptable”, he said referring to Jaitley's comment at a function in Delhi this morning that a political party, whose members are allegedly involved in a chit fund scam, is trying to divert attention by creating obstruction in Rajya Sabha.
“BJP is now trying to find the villain of the piece and pass the buck on to Trinamool”, “O'Brien said.
“On the floor of the Rajya Sabha, political reality is there. BJP should pull up old records and see how they used to disrupt the RS”, he said.
“Yes, we are for GST. But the way these things are being done is not correct”, the Trinamool MP said.
“I raised a question in the Rajya Sabha yesterday and I repeat it today. Were the (state) Finance Ministers called?” O'Brien said.
“Insurance Bill is not a reform. It is only being touted as a reform. Two days of Parliament (winter session) are left. If Mr Jaitley thinks he has seen the best of TMC, he is wrong”, O'Brien said.
“Jaitley is FM - Frustrated Minister - because he cannot get any bills passed in Parliament”, he tweeted.
“Nine Opposition parties are united. This is not about TMC. This is about the nation as a whole. We do not need these so-called reforms”, he said.
“We have also filed a Privilege Notice against Mr Jaitley in the House on Saradha case and the Christmas issue”, O'Brien said.
“Spinning media can help win election campaigns but governance is serious business”, he said.
“This is not about Trinamool. This is about a United Opposition”, he said.
“It is unbecoming of the Finance Minister, who is also the I&B Minister, to put spins to certain things', he said.
