New Delhi,
On a day of vociferous protests in Parliament by Opposition over “bank loot”, the BJP launched a scathing retaliatory attack against the Congress using the “80:20” scheme launched by the previous UPA government ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Linking the PNB fraud thread to the Congress, specifically P Chidambaram whose son Karti is embroiled in a scam, minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged the ex-Finance Minister granted gold import benefits to seven private firms, including scam-accused Gitanjali Gems.

“Chidambaram and Rahul must answer why was this (80:20 scheme) passed on the day of the results to benefit these seven private companies? Who were the lobbyists putting pressure on the government,” Prasad questioned as he went on to recount the “list of scams and frauds” under the UPA. Around August 2013, the then UPA government introduced the 80:20 rule that was scrapped after the NDA came to power in 2014. “That is why the Congress is anti-reforms. Because whenever there is a reform, there will be transparency and accountability. That is the reason why the Congress is indulging in politics of lies and fear,” he alleged.

Riding high on the electoral success in the North-East, he also called as “illusionary” efforts to build a new “federal front”. The country’s polity has moved much beyond the “murky world” of Third Front, he said

Prasad claimed the BJP had the support of 23-24 parties because it was “sensitive to the needs” of its allies and “accommodative without being prejudiced” in nature. However, he dismissed questions as regards protests by ally TDP inside and outside Parliament on grants related to Andhra Pradesh saying “whatever is required is being done. The government will take it (the demands) with open mind”.