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In a Facebook post, Mr Jaitley said, if anyone in government of India were to use the language used by Mr Kejriwal about Prime Minister and others, it would witness a nationwide outrage. The Minister said that the political discourse cannot be couched in vulgar language and said falsehood delivered with vulgar overtones is not a substitute of truth.
Mr Jaitley said, functionaries of the Delhi Government and its supporters have lowered the level of political discourse. They rely heavily on general falsehood without ever stating the specifics. The Aam Aadmi Party’s success in Delhi seems to have misled the Congress Party that vulgarity brings votes. Noting that Indian public opinion has a sense of fairness, Mr Jaitley said, it is time that public opinion expresses its outrage against the lowering of the level of public discourse.
Commenting on the Congress, the Minister said, Congress Party leadership must seriously explore that its disproportionate and irrational approach in dealing with Parliament is hurting institutions. He said, if Pandit Nehru can be credited in the initial years of the country’s democracy of having laid down of healthy precedents being established, the current generation in control of the Congress Party will find a place in history of having weakened what their ancestors established.
The Finance Minister said, most of the Congress leaders, in private, have expressed helplessness over the decision of their leadership that Parliament must be disturbed continuously. He said, the last two sessions have witnessed a clear stand of the Congress Party that Parliament shall not be allowed to function.
Reacting to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s allegations, Congress has said the productivity of Parliament was worse when UPA II was in power and BJP was in the opposition.
Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said it was Mr Jaitley who had earlier said obstruction of Parliament is in favour of democracy. Ms Oza asked why has the Finance Minister suddenly changed his mind now.
She also said comments made by Mr Jaitley that Congress leaders have expressed helplessness over party leadership that Parliament must be disturbed continuously are baseless.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh said Mr Jaitley should worry about language of his own leaders rather than worrying about AAP leaders.