When Indira Gandhi snubbed YB Chavan for mooting note ban in 1971

   
Quoting from former bureaucrat Madhav Godbole's book 'Unfinished Innings: Recollections and Reflections of a Civil Servant', Prime Minister Modi said, when YB Chavan had advised Indira Gandhi to implement the Wanchoo panel recommendation for note-ban in 1971, Indira Gandhi had snubbed Chavan with her question, "Will Congress party never contest any election again."

Under attack by political detractors for his demonetisation drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Dec 16, 2016 made blistering attack on the Congress and the Left parties for what he said coming in defence of the "dishonest" people and asserted that the new decline in the standard of politics was a matter of "deep concern".
 "....beimano ke saath dene ke liye ikkathey ho rahen haen (It is as if they have all decided to join hands to defend and take side of the dishonest and corrupt people)," the Prime Minister said in his over half-an-hour speech at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here.

Despite market talks: Namo remains defiant

The Prime Minister asserted that the currency ban drive he launched on November 8 mid night in effect should have been brought way back - forty five years back - in 1971. "What we did today (ban on high currency notes) actually should have been brought in 1971," Mr Modi said.    Mr Modi also did not spare the Left parties and making a broadside attack on them charged the communists with compromising their ideological standing.
    "When the Left aligned with the Congress for West Bengal polls, I presumed it was solely to fight the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee. But what they did now in Parliament on demonetisation shows they have also given up on their ideological beliefs," he said.
    Mr Modi said noted Marxist MP Jyotirmoy Basu, stating that on August 26, 1972, the CPI-M had said that: "Indira Gandhi had won elections with black money in 1971 and thus she did not implement demonetisation scheme and had even kept the report of the Wanchoo committee under carpet".

Clean Politics?

  The Prime Minister also flayed Dr Manmohan Singh and said it appears that the former Prime Minister is now more concerned for the party than the country. "Unko Dal ki chinta hae, desh ki chinta nahi (It appears, he is more concerned about the party and not the country)" he said.
   He said the new low as being seen in contemporary politics is a matter of deep concern.
"Today is December 16, Vijay Diwas. In 1971, Indian Army crushed Pakistan and helped Bangladesh attain independence. There was a strong opposition then also. But none expected the Army to provide proof of their actions. Today even if soldiers are braving deaths in discharge of their duties, they are asked to provide proofs of their action against the enemy," he said.
    "This decline in standards of politics is a matter of big concern," Mr Modi said.

(UNI story on L K Advani's 'Marg Darshak' role)

Advani finally in 'Marg Darshak' role for ruling BJP

New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI) Veteran BJP parliamentarian L K Advani today finally donned the role of 'Marg Darshak'.
   In dramatic developments, the former Deputy Prime Minister today aired his anguish to the Home Minister Rajnath Singh on continued disruption of Parliament proceedings.
"I feel like resigning,’’ Mr Advani said, according to Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali. Two other members, including one from the ruling BJP were also with Mr Ali when he was talking to the BJP leader.
     The angry remarks from Advani, who was sidelines in the party pushed to the advisory role post-2014 Lok Sabha polls, came on the penultimate day of the almost washout winter session.

The Leader with his Fan

   While Advani's outbursts generated heat at the fag end of the winter session, these have have definitely embarrassed the ruling dispensation and especially the floor managers in both the Houses.       
    On December 7 too, Mr Advani had given a vent to his pent up anger first when he had expressed displeasure both at the Opposition behaviour and at the way the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar were running the House.
    The Trinamool MP Ali said what when he asked about Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s health, Mr Advani said the former prime minister would have been very unhappy over what was happening in Parliament.
    The remarks certainly gave a fodder to the opposition camp to direct their ire against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government.
    Welcoming the comments by 89-year-old Advani  that he felt like resigning over the continuing  disruptions in Parliament, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said he was thankful to the senior MP for fighting for democratic values within his party.
     "Thank you Advani ji for fighting for democratic values within your party,’’ Rahul said in a tweet on which he also posted the report quoting Mr Advani as having made the remark.

Search of an issue?

  During the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan also shared Mr Advani's anguish over continuous disruption of Parliamentary proceedings saying this was "sad" and a matter of "regret".
       "Advaniji dukhi hain ...waise sabhi dukhi hain (I know Mr LK Advani is unhappy about this. Everyone else is also unhappy)," Ms Mahajan said at a book release function on Parliament premises.
     Speaking at the release of two commemorative volumes on Parliamentary speeches of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and ex-BJP leader from Karnataka Jagannathrao Joshi, the Speaker, however, said, "In any case whatever is happening is happening."
     The winter session of Parliament that began on November 16 is slated to end tomorrow (Dec 16) is heading for a washout.