Naqvi hits back at Congress, says party is on 'slippery pitch'

New Delhi, Jul 5: With Congress continuing to gun for Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje for helping controversial former IPL boss Lalit Modi, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took to cricket parlance to hit back, saying the opposition party was on a "slippery pitch" and should eschew "hit and run" tactics.

Naqvi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, said a "confused Congress" was making new allegations every hour, making it difficult for the government and people to understand what it really wants.

"The Congress party, when it was in power, used to get hit wicket everyday. Now in opposition, it is bowling no balls. They should understand that when the pitch is slippery, it is better to wait and watch then play. They need some net practice to play the role of a constructive and effective opposition," Naqvi told PTI.

He was asked to comment on External Affairs Minister Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Raje extending help to Lalit Modi in securing travel documents in the UK. Extending his cricket analogy, Naqvi said the Congress will understand the role of a constructive opposition after 4-6 years of net practice.

"One day the party will bring a paper saying it is a document related to a palace and on another some other paper saying it is (Lalit) Modi's and then another. They should decide that what it is on which that they want to speak against the government," he said.

"Are they making an allegation or is it 'chunchu ka murabba (hotch-potch)', it is not clear," Naqvi said.

"Hit, run and then take up another issue. When the opposition is itself confused, then how do we reply?" he added.

When the BJP was in opposition, Naqvi said, it raised 2G spectrum issue, irregularities in coal block allocations and Commonwealth Games which were based on CAG reports or had arisen from court orders.

The Minister, however, hoped the government would be able to enlist the support of opposition in the Parliament for passage of key legislations, including the contentious land bill.

"Our political fight can continue on the street, but not on issues related to national interest. Now there are several very important bills like Delhi High Court Bill, bills related to judicial reforms. There is Railway Bill, Lokpal-Lokayukta Bill, the bill on benami transactions and also the Land Bill," he said.

PTI