Trinamool Congress attacks Jaitley, vows to oppose insurance reform

New Delhi, Dec 20: Affirming its opposition to insurance sector reforms, the Trinamool Congress on Saturday hit out at union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who has charged the West Bengal's ruling party of obstructing the upper house of parliament.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha chief whip Derek O'Brien accused Jaitley of "falsehood" and "putting spins to things" and asserted seven to eight parties were united in opposing the "so called reforms".

"Two days of parliament are still left. If Jaitley thinks he has seen the best of Trinamool, he is wrong. Don't bulldoze us, we will fight you in the parliamentary democracy. Insurance Bill is not a reform. It is only being touted as a reform. We do not need these so-called reforms," he said.

"Jaitley cannot use weekend bytes to try and put spin to things," said O'Brien referring to the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader's comments wherein he had charged the Trinamool of obstructing proceedings in parliament.

Asserting that the government was "extremely determined" to push for insurance sector reforms, Jaitley, without naming the Trinamool, Saturday said: "One political party finds itself involved in something which is unsavoury, and are therefore trying to divert attention by creating obstruction in the upper house."

TMC: Jaitley cannot use weekend bytes to try and put spin to things

Dubbing him as "frustrated minister" and "falsehood minister", O'Brien warned Jaitley against indulging in "mudslinging" and called for making public the workings of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"Let us not get into scams because I can also throw mud. Let us bring issues like that of the BCCI into the public domain. Let us see who is in charge and who is pulling strings in the BCCI," said O'Brien.

Daring the BJP to fight it out politically, the Trinamool leader said: "BJP should pull up old records and see how they used to disrupt the Rajya Sabha. Do not play these dirty games, do not make it a street-slanging match."

IANS