BJP, Opposition set to slug it out in Parliament over PNB scam

The ruling BJP, buoyed by its impressive performance in three state polls, and the opposition, armed with the issue of banking scam, are likely to lock horns over a number of contentious matters in Parliament which reconvenes tomorrow.

Both houses of Parliament will meet after a month-long recess in the Budget Session, during which the passage of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, which seeks confiscation of assets of absconding fraudsters and loan defaulters, and the triple talaq bill will be high on the government's agenda.

The bill to target economic offenders was approved by the government following the escape of diamond merchant Nirav Modi and other accused in the over Rs 12,700-crore Punjab National Bank scam.

The opposition has sought to pin the blame for the fraud on the government and mounted an attack on it by pointing out that Modi, after liquor baron Vijay Mallya, is the second big offender to flee India with a huge amount of money owed to public banks.

The BJP has claimed that the PNB scam had begun when the UPA was in power and its government has acted with alacrity after the fraud came out in the open.

Treasury benches and opposition are likely to slug it out in Parliament over the matter.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has launched pointed attacks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this issue.

The BJP, however, has been energised following its win in Tripura and impressive performance in Nagaland and Meghalaya elections coupled with a comprehensive defeat of the Congress.

The ruling party is likely to be aggressive in Parliament and rake up scams that happened on the Congress watch to pin it down, party sources said.

The triple talaq bill, which seeks jail term for Muslim men practising instant divorce, is another contentious issue.

The BJP has made it clear that it will seek its passage in Parliament despite a strong opposition to it from parties like the Congress and the Left among others.

The passage of the OBC bill, which envisages constitutional status for the OBC commission, is another item on the government's agenda.

Parliament will also take up a discussion on the Union budget, which was tabled in the first half of the session, and pass it.