Storm gathering, BJP & Congress to spar over 'Pakistani dinner' in winter session of Parliament

The Congress has decided to make a big deal of the insinuation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Congress leaders had discussed the Gujarat elections with former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and the Pakistani high commissioner to India at a dinner hosted by former Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar. 

Also read: Modi claims Pakistan trying to influence Gujarat elections

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said the Congress wants the prime minister to express regret and clarify his statement in Parliament.

“Prime minister should undo what he has done. He should take back his words,” Sharma said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar in Parliament on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

In the case of a deadlock, Parliament is expected to see adjournments over the issue. 

Highly-placed sources in the government told WION that the prime minister is not going to reply on the issue, nor is there an apology coming. 

There is however a small possibility that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may respond to the issue on the floor of the house. 

The BJP is also expected to be aggressive on the issue, and may recall previous incidents of Narendra Modi being attacked by Congress leaders.

Sources in the Congress said the proposition has been suggested to the Centre and they are waiting for the government’s response.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be in Lok Sabha on Wednesday and the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Modi had insinuated that Pakistan was trying to influence the assembly elections in Pakistan.

Mani Shankar Aiyar's dinner was also attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former vice-president Hamid Ansari, former army chief Deepak Kapoor and a number of retired Indian bureaucrats.