New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday slammed the Congress over the management of the Prime Minister's Relief Fund during the UPA rule, alleging a lack of accountability and transparency.

Replying to a debate on the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Rajya Sabha, he took a dig at the opposition parties, saying they were thinking in vain about coming back to power as they do not stand a chance for "15-20 years".

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Shah said that the opposition is questioning the need for bringing changes in the Disaster Management Act, 2024.

"I want to tell them that if a building is not repaired over time, it will eventually collapse.... if various experiences, best practices, etc are included in the law by changing it, then why should anyone object to it," he said.

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Laws need to evolve with time, he asserted.

"If they feel, 'we will come (into power) and change it (the law)', then they will have to wait as there is no chance for anyone else for 15-20 years. Whatever changes have to be made, we only have to do them," Shah added.

The minister said several allegations were made against the PM-CARE Fund, started under the Modi government, including claims of lack of transparency.

"It has become a culture to make accusations and then run away. But this is Parliament, not a street. If you level allegations, you will have to listen to the respose," the minister said taking on the opposition.

"Under the Congress regime, only one family had control over the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. The Congress party president used to be a member of the Prime Minister's Relief Fund," he alleged.

He contrasted this with the current PM-CARE Fund, pointing out that five top ministers, including finance and defence ministers, are trustees, and no political party president is involved in its management.

"People will decide who has more accountability," the minister said, challenging the Congress party to explain its previous fund management practices.

Shah said that there was no transparency in the PM Relief Fund during the UPA regime.

"In the government fund, the Congress President was a member. How will you answer to the citizens? You believe no one watches or reads. In our system, we have the prime minister, defence minister, home minister and finance minister," he said.

He said some may object to the saffron-coloured uniform of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) but the public feel a sense of relief upon seeing it.

He said that 16 battalions of NDRF are functioning at present.

"Looking at the NDRF dress, if I mention its colour there will be a problem. Still, I will mention it. Looking at the saffron uniform of NDRF, people feel a sense of relief. They have come, we will be saved," he said.

The NDRF has undertaken relief work not only in India, but across the world, he said.

Referring to a TMC member objecting to the bill excluding law and order situations such as riots, Shah retorted, "What is the relation between disaster management and riots? Is it because in their state there are a lot of riots."

This led to protests from TMC members who tried to voice their objections but were not allowed to speak by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Angry TMC members then walked out of the House while Shah was giving his reply.

Shah said that in West Bengal "the government changed, the party changed, but the tradition of walkouts did not change" as communists also used to do the same.

He also said that the NDA will come to power in Tamil Nadu and bury all worries around liquor and corruption raised by AIADMK member M Thambidurai.

"Thambidurai ji was expressing concern that there would be a different kind of disaster. There is a flood of liquor. Thambidurai ji the way out is not here but I would like to assure you that the NDA government will come to power. The liquor flood will dry up. Just wait for 2026," Shah said.

During the discussion on the bill, Congress and CPI (M) members also sparred over the relief for landslide-hit Wayanad in Kerala.

CPI (M) member AA Rahim alleged that it has been eight months since the calamity but the Union government has not given a single penny to the state and the victims and even the Congress MP from the constituency hasn't made any contribution from her MPLAD fund.

Congress member Jebi Mather Hisham said Kerala demanded a special package of Rs 2,000 crore but the Centre instead of declaring a special package or grant, declared it a loan.

She said that the state government has not started housing even after eight months and both the Centre and the state have not done anything for the livelihood of people in Wayanad.

Hisham said that the people have suffered heavily in Wayanad and there is no relief for them even on bank loans.

Shiv Sena (UBT) member Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the government should consider including man-made disasters arising out of law and order situations in the bill.

The amendment bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha in December 2024, was cleared by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, with several opposition-moved amendments being negated by the Upper House. About 24 members participated in the debate on the amendment bill

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)