E-Paper
Opposition MPs criticise govt in Rajya Sabha, focus on lack of jobs, economy
BJD MP, Sasmit Patra said the government has been following a deferential policy in procurement of grains. He said while the government has purchased food stock from Karnataka, it has yet to buy the 22 lakh metric tonne of parboiled rice from Odisha.
Members of the opposition parties while participating in the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President‘s address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, attacked the Union government for failing to provide jobs and bring the economy on track.
Congress leader, Ripun Bora said there has been a drastic fall in the income of 84 crore people during the pandemic but the President‘s address did not mention any of this. He said while 27 crore people were pulled out of poverty when the UPA was in power, the number of those who have slipped below poverty line has increased during the current regime.
Bora, also raised the issue of examining the need to continue with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and made a pointed reference to the killings of residents in Nagaland last year during an operation by the armed forces who mistook their identities.
His colleague, Digvijay Singh said the disparity between the rich and the poor has grown. He also drew attention to the communal polarisation and said religiosity has affected the country’s unity in diversity.
TMC’s Jawahar Sircar said the country’s economy has never gone through such a bad patch.
“The bottom half of India has lost what they had and hold 13% of the wealth and the top 10% have about 22%. About 14 crore have been pushed into poverty in the last two years…Without equitable economy what does it matter if the Indian economy reaches 3 trillion or 30 trillion because all of it will be going into the pockets of a few,” he said.
He criticised the government’s national monetisation pipeline and said the allocation for health and education is extremely low.
“The spending on Health has gone from 1.2 to 1.8% that is lower than Brazil and Bhutan. All advanced counties spend over 5%,” the TMC MP said in his maiden speech in the Upper House.
He also criticised the government for the Central Vista project and said it is an “arrogant display of hubris”.
BJD MP, Sasmit Patra said the government has been following a deferential policy in procurement of grains. He said while the government has purchased food stock from Karnataka, it has yet to buy the 22 lakh metric tonne of parboiled rice from Odisha.
“The government said record production was done and record procurement was done, that is good, but if 900 lakh metric procurement was done then why was the procurement of 22 lakh metric tonne of rice from Odisha not carried out. If all states are equal, then why the difference between Odisha and Karnataka,” he said.
Patra also said he could not find the term federalism anywhere in the president’s speech. “Is It not needed or out of syllabus or out of date,” he said.
TRS leader K Kesava Rao was also critical of the government at the Centre. He said India’s polity and the idea of India is under threat. He said ever since the ruling party has come to power there has been politics of polarisation, which is the greatest threat. “...Today it might pay us, but tomorrow when it reaches the heart, you will find two nations, two minds that cannot be brought together,” he said.
Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi attacked the Congress for not being able to differentiate between personalities and the country. He said for the party dynasty ruled over all else.
He said the BJP restored the “Prime Minister’s institution and the hijacked credibility and restored character and commitment” and put an end to the practice of “cut and commission” and “politics of appeasement”.
The minister said the government has endeavoured to ensure that benefits of its schemes and policies reach the last person in the queue and by direct transfer of monetary assistance to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts it has put an end to bad practices and pilferage.
“Eight years ago, the PMO was run from somewhere else, the PM used to get directions from somewhere else and not just that, Cabinet decisions were dismissed as nonsense and nuisance. Today, we don’t have a helpless PM but a strong PM (majboot, majboor nahin),” he said. He said the government had also put an end to “laal batti’ culture that irked the common man.
He said the government had been successful in curbing terror and riots that were commonplace in the previous regime.
AIADMK MP M Thambidurai lauded the achievements of the government in different sectors such as healthcare, defence, start-ups, infrastructure, and agriculture.
RJD AD Singh paid tribute to the Galwan braves but added threats have not diminished.
“More conflicts have arisen and despite regular talks, there are no signs of illegal occupation of land ending anytime soon. The famous salami slicing policy is in action and our response has been muted. Such silence only encourages the aggressor who sees this as a sign of weakness,” he said, adding that the Centre should appoint a new chief of defence staff quickly.
