New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday attacked the Narendra Modi government on its economic record, saying that it had not created even a single Public Sector Unit (PSU) but it has privatised 23 of them.
Participating in the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President’ Address, Congress member Ripun Bora said: ” (Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi created 16 PSUs, no privatisation, (Prime Minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee created 17 PSUs, (Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh created 23 PSUS, only three privatised, but the Modi government did not create a single PSU and he privatised 23 PSUs so far.”
Noting that the economy was badly devastated by the pandemic, he said that nearly 84 crore people’s income has come down drastically during it but the President’s address did not mention anything about it. Under the UPA government, 27 crore people were pulled out of poverty, he added.
Claiming that around five crore more people have been pushed below poverty line recently, he said the President’s speech did not mention a single word on how to tackle price rise which has led to individual consumption drastically declining.
Bora also brought up the issue of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and the killings of civilians in Nagaland’s Mon killings. “Normally the military is used against foreign aggression, but our military has killed our own people.”
He also said that Naga peace talks have also been derailed.
Congress member Digvijaya Singh said that after ‘Suit Boot Sarkaar’, came, the direct tax decreased from 55.39 per cent to 46.43 per cent while the indirect tax increased from 44.61 per cent to 53.57 per cent, indicating that the government is taxing the rich less and the poor more.
“In this Budget, the Modi government has reduced subsidies by 27 per cent, why do not you increase taxation on the super-rich?” he asked, terming the government of “being against the poor and the farmers of this country”.
“This government is antipoor and anti-farmer. The first ordinance they brought was the Land Acquisition Act. “They ignore the strength and unity of farmers,” he said.
Referring to the Dharma Sansad which was held at Haridwar recently, Digvijaya Singh said that calls were given for genocide and no one from the government said anything about this hate speech. “During Amrit Mahotsav, you have never mentioned those who took part in the freedom struggle. You may not like Congress leaders like Nehru, Patel, but you could have mentioned Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad,” he added.
Taking a dig at the treasury benches, Singh also said that when Article 370 was included in the Constitution, Syama Prasad Mookerjee was part of the Cabinet, @but you mislead that he opposed it”. “In Bhima Koregaon case, it was alleged that there was a conspiracy to kill PM Modi, but it has been more than three years and no chargesheet has been filed.
TRS MP K. Keshava Rao, quoting a media report, says there was an increase in hate speech and there is an urgent need to bring a special law to deal with the same.
He also alleged that the southern states were being ignored and the distribution of funds to states by the BJP-led government fails to provide any incentive.
–IANS