Opposition today tore into the government, questioning it on schemes like Jandhan, MNREGA and 'Make in India' and slamming its defence and foreign policy, particularly vis-a-vis Pakistan, even as the ruling side cited various initiatives as its "achievements" and blamed the previous UPA regime for delaying progress.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha, while participating in a discussion on 'Motion of Thanks to the President's Address', offered "help" and "coordination" even as he accused the government of "double speak" and "hypocrisy" over the initiatives taken by it and said there was no expectation that these will yield any results.
"There are so many things blown out of proportion. This is unfavourable....This is all hypocracy. Nothing is going to be done. I don't have any expectation, any aspiration," he said while moving some amendments to Motion along with party colleagues Ashwani Kumar and Moti Lal Vora.
"I am not talking about success rate. We have also worked," he said, adding "We both should work together and coordinate together... No doubt, we are in opposition. But we are ready to help you."
Earlier, initiating debate on the Motion, Health Minister J P Nadda projected crop insurance scheme, Bangladesh border pact, skill development and transparency as government's achievements and attacked the previous Congress-led regime, saying progressive measures have had to wait for decades to be put in motion.
He said when NDA government took over, the economy was gloomy and there was "policy paralysis and stagnation", and now the world accepts India as the fastest growing economy.
The government is working with a "pro-poor" and "pro-growth" approach, he said, adding that schemes like Jandhan Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana had resulted in a "financial revolution."
Questioning the government's policies, Azad accused it of neglecting the farm sector and farmers and not fulfilling the poll promise of doubling the MSP but raising it "namesake".
Attacking the government for trumpeting 'Make in India' programme, Azad said, "It has promised to create 10 crore jobs in five years. Two years have gone by. Where are the jobs?"
With regard to MNREGA and Food Security Act, he said appreciated the government for realising the importance of programmes started by UPA government and continuing them now after checking their impact at ground level. "Why don't you acknowledge them," the Congress leader asked.
On Jandhan Yojana, Azad pointed out lack of progress made in opening of bank accounts though much publicity was being done on the same across the country.
Questioning the government's "attitude" towards dalits, he alleged that "Maximum atrocities are on dalits and SCs. The intensity of atrocities are increasing.
With regard to foreign policy, Azad said the government is
in "doldrums and indicisive" with regard to Pakistan.
"Your policy on Pakistan will not yield results.. Pakistan is friend to no one, neither to us, nor you," he said.
Noting the irony of affairs, the former UPA minister said, "When we were in power, when we were engaging Pakistan, we were criticised. Now you are engaging, you consider it good. If others do, it is wrong. If you do, it is good."
Azad, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, said several Indian soldiers have been targeted in ceasefire violations in his state and the government should give "full backing" to them irrespective of difference of opinion.
The Congress will support you when it comes to national security, the Leader of Opposition said.
Referring to the attack on Pathankot Airbase in January, he said the government had committed blunders. "Inspite of intellenge inputs, counter measures were not taken. It happened for the first time," he said.
At this, Minister Maneka Gandhi reminded him of the terrorist attack in Mumbai in November 2008.
Azad then said, "In Mumbai, it did happen. In Parliament, it did happen. Pakistan is friend to no one, neigher us nor you. I was saying it happened in our and your times."
He said, "When it happened in our times, you said we were trying to treat terrorists in grand manner..What are you doing now? The double speak will not be tolerated".
Azad said BJP had defamed Congress and UPA government. "UPA did a lot of work in its 10 years tenure. You won 282 seats by rumour-mongering against the UPA," he added.
Raising black money issue, Azad said, "The President's address says the black money has started yield results. Where are the results showing?"
The government gave an affidavit to Supreme Court saying that it cannot make public names of those stashed black money abroad, the Congress leader said.
"In the entire 10 years UPA tenure, BJP kept attacking leaders of Congress within and outside. It tarnished image. It even said the black money kept outside belongs to Congress. ...Almost two years have passed, Why are you not making public those names? BJP should apologise Congress for indulging in propaganda and tarnishing the image," he said.
The Congress leader also accused the government of neglecting the defence sector, saying "it was for the first time that there is no mention about defence in the Budget... Why it is missing? It is a very serious issue...NDA is suffering to protect borders."
To this, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "I don't think you have properly looked at it."
Azad said, "You always make tall claims about defence. We need to make a strong country by building strong borders. For which, defence procurement is necessary.
Azad questioned if ready-to-fly fighter jets are to be
bought from France, then what will happen to 'Make in India' programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House at that time.
The Congress leader said UPA government had contracted to procure 126 Rafale fighter aircrafts from France. Out of these, 18 were to be bought off-the-shelf and the rest were to be manufactured in India using French technology.
But the NDA government scrapped the deal. "Why it was shelved? If it had been done, we would have earned name in the world. Now, we talk of procuring 36 of them as if we are buying chocolates. ...We are not sure of those 36 also. The House is not taken into confidence," he said.
Azad further said when French President Francois Hollande was here as Chief Guest for Republic Day this year he had said India will purchase ready-to-fly 36 rafale jets.
Taking jibes at the Congress, Nadda said way back in 1971, it was said that bank nationalisation would benefit the poor, "but it was only after 2014 that the government has held the hands of the poor".
He said Jandhan Yojana has increased the number of bank account holders to over 21 crore from little over 3 crore.
Claiming that India's global standing had got a boost under Modi's leadership, Nadda said the border pact with Bangladesh which had languished for nearly 41 years was resolved in only one and a half years.
He also referred to the coal scam and 2G scams over which the previous UPA regime had faced flak and said a theory of "zero loss" or "notional loss" had been floated then.
The Modi regime has in a transparent manner conducted auctions of these resources which have earned the exchequer lakhs and crores of rupees, the Minister said.
He also referred to the recently-launched Crop Insurance Scheme and said it would have long term effect and ensure security to farmers who will now be compensated speedily even when their crops face localised or post-harvest damage.
Referring to the initiative for soil health cards, Nadda said even this scheme has had to wait for 2014 to be actualised.
M J Akbar (BJP) said the Modi government's philsophy is
to eliminate poverty and the schemes are being run keeping this target in mind.
Noting that there was no greater violence than poverty, he said, "Our PM knows when people are hungry and in what manner it anguishes them," and hence his policies are focused on the poor.
He said there were stable governments after 1972 but they were not faithful to those who voted them to power.
Blaming the trickle-down theory for prevailing poverty, Akbar said, "The trickle-down theory has destroyed the country. The Modi government has put bottom to top approach. For the first time we see this change in the government which has began thrust to the poor."
Trickle-down theory is a populist political term used to characterize economic policies as favoring the wealthy or privileged.
Poverty level has come down to 30 per cent now from 66 per cent in last 70 years of the country's independence. "We can feel happy about it. It took 70 years to bring down to 30 per cent. Will poor wait for another 70 years to bring to zero? They will not wait," he added.
Akbar further said the government has come to believe that poor can also become bussinessmen and schemes like Mundra Yojana and Jan Dhan Yojana are being launched to help them.
As he was referring more to PM's speech, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) raised a point of order, "Whether we are discussing President's address or PM's speech. Let him restrict to President's address."
"Jobs, education, medicine, village and poverty --these words may be source of amusement to cynics but they are source of hope for poor," Akbar said, adding that it is the poor who are going to find a revoluationary change in their lives.
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Ashwani Kumar (Cong) attacked the government for dubbing its leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as "anti-national", saying "don't raise questions on our nationalism. Who gave that right to you?..Just because we stood with the JNU students."
He told the NDA leadership that it is not the custodian of their own principles but of the Constitution and it is this sacred Constitution which is "under siege" along with the freedom of thought and speech.
The Congress leader alleged that under this government, incidents of communalism are on the rise and atrocities on dalits are increasing. He cited examples of Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh where there has been an increase of 73 per cent and 44 percent each in incidents of atrocities on dalits.
He also said that minorities in the country are not safe and feel insecure and questioned the inflamatory statements made by BJP leaders.
Kumar said all schemes listed by this government are those of UPA which have been renamed and presented in a new form.
"It is the foundation kept by the UPA on which you are trying to build your government," he said, asking where the government stood on issues of quality, independence and brotherhood and the country was watching and will assess it.
"You will have to explain to people of India why suicides of farmers are taking place. You could not give compensation to 3,326 farmers who committed suicide in 2015. Don't excape responsibility," he said.
Talking about the Pathankot attack, he said, "You are accountable. Why the entire Army was not sent and instead NSG commandos were sent from Delhi."
Kumar said the government is not allowing the opposition to "express itself" and "spurious debate" is being orchestrated in the country on nationalism, which needs to be "debunked".
Baishnab Parida (BJD) said the President's address has not covered the tragic suicides by the farmers in the country.
Referring to the issue of alleged hate speech by Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria, he said: "On one hand you talk of economic growth, and on the other you are dividing the society."
Parida questioned the Prime Minister's silence when there are instances like hate speeches and that of anti-nationalism.
"The Prime Minister's silence is affecting the people here and also abroad," he added.
He said that Eastern India has been neglected in the Budget for 2016-17.
Supporting the President's address, Anil Desai (SS) urged the members in the House to help the government in building the country.
Congratulating security forces in foiling the terrorist attacks in Pathankaot and Pampore, he said that Pakistan is not seroius about tackling the menace of terrorism.
K P Ramalingam (DMK) also spoke.
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Ashwani Kumar said the Modi Government has failed the nation on all fronts.
He said the President address is deafeningly silent on the brazen onslaughts on fundamental values of inclusion, freedom and fraternity that define the "Idea of India".
Citing facts and figures, Kumar said the BJP's promise, "Saab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas" and "Ekatma, Manavta Ka Darshan" have fallen flat when measured against the ground reality.
As on 31st December 2015, 3228 farmers committed suicide and compensation was awarded to only 1841 families. He said that we cannot place a value on life but even then no notional compensation was offered to the farmers to all the farmers. He reminded the government of the need for compassion.
Referring to JNU incidents, Kumar said no right-minded citizen believes that there was anything in Kanhaiya Kumar's speech that would invite charges of sedition. He asked the government not to breach the sanctity of higher institutions of learning by sending in police.
He said the government has failed to create an atmosphere for a constructive engagement with opposition because of its vicious campaign of calumny against its political opponents.
He said that the Gandhi family had lost its members to terrorism in the defense of the unity and integrity of India and that the Congress party needed no certificates on patriotism and nationalism from anyone else.
He concluded by saying that every Indian is a nationalist and each one of us has our own idea of nationalism.
