Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the Haridwar Dharm Sansad (religious conclave), where calls were made for genocide against Muslims last year. Mr. Singh said “super rich tax” should be imposed on corporates and business people who made a fortune during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Singh, who was speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, said “the diversity seen in India cannot be found anywhere else. A Dharam Sansad was held at Haridwar, people were asked to pick pistols, genocide calls were given. The Prime Minister tweets even if someone hurts their thumb, but did not say anything about this hate speech. He belongs to the same family of organisations who want to divide and rule the country. The thinking of this organisation, I won’t name them, is the same as that of the British- divide and rule,” he stated.
Accusing the government of being a “suit boot sarkaar” (government of the rich), he observed that since 2014, the share of direct tax decreased from 55.39 % to 46.43 % and indirect tax increased from 44.61 % to 53.57%. “This means you are taxing the rich less and taxing the poor more. You increased indirect tax by increasing petrol diesel prices and reduced subsidies, 27% subsidies have been slashed, it used to go to the common people. Why don’t you impose a ‘super rich tax’ on people whose wealth increased during the pandemic. You only want to tax the poor. This government is anti poor and anti farmer,” he alleged.
‘Economy hit by pandemic’
Ripun Bora of the Congress noted that the economy was devastated by the pandemic and the income of 84 crore people had come down drastically but President’s address did not mention anything about them.
“Jawaharlal Nehru created 33 PSUs [Public Sector Undertakings] but no privatisation, Lal Bahadur Shastri- 5, Indira Gandhi- 66, Morarji Desai- 9, Rajiv Gandhi– 16, VP Singh- 2, P.V Narasimha Rao- 14, I.K Gujaral and HD Deve Gowda- 3 PSUs but no privatisation was done, Atal Bihari Vajpayee created 17 PSUs and privatised seven, Manmohan Singh created 23 PSUs and privatised 3 PSUs, but in the past eight years vishwaguru PM Modi did not create a single PSU but has privatised 23 PSUs,” he said. The Armed Forces Special (Powers) Act was grossly misused in the northeast region, specially in Nagaland, where the military killed 14 civilians recently. “Military is used against foreign aggression, but they killed our own people and nothing has been done...Naga peace talks have not yielded any result,” he stated.
Jawhar Sircar (TMC), who made his maiden speech since taking oath six months ago, said, “There is inequality and inequity, flowery language do not fill stomachs. Fourteen crore people were pushed into poverty in the last two years, whereas 10 crore were lifted out of property in 10 years from 2006.” He demanded that in 2024 general election, VVPATs should be used. “Let two results come- one through the EVMs and one through the VVPATs, let there be a paper trail.”
‘Idea of India under threat’
Keshava Rao of the TRS alleged that the idea of India was under threat and the “Constitution says we are a Union of States.” He said the party had always been voting in support of the BJP in the Upper House in the past but they have decided not to do so now.
“We have been close to you, voting for you. Today we have decided we shall not be with you, shall never be with you. Why this change, you must ask yourself?” he said. The southern States were discriminated against and Hindi was imposed on them. “Telangana has not got any Central institutions such as IIT, IIM or Navodaya Vidyalaya, why discriminate against us,” he asked.
The Telangana Chief Minister had suggested changes in the Constitution, because under the ruling government, its basic structure and secularism were under threat, he added.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge interjected Mr. Rao’s speech, “if you want to change the Constitution, we will be the first one to oppose it, you can suggest amendments.”
Development of northeast
Kamakhya Prasad Tasa (BJP) said the population of the northeastern States was only 5-6 crore but the Prime Minister gave great importance to the region. “Earlier, we were treated as outsiders, people used to ask us, you live in jungles/caves? Now look at the development there. In Assam, minority areas don’t vote for us, but development has reached those panchayats also. Have we cancelled the ration card of any minority? No,” he highlighted.
Few days ago, an Arunachal youth who went missing near the border was returned by the Chinese. “If this is not [being] vishwaguru, then what is? He was returned, earlier if someone went missing they could not be found. Manipur is peaceful now. A Prime Minister from Gujarat has visited Manipur, Nagaland so many times,” he asserted.
