Opposition unites govt on ‘social insecurity’ and state of economy

NEWDELHI: A united opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday punctured holes in the Union government’s claims of providing better administration and amenities to the people.

Congress MP Ahmed Patel said contrary to the achievements stated by BJP president Amit Shah in his maiden speech during the motion of thanks on the President’s address, there is a feeling of “insecurity” in the social fabric, economic matters, national security, and judiciary and among constitutional bodies.

Trinamool’s Derek O’brien wrapped up by taking a jibe at the government for not fulfilling promises and said by 2022 the Oxford dictionary could have a new word ‘jumla’ (sentence) for describing a promise made, hype created and not delivering.

Patel pointed out that BJP’S allies such as Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam and the Shiromani Akali Dal have made statements to indicate trouble in the alliance.

Reacting to Shah’s comments that the NDA government was filling the depression left by the UPA regime, Patel said in 2004, when the Vajpayee government left office, annual per capita income was ₹24,000, which rose to ₹70,000 by 2014, when the Manmohan Singh-led government ended its term.

Patel also hit out at the BJP for pushing for simultaneous polls for state assemblies and Lok Sabha, and said that the government has not held simultaneous elections for vacant seats in the Lok Sabha. He said so far the ruling party has been able to win only one by-poll so far while its strength in the lower house has also come down from 282 to 273.

SP’S Ram Gopal Yadav drew attention to the continued instances of farmer’s suicide and said farmers who grew potatoes have been hard hit.

O’brien accused the government of only making promises. Citing examples of schemes in West Bengal for women’s empowerment, he said there is a recorded benefit of a scheme, ‘Kanyashree’, helping as many as 45 lakh women in the state.