Parliament live updates | Govt. did little after removing main safety net for rural India: Former PM Deve Gowda

According to an official order, the first leg of the Budget Session is scheduled to conclude today in an extended sitting of the Upper House till 3 p.m. The sitting for Saturday is cancelled. It was earlier decided that the Session would conclude on February 13 instead of on February 15.

The second leg of the Session will commence on March 8.

Here are the updates:

Rajya Sabha | 12.15 pm

‘Inequality between the rich and the poor has widened’

Deependra Singh Hooda of Congress says, “There has always been a difference in what the government says and actually does. The government that talks of atmanirbhar India has reduced the Budget of skill India. The so-called nationalist government has reduced the funds for pension for our soldiers.”

“This government has the highest rate of unemployment in 70 years. It has the highest fuel rates in 70 years. And the inequality between the rich and poor has widened far more in your tenure. Today, 1% of Indians own 73% of assets.”

“We had hoped that this Budget would answer the problems of farmers. It instead reduced the agricultural Budget by 8.5%.” “You look at the farm bills from the perspective of the rich corporates. Why is the government reluctant to legalise MSP?”

Rajya Sabha | 12 pm

Point of Order raised

Sanjay Singh of AAP says, “This Budget is set to sell India’s assets. BPCL, SAIL, Airports – these aren’t private property, these are owned by 131 crore Indians.”

“PM Modi made fun of the farmers by calling them ‘andolanjeevi‘. By calling the agitating farmers andolanjeevi, you have also insulted Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Rammanohar Lohia…we are proud of the andolankaris.”

“Chaudhary Charan Singh was named here. Charan Singh’s followers are sitting there on the border of Delhi and you are making them suffer,” Mr. Singh says.

Members raise Point of Order.

MoS Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan quotes Rule 240 asking Mr. Singh to not raise irrelevant issues and limit himself to the the Budget discussions.

Mr. Singh points out that Bharatiya Mazdoor Sanghtan, “which is your own organisation has opposed your policies of privatisation.” “You don’t let farmers speak there (at the border) and here, I am not allowed to speak.”

Rajya Sabha | 11.50 pm

‘General direction of Budget is to withdraw support for agricultural sector’

Former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda of JD(S) compliments the government for the Budget presented. “MNREGA which proved to be one of the saving grace of our country’s economy and creating employment saw a Budget cut. The government did little after removing the main safety net for rural India,” Mr. Gowda says.

“The general direction of the Budget is to withdraw the support for the agricultural sector,” he says.

Rajya Sabha | 11.40 am

‘Intellectual dishonesty’

Bhupender Yadav of BJP says, “I thank PM Modi that in these challenging times too he brought us a Budget of hope.”

He accuses the Opposition of misreading statistics to create fear among people. He counters Congress leader P. Chidambaram’s remarks from yesterday, and says that it is intellectual dishonesty to quote numbers out of context.

He quotes Chaudhary Charan Singh, who had argued that PSUs should have been privatised a long time ago instead of being fed tax payer’s money. 

“Those who speak about farmers have never heard farmer’s views. The three farm laws will bring new life to the rural economy. Which is why the government is speaking to farmers keeping an open mind,” Mr. Yadav says.

Rajya Sabha | 11.30 am

‘Indian team won in Australia because of religious unity in the team’

Shaktisin Gohil of Congress says  a mother does not discriminate between her two sons, doesn’t tell her younger son to become aatmanirbhar. “But this government wants the poor to be aatmanirbhar but provides protection to friendly corporates. “

“You present lucrative schemes but with a terms and conditions. You said senior citizens do not have to file income tax but then terms and conditions were applied,” he says.

“You have zero duty on scrap imported from foreign countries, but slap 2.5% duty on scrap collected here,” he adds.

“40% tax has to be given to States, so this government is slapping cess that has not to be shared with States.”

“I want to explain how the mandis will be shut if farm laws are implemented? whenever you sell a product you have to pay tax to APMC, if products are sold outside and tax is not paid, how will APMC survive? Don’t assume that farmers are fool, they have understood,” he says.

“India cricket team that won in Australia comprised a Hindu, Sikh, Christian and a Muslim. We won because of this unity. They want to break this,” he says and the Treasury Benches object to his religion reference.

“Manmohan Singh had constituted a committee of which CM Narendra Modi was the head. He had said in the report that MSP should not be removed. Now that same person, after become PM is misquoting Dr. Singh and Shard Pawar,” he says.

Rajya Sabha | 11.20 am

‘Bhoomi, akasham, pathalam, all for FDI’

Binoy Viswam of CPI says this government will become the executive committee of the Bourgeoisie. You have given bhoomi, akasham, pathalam… all for FDI. This government is for FDI.  The market model has failed everywhere, including the USA,” he says.

“You put sanitation, health, and nutrition under one basket and claim there is a hike in allotment. There is actually a decease of allocation in the times of pandemic,” he says.

Rajya Sabha | 11 am

‘No reservation in private sector’

Ashok Siddharth of BSP says the Budget does not offer anything for a large section of the people of the country. “There is no reservation in private sector. Will the government provide reservation benefits to SC/ST who will be left out if banks and other public sector units are privatised by the government?” asks Mr. Siddharth.

“Bring reservation in private sector to benefit 25% SC community members. Government is saying 1 lakh 26 thousand crore allocated for SCs in the Budget, but this should be increased.”

Rajya Sabha | 10.45 am

‘Unbridled growth of corporates’

Abir Ranjan Biswas of TMC says there has been no explanation of sector-specific revival of the economy. “The Budget allows for unbridled growth of corporates. This government is for, by and of the capitalists,” he says.

“They intend to privatise two more public sector banks, but haven’t mentioned which ones.”

“LIC has been sacrificed at the altar of crony capitalists,” Mr. Biswas says.

“The Rs. 100 crore package announced for tea plantation workers in Assam and West Bengal has come down to Rs. 2,000 per worker for the entire year. There are 5 lakh such workers,” Mr. Biswas says.

M.V. Shreyams Kumarof LJD says the Budget has shown anger and false sense of ego. “There has been a 34% reduction in Budget in comparison with the previous one,” he says. He asks that MPLADS fund be reinstated.

Rajya Sabha | 10.30 am

Discussion on Union Budget continues

MoS Finance Anurag Singh Thakur addressing the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the Union Budget on February 12, 2021.
 
| Photo Credit: RSTV