No truth reflected in President's address: Opposition in Rajya Sabha

In the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the opposition said the government's achievements shown in the President's address were far from ground reality and that the government considered such "publicity" as a success.

On the second day of the discussion on the thank you motion to the President's address in the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament at the start of the budget session, Congress party's Rajni Ashok Patal said, "The President's address does not reflect the ground reality and the suffering of the common people." He said that while it talked about high growth rates, it did not say who was benefiting from it. Agricultural production figures have been given, but farmers' incomes are not increasing. The decline in exports is affecting income, business, and employment. The high import duties on Indian goods in the US are having a bad impact on labor-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, and marine products.

Ms. Patal expressed concern over the announcement of a trade deal with the US, saying it would affect India's agricultural sector. She objected to the information being given during a meeting with the US President earlier. She also demanded a statement from the Prime Minister on the deal in the House.

She said, "Our protest is against the thinking that considers publicity as success... Development will not happen just by verbal expenditure."

On the second day of the discussion, senior BJP member Ghanshyam Tiwari rejected the opposition's allegation of neglecting minorities, Scheduled Castes, and tribes. He said, "We (BJP) have got three opportunities to make the President and we have made Kalam sahab (Muslim), Ram Nath Kovind ji (Scheduled Caste), and now Droupadi Murmu (tribal) president."

In response to some opposition members' attacks on the RSS's ideology in the House, Tiwari said he was an old swayamsevak himself. In the collective singing of the Sangh's programs, there is devotion to the motherland and a prayer to make it glorious.

Responding to DMK members who criticized the government over federalism, Tiwari said India's federalism is not like America's. Our federal system is a united federalism. Here, the Center has the power to change the boundaries of states and create new ones.

Trinamool Congress's Ritabrata Banerjee criticized the government's thinking and work in Bengali and also raised the issue of delay in the reconstitution of the Indian Press Council.

Participating in the discussion on the thank you motion, YSR Congress's Gola Babu Rao praised the Modi government's successes, particularly mentioning the achievement of taking the Indian economy to the fourth-largest economy and lifting 250 million people out of poverty. At the same time, he complained about the lack of proper attention to railway facilities in Andhra Pradesh. He criticized the proposal to reduce the height of the Polavaram dam on the Godavari river from 45 meters to 41 meters, saying that reducing the height would cause flood damage to many areas of the state.

Biju Janata Dal's Dr. Sasmit Patra raised the demand of the people of Odisha to reduce the height of the Polavaram dam. He complained that the government's "Purvodaya" scheme was treating Odisha step-motherly.

RJD's Sanjay Yadav said the government talks about "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas" but is not creating adequate opportunities for the deprived and backward classes during its rule.

CPI(M)'s Dr. John Brittas questioned the announcement of a trade deal with the US and said that during the parliamentary session, matters related to policy are informed in Parliament, so why was this tradition not followed. He sought clarification on the matters shared by the US President on social media about the deal. He demanded that the government make a statement on the deal in the House.

He said, "If the US Agriculture Minister has thanked the President for opening India's agricultural market for the US, is this correct?"

Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said that at a time when there are 50 armed conflicts happening in different parts of the world, supply chains are affected, and technology is changing constantly, only those countries that are self-sufficient will move forward. He said that the way India is becoming self-sufficient, it is clear that it is capable of dealing with these challenges.

BJP's Ram Chandra Jangra, without naming anyone, said that the post-independence leadership considered its international image more important than the country, due to which the Kashmir issue went to the United Nations. He also questioned the Indus Waters Treaty and said it affected the country's hydroelectric projects.

Congress's Ranjeet Ranjan said the government says the country is on the "Reform Express", but looking at the condition of the youth and the deprived classes in the country, this does not seem correct. She alleged that the government is ignoring reality and is in a state of self-love. The Congress member said the country's youth are troubled by the increasing cost of education, limited opportunities, and uncertainty of employment.

YSR Congress's Niranjan Reddy said the government's "Reform Express" needs to add some new bogies. He emphasized the importance of digital economy, long-term new policy for the agricultural sector, increasing women's participation in work, and judicial reforms.

He said that law and order is a state subject, but if any state plays with it and the country's economic interests are affected, then the Center should have a responsibility.