Budget | 'Not a Word About Unemployment in President's Address': Rahul Gandhi
Catch all the live updates on the Budget Session of the Parliament here.
advertisement
A day after the presentation of the Union Budget, the proceedings of the Budget Session of Parliament continued on Wednesday, 2 February, with the Rajya Sabha beginning its sitting at 10 am.
During a debate on the President's Motion of Thanks address, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the speech made on Tuesday and pointed out that not a word was said about unemployment. He also attacked the BJP government for the increasing the gap between the rich and the poor, among other issues.
Gandhi will be the first Opposition leader to reply to the debate in the Lok Sabha, news agency ANI reported. The Lower House is scheduled to resume its proceedings at 4 pm on Wednesday.
The Budget Session of Parliament began on Monday, 31 January, with the President's Address.
The first leg of the Budget Session will end on 11 February. The second part of the session is scheduled from 14 March to 8 April. Standing committees will evaluate the budgetary allocations in the recess.
Due to the prevailing COVID-19 outbreak, the Rajya Sabha will sit from 10 am to 3 pm, and the Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm.
The Congress had, on Monday, moved a privilege motion against IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in both Houses for "misleading" the House on the Pegasus spyware issue.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Rajya Sabha Proceedings Begin
The proceedings of the Upper House of the Parliament began at 10 am.
At the outset of the proceedings, members of the Rajya Sabha observed silence in the memory of the people who lost their lives in heavy rains in Malaysia and the recent volcanic eruption in Tonga.
Health Minister Mandaviya Cycles to the Parliament
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya rode a bicycle to the Parliament on Wednesday morning.
CPI Leaders Give Suspension of Business Notice in RS for Discussion on Pegasus
CPI(M) floor leader in Rajya Sabha Elamaram Kareem on Wednesday submitted a notice to suspend the business and discuss the Pegasus issue in the Upper House.
CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam also gave a suspension of business notice for a discussion of the snooping matter.
PM Modi Attends Rajya Sabha
LoP Mallikarjun Kharge Slams BJP Govt Over Unemployment
"Widespread unemployment is prevalent in the country. Youths are in distress because big factories are shutting down, investment is not coming, and the number of govt jobs is shrinking," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge stated in the House.
"In 2014, you (BJP) promised 2 crore jobs every year. You should have provided 15 crore jobs by now. But how many jobs did you actually provide?" Kharge added.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow, 3 February.
'Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act at Various Stages of Implementation': Centre to RS
Minister of State for Home affairs Nityanand Rai informed Rajya Sabha that many provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act have been implemented and "remaining are at various stages of implementation".
"Continuous efforts are made to build consensus between the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to resolve bilateral issues amicably," the minister stated.
1,807 Communal Riot Cases Filed in India Between 2018-2020: MoS Nityanand Rai
A total of 1,807 communal riot cases were registered in India in the period spanning 2018-2020, MoS Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha.
8,565 people were arrested in connection with these cases, Rai further added.
'Not a Word About Unemployment in President's Address': Rahul Gandhi
Pointing out that he is speaking with the spirit of discomfort, not criticism, Congress Rahul Gandhi lamented the Presidential Address from Tuesday, and said that it laid bare the idea of 'two Indias': one of the rich and the privileged, and one of the poor.
"Not a word about unemployment in the presidential address," Gandhi said.
"Don't think that poor in this country will stay mum. This new, poor India is seeing everything, they can see that that the 100 richest in the country have more wealth than 55% of the country," he further added.
'You Think You Can Suppress Languages & Cultures, You Have No Idea What You are Dealing With': Rahul to Modi Govt
Stating that this country was a partnership, and not a kingdom, Rahul Gandhi said: "You think you can suppress languages and cultures, you have no idea what you are dealing with."
He also alleged that the idea of a king had come back, and that the institutions of India were being attacked by one idea.
"The people of Tamil Nadu...the farmers of Punjab...they do not have a voice. Only the king has a voice," Rahul Gandhi said.
'Disrespect Me, but You Cannot Disrespect the People of the Country': Rahul Gandhi
Continuing his address, Rahul Gandhi said: "Disrespect me, but you cannot disrespect the people of the country."
"The Judiciary, the Election Commission, Pegasus, these are all instruments of destroying the voice of the union of states," he further alleged.
He was, however, stopped from making further reference to the Pegasus spyware by BJP leaders, stating that the matter is sub-judice.
Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP Govt of Bringing Pak and China Together
He also accused the BJP government of having brought Pakistan and China together.
"And this is the single biggest crime you can commit against the people of India," Gandhi added.
Pointing out that "we are all nationalists here," Rahul said:
"I can see clearly that China has a plan...It is very clear that the Chinese and the Pakistanis are planning. Look at the weapons they are buying, look at who they are talking to..."