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“The government stands accused of having spent taxpayers' money to buy technology to spy on its own citizens,” said TMC MP Mahua Moitra in Lok Sabha on Thursday, 3 February.
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President, Moitra brought up several issues, such as farm laws, the Pegasus 'mess', Bulli Bai deals, and arrests of journalists Siddique Kappan and comedian Munawar Faruqui.
Moitra spoke about the President's Address in the Lower House, saying that she "vehemently disagrees with the president's assessment of the state of the union today".
Resuming her censure of the government, Moitra said:
She said the names of freedom fighters in the President’s address was only “lip service”.
The leader said, "This government wants to alter history...and the invocation of an imaginary past goes on and on. The appropriation of Bhagat Singh, who was staunchly anti-fascist, the appropriation of Patel, who banned the RSS after becoming Home Minister."
She added that the insignia of Netaji's Indian National Army (INA) was Tipu Sultan's springing tiger. "The same Tipu Sultan that this government has erased from textbooks," she said.
Moitra continued her speech by attacking the BJP government on the farms bills and said that there is no remorse for over 700 farmers who passed away during the protests.
The MP went on to urge the Centre to remove the Minster of State, the MP of Kheri, whose son stands accused of mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur.
She said, “I stand here today to ask the most important question that faces us all - what is the kind of republic that we want, what is the India that we want today?”
Moitra added, “You (government) fear an India which is comfortable in its own skin. Which is comfortable with conflicting realities. So, you fear an India where a Jain boy can hide from home and enjoy a Kathi Kebab on a street cart in Ahmedabad. So what do you do? You forbid non-vegetarian street food in Gujarat's municipalities."
As the proceedings of the Budget Session of Parliament continue, the Lok Sabha assembled at 4 pm on Thursday and resumed the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
(With inputs from India Today.)
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