After the discussion on inflation in the Lok Sabha on Monday, there was a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The Opposition slammed the government over rising prices of daily essentials, petrol, and diesel, besides retail inflation. On behalf of the Opposition, Shaktisinh Gohil, E Kareem, and Derek O’Brien targeted the government. Prakash Javadekar defended inflation on behalf of the government, claiming that inflation should be seen in proportion to rising income.
Shaktisinh Gohil: What a Disaster
“We have come here to discuss the problems of the people of the country. What a disaster the BJP has been. What calamity have you brought and made the life of the countrymen miserable?” asked the Congress MP. Referring to the recent suicide of a young man from Gujarat, Gohil claimed that unemployment and price rise are jointly driving people to their deaths.
Rajni Patil: I Wear These Ornaments with Sorrow
Congress MP Rajni Ashokrao Patil while speaking on inflation wore a garland made of vegetables to stress her point. The cameras were immediately cut off from her and the RS Chairman ordered that she remove the garland before proceeding with her speech.
Sanjay Singh: Why is Baby Milk Costly?
The AAP MP brought up the burning issue of rising unemployment. He also raised questions about the new Agniveer scheme of the Army. He spoke on the price of domestic LPG cylinders and the high tax on baby milk, besides tax on basic food items like rice and flour. He alleged that the government is short of funds because the money has been siphoned off to crony capitalists and absconding businessmen like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Singh termed the government anti-poor.
Derek O’Brien: Why couldn’t BJP Win Bengal?
During the price rise debate, the TMC MP took a dig at the BJP. He said if the BJP’s claims of freebies for states were so true, why is it that the party failed to win the Bengal elections? He spoke of the day-to-day travails of the common man because of the recent increase in GST on basics and even hospitals.
Elamaram Kareem: BJP Removed Dal from the Plate of the Poor
Prices of wheat, rice and pulses have increased by 28 percent, 24 percent, and 30 percent respectively in the last five years, claimed the CPI(M) MP. He also mentioned the rise in edible oil prices and said that rising inflation has robbed the poor of food.
Prakash Javadekar: Inflation is Something that One has to Suffer
“No one is happy when inflation rises. But which country in the world does not face inflation?” said the BJP MP in his rebuttal to the Opposition. He claimed that the income is increasing in proportion to rising inflation. Javadekar said that while there is always talk of farmers being able to avail attractive remunerative prices for their products, at the same time, we want our goods to be cheap.
The government buys a kilo of rice for Rs 30 and gives it to the states for Rs 3, he claimed, adding that 80 crore people have been given free ration for the last two years, amounting to Rs 2.71 crores. Javadekar targeted the Opposition by saying that when the rate of GST was decided by consensus on the floor of the House, why are they calling it Gabbar Singh Tax out of the Parliament? He said that this shows the duplicitous attitude of the Opposition.
