Rajya Sabha resumes 'Motion of Thanks' to President's address
New Delhi, Feb 7: The Rajya Sabha on Monday resumed the debate on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President's address.
Initiating the debate, BJP MP Seema Dwivedi said that many lives were lost to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government initiated measures to produce vaccine against the dreaded virus and also provided it to many other countries in the world.
She also said that India is committed to bringing down the impact of climate change."Women are capable of doing everything men can, and thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all women could reach their true potential," she added.
Highlighting the significance of Amar Jawan Jyoti, Congress lawmaker Anand Sharma said that it was dedicated to soldiers killed during Bangladesh war, but it was merged.
On the Gross Domestic Product(GDP), employment and national security, Sharma, quoting the economic survey said the unemployment in the country is at an all time high and 42 crore people do not have jobs. "We understand that it has affected the economy and it is on March 2020 level, while the debt to GDP ratio is 90 per cent, and this will not be corrected by selling national assets."
"We all know that 1 lakh forces have been deployed at the China border but shouldn't this be discussed in Parliament? In 1962, Nehru discussed the situation in the middle of a war. We were also told that in-camera briefing will be done (on China), but nothing has happened," he commented.
Sharma, further a wrong message is being sent about the Opposition. "Everyone wants the country to progress, but a perception is being created that the Opposition does not want it to, this is not correct." he added.
Referring to earlier Prime Ministers, he said: "Nehru remained in jail for 14 years, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi were martyred, how can you question their contribution? We acknowledge the work done during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure also. We never said Vajpayeeji did not work, but this government said that the Congress government has not done anything at all which is completely wrong."
"You cannot dismiss the work done by previous governments. A country cannot run on single ideology, India did not rise in 2014, it is a culmination of 74 years, he added. It was said that India Gate is a colonial legacy. They were not mercenaries but they were martyrs of the British India and the place where the government wants to set up the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is also a British relic," he added.
Pointing out to the hate speech, he said: "People of Indian origin are everywhere. Kamala Harris, Priti Patel, Rishi Sunak, Sundar Pichai and what they will think about?," Sharma commented.
While concluding his speech, he mentioned about the nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on Sunday. "The country paid homage to her, we all have heard her song- ae mere watan ke logon. This country belongs to all, we have to move forward together. Please no not corrupt young minds, it will damage the country's conscience", he said.