March 24, 2021
Derek O’Brien speaks on The Finance Bill, 2021
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Sir, the finance minister is here since 11 o’clock making notes. I have major differences on policy, on ideology with her but that is different. There is decency, there is courtesy which we always try and extend, doesn’t matter man, woman, anybody. A little disturbed that, especially after I have been sitting next to the Finance Minister for the last five hours, is that about two hours ago a most distasteful statement was made about a woman saying that she should not wear a saree anymore but she should wear Bermuda shorts. This is not tolerable in politics and this was said by an MP and the state president of the BJP. We condemn this kind of thing about anyone.
Now, Sir, we have political differences, but so what if we have political differences? I respect Madam and every other MP. They are our political rivals but not our political enemies.
Sir, six quick points here, and hope the Finance Minister will certainly address this is her reply.
One: Centrally-sponsored schemes. Centrally sponsored schemes, aage the 66 per cent ab cut hokar huye hain 28 per cent. This is a big reduction. Centre’s share tha 75 per cent, abi Centre kam de raha hai, 60 per cent. The States, instead of paying 25 per cent for these schemes are now having to pay 40 per cent. So my suggestion and question to the Minister is that, shouldn’t the States also get the benefits of devolution? The States are not. That is my first point, Sir.
Secon: LPG. You cannot make a speech here today in Parliament without discussing the prices of LPG. We all know the prices of LPG, diesel and petrol. Here is another pointed question to the Finance Minister. There is 62 per cent cess on petrol, 69 per cent on diesel. My limited point is that this is not tax. There is a basic difference between cess and tax. With respect to cess, the entire amount goes to the Central Government. One statistics: 15 years ago the cess collection on gross revenue was 2 per cent but during the time of this Sarkar, cess is now 15-16 per cent.
Let’s know where the money is going. I will give you one example from a state. The GST collection from my state, that is, Bengal was Rs 12,000 crore in 2017-18. Now it has doubled to Rs 28,000 crore. The tax devolution which was coming to Bengal has come down, from Rs 49,000 crore to 48,000 crore so this is a hocus-pocus which is anti-federalism.
Sir, my next suggestion to the Finance Minister is that you cannot have schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. It is bad, poor, pathetic governance when you have 56 per cent of the money spent on advertising. Yeh bandh kijiye, yeh sab bandh kijiye. Take the best practices from around the world. What does your huge advertising spend mean? Instead of giving money to the girls, you are giving it to the face, that is, the advertisement.
Sir, I am trying to make my speech as positive as I can because there is so much negativity around and so much of negativity is being spread. This is a startling statistic and since the Finance Minister is here, I must not miss this opportunity. In the last five years, the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports are down by 75 per cent. This is a very, very, very bad precedent. An unacceptable precedent. How is this government working?
Sir, no speech on finance or the economy can be made without recalling what happened at 8 pm one particular evening. Something had happened at 8 pm and at 10 pm. Since we started with a lady we will also end with a lady. At 10 pm, two hours after the announcement, she said, “Withdraw this draconian decision”, on November 8, 2016. Uske baad Prime Minister Modi had stood up and said during a speech on demonetisation, “Humko pachas din do”. Pachas din kya, paanch (5) saal ho gaya. Ab Bangal mein bas pachas din baaki hai, phir Khela Hobe.
Thank you, Sir.
