December 19, 2022
Derek O’Brien questioned the implementation of BJP’s 2019 manifesto while speaking on The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2022 and The Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2022
Sir, the Member of the Opposition, who opened the debate, spoke for 20 minutes. He was interrupted six times. The Member of the Treasury Benches spoke for 18 minutes. Nobody from the Opposition interrupted him. That was his time. He had to have his say and there will be enough opportunities for them to reply. Sir, through you, I would express this sentiment that I hope that I am extended the same graciousness as we extended to the Member of the Treasury Benches and all the speakers thereafter. This is what I mean. This is precisely what I mean. Sir, we keep referring to this House — and it is okay because it is colloquial — as the Upper House. Personally, I use a different phrase. The Trinamool uses a different phrase and most people prefer this phrase. We call it ‘Council of States’. Sir, it is the Appropriation Bills and the Demands for Grants. But, we are not the debating society of the St. Stephen’s College. This is a political House. So, when we are looking at the Appropriation Bills and the Demands for Grants, of course, we will have a political debate. But, today, I don’t think anybody from the BJP is going to interrupt me. In the last 6-7 weeks, while late nights were spent watching football World Cup, afternoons were spent by me reading a 43-page document, a 43-page book, which they are all familiar with. As they speak of 2029, I want to speak of 2024 but before that of 2019. What is this document? Unfortunately, the rules of the House do not permit me to bring the document here but it is here in case you need it for ready reference. I have taken some quotes from the document. And that document is the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party 2019. That’s only where I will be — nowhere beyond that — and the Bills and the Demands for Grants. I have 12-13 quick references, no rhetoric, only on the facts. So, the first one is, “We will continue to pursue federal governance by ensuring greater involvement of the States in all aspects of policy making”. It is promise No.10 on page 25 of BJP manifesto. It is about federal governance. I have two numbers for the Finance Minister and I am sure she will respond to all these tomorrow. The first one is, when the BJP came to power in 2014, States were spending 46 per cent more than the Union Government. My charge is, in 2021-22, the States are not spending 46 per cent more than the Union Government; they are spending 150 per cent more than the Union Government. Secondly, 29 of the 98 Bills passed before 2021 were anti-federal in nature. If you look at the Bills, 29 of them went against federalism. Sir, I am still on the point of federalism, as mentioned in that manifesto. I will make four quick points. My charge is that there is an economic blockade of the States. This is one. Sir, you said something very interesting, “If you say something, you should back it up with documents.” Yes! So, as per Rule 266, under directions of the Chairman earlier, Nos. 37 and 39, I have placed this on the table with the necessary permission. What are these four documents I am placing today? States were burdened because the Centre cancelled schemes about seven years ago. That document is here. One of those schemes was the Backward Region Grant Fund. That simply means, it was so important for the States, the States had to continue the scheme but the funding stopped. My second point is this. They have reduced the share of the Centre on many schemes. Simply put, if the scheme was, say, 65 per cent from the Centre, 35 per cent from the State, the States’ were taken up to 50 per cent, the Centre’s was brought down to 50 per cent. There are all these examples in this document. One is the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. That is an example. The third one was the Central sector scheme. Best example is MGNREGA. It is another point that the current Prime Minister did not like MGNREGA in 2014. We are happy that he has a different point of view, we welcome that. The fourth point on the economic blockade and, to this, with your permission, I would like to thank a colleague who is now in Kolkata, Dr. Amit Mitra, who is very wellknown. This is on the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management, (F.R.B.M.). The Finance Minister is here and I am sure that she will address this tomorrow. You gave the States. You took it up from 3.5 per cent — this is borrowing as related to G.D.P. — up to 4 per cent. Now, this year, you brought the State borrowing down to 3.5 per cent. My two limited points are, when you took it up to 4 per cent, you laid some conditions on the States. For example, you said that the State has to privatise electricity. No; that is anti-federal. You make some other points about urban bodies. So, the point here is, please bring it back, take it to 4 per cent and it has to be unconditional. That is a request from the House of the States. Sir, I am going back to this book, the 43-page book. I read now from page 25. So far we are going well, no interruptions. Sir, it’s good. I quote: “We have set an example of inclusive federal governance through steps such as establishment of the G.S.T. Council…” etc. There are many points to make on the G.S.T. Council, I would like to make just one. It is page 25. My point is, cess, as it is said in undergraduate economics, goes directly to the Centre and no sharing with the States. Right! This is an interesting figure. In 2011, of the total percentage of Gross Tax Revenue, 10 per cent was cess. Guess the number now, cess going only to the Centre. 26.7 per cent is cess, how the States are being deprived! From 10 per cent, it is up to 26.7 per cent. A quick point from the Manifesto again. Which Manifesto, B.J.P. Manifesto 2019. “We will also ensure implementation of the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendations.” 14th Finance Commission! The purpose was good but did it get served? This is page 25 of the good governance Manifesto. Divisible pool of taxes, devised by the 14th Finance Commission and the 15th Finance Commission, was 42 per cent and 41 per cent, give or take a percentage here and there. The State’s share in Central taxes is estimated to be just 30 per cent of the Gross Tax Revenue of the Central Government. This is worth pondering over and asking for an answer. Let me move on. All on the Appropriation Bill, all on the numbers, all related to promises made in a Manifesto in 2019 and all these diversions before 2024. Now, the new goal post, I heard, is 2029. Even Mbappe would have retired by then but does not matter. Sir, please listen because tomorrow I hope that all these arguments will be demolished and all these numbers will be thrown out. Page No. 10, Introduction to the BJP Manifesto, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, every effort has been made …. in the management of national assets.” The key word being “The management of national assets.” In the last five years, Rs. 10 lakh crores have been written off by this Government as bad debts by banks. I was trying to find the way- – I was very bad in Maths in school — as to what is Rs. 10 lakh crores. I think that I have found the way to express what is Rs. 10 lakh crores. Take the entire Budget of Chhattisgarh, of Telangana, of Rajasthan and of my beloved State of West Bengal. Sir, now that we have publically expressed our mutual love for each other, so, I will continue with this. So, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Rajasthan, the combined Budget for these States– what!– way less than Rs. 10 lakh crores. Now, of this, only 13 per cent of the Rs. 10 lakh crores has been recovered, that is, Rs. 1.3 lakh crores. Now, let us come back to, and I am feeling shy to show it to you but if you give me the permission, at least, we can have a peep. Okay. But, this one, I should lay it on the Table because this has got the list of the schemes and I lay it on the Table because I have also given it in writing. So, it is not literally laid on the Table. Now, Sir, Page No. 20, Infrastructure, the headline, large number of jobs and livelihood opportunities. The unemployment rate in the last three months has been eight per cent. The reverse argument is, when we made these promises, we didn’t know that Covid was coming. MGNREGA, 15 crore citizens with jobs, the Union owes the States’ money. This is one of those schemes. I am not quibbling about how much is owed and how much is not owed. Let those numbers come tomorrow and the Finance Minister can share those numbers. From there, let us move on to the youth. It was mentioned in the Manifesto and I quote, “India is a youthful country. A country with such a major percentage of youth, it has the capability to change not only its own, but the fate of the entire world.” It sounds fantastic. What is the reality? This is from Page No. 28. There is a photograph and the quote of the hon. Prime Minister and today’s numbers are on the youth, on the urban unemployment in the age group of 20-24. I want the young people of India listening to these debates in Parliament to say when you say that the Opposition is diverting. No; the Opposition wants to talk to the young people of India; the Opposition wants to talk to the women of India and the Opposition wants to talk to the old people of India, the unemployed. But, the Opposition is trying and trying and trying and the owners of the television channels also need to amplify the voice of the Opposition, not the journalists. The unemployment number in the age group of 20 to 24 is 42 per cent. Sir, they don’t want slogans, they want jobs. Sir, I seek your protection. Sir, I seek your protection. Sir, this is what I said. First person spoke for 20 minutes, six interactions! I have, at least, gone to 13 minutes. Listen. Listening is an art. Now I will reveal the source of my data; I must. I had another job, 20 years ago, before I came to Parliament. So, I not only have one source, there have been three sources, in the good old quiz days. So the source of my data is the October 15th Report. Let them read it in their spare time. The October 15th Report, 2022, of CMIE, that is the source. Now, let me come back to the manifesto. I am a bit disheartened today. I am talking about the BJP manifesto, and the BJP Member wants to disturb me. What else can I do! Sir, my next one, page 31, “Women-led development promise #3; we are committed to making women equal partners and equal beneficiaries of the progress and prosperity of the nation.” According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, two crore women quit the workforce between 2017 to 2022. Answer these questions. Answer these questions in Parliament. Don’t tell me what I can eat on Good Governance Day. It does not matter what I eat. Don’t tell me where to pray and who to pray. Answer these questions. Now, Sir, since the Member had a point of order, please do give him a chance later. May I earnestly request you to see CMIE data? Now you are talking about women. Two crore women quit the workforce. Female labour force participation in India–these are not new numbers–is 33 per cent, and let us see, it does not even talk about the Women’s Reservation Bill. It was mentioned in your manifesto. Now you will say that I am going away from the Appropriation Bill. Yes, I am going away! “BJP is committed to 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and State Assemblies through a Constitution Amendment.” You don’t need the Women’s Reservation Bill. You don’t need it, if you have a Chief Minister like Mamata Banerjee sitting there. Thirty-six per cent of our MPs are women here. It is not giving 36 per cent tickets! No! You can give for women 36 per cent tickets and they may all lose. I am talking about 36 per cent women in Parliament, not only Parliament, but down to the Panchayat level, to the bodies; there is 50 per cent women reservation. Sir, it is a very touchy point and I will tell you, even till the time Mbappe has children, they will still not bring the Women’s Reservation Bill or be a part of it. So leave that aside. Now let us come to the last few points. Number eight, “We will ensure that India remains the world’s fastest growing economy. We will ensure that.” Now, page no. 9. You spoke about five trillion dollar economy in page 9 of your manifesto. The World Bank is telling you that the GDP is 6.9 per cent. If you want to grow like this, when will you reach the target with your current inflation numbers? You can compare to America and feel very good about it, no problem! Now, come to the next one. Page 4 of the manifesto says, “The idea of fulfilling the basic necessities of every ordinary citizen is intrinsic to our party’s ideology.” You said this. I want to share these numbers with you; wholesale milk prices, up 10 per cent; maize, up 27 per cent; wheat, up 31 per cent. “We are committed to ensure that the unique linguistic, cultural and social identity of the North-East States is adequately protected and we will continue to focus on the development, infrastructure and connectivity of the North-East.” What have you done in the North-East? You have not even started. Why don’t you start by bringing Garo and Khasi into the Eight Schedule of the Constitution? Yesterday, an announcement was made, ‘Rs.7,000 crores going to the North East’. Sir, what is the reality? Only 8 of the 36 projects in the North-East had been sanctioned till 2021. What is happening? Empty words! Sir, last three points. I would like to quote. “In order to curb corruption, the Modi Government has taken many effective steps.” Who said this? The BJP Manifesto, page 24. What is happening now? Four hundred per cent increase in ED cases against politicians; 95 per cent of which are against Opposition leaders. Buy a washing machine, you are done! Sir, I have a colleague of mine who is a firebrand trade union leader, Ms. Dola Sen, and she needs to speak on this also; I will keep another four or five minutes. So, this is the situation. On this, over 95 per cent of the 200 politicians that the CBI have booked, arrested, raided or questioned were from the Opposition. Sir, not everybody from the Opposition, with this dhamki and hamki, will jump over. Some of us are here; we are ready to fight the good fight. What is this fight? Nothing. I know of a woman who went on a 26 days hunger strike to fight for the farmers of the country. What are these couples of EDs and some CBI men! We have all respect for these institutions. Sir, we have to revive these institutions. I am glad that we are debating in Parliament today. I am really happy. Fourteen days were wasted in the last Session. I am glad you are here. Why? We don’t want to discuss price rise! We don’t want to discuss! China, this is sensitive. What! This is meant to be sensitive. Otherwise, I can discuss;, let’s have a three hour discussion on what Messi should do with his children when they grow up! That’s not sensitive. Sir, now, my last point. We have focussed, I am quoting BJP: “We have focussed on the development of economic and social infrastructure in the Tribal areas, affected by Left Wing Extremism and we will continue to make efforts in this direction.” This is what you have said in your Manifesto. Don’t they remember, Sir! The NIA charged an 85 year old man, and recent forensic analysis shows that the evidence was planted on a priest. It doesn’t matter that the priest was a Hindu priest or a Christian priest or a Muslim priest or a Sikh priest. It doesn’t matter. It was an 84 year old man who wasn’t given a straw. There are people like us; there are people like big stars outside this House, Mr. Bachchan or Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, who speak about personal liberty. Yes, Sir. Only Members of Parliament, only celebrated actors; all very good. But, the real voice for personal liberty, the real voice to ask these difficult questions to the BJP is not from any of us, Sir. It is from the young people of India. Thank you very much.
