'Two Indias, nation at risk': Rahul Gandhi's attack on govt in Lok Sabha

Here's what Rahul Gandhi spoke of during the Motion of Thanks to the President's address and how the government responded.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday evening took a fiery stance in the Lok Sabha during the Motion of Thanks to the President's address and attacked the Modi government over the Union Budget and its various policies concerning domestic administration and foreign relations. Here’s what he said.

1. ‘India is not a kingdom’: Rahul Gandhi accused the government of suppressing the languages and cultures of India and said, "India is described in the Indian Constitution as a union of states and not as a nation. One cannot rule over the people of a state in India. Different languages and cultures cannot be suppressed. It is a partnership, not a kingdom."

2. ‘Two Indias’: Rahul Gandhi claimed that one of the key points missing from the President's address was the gulf between the extremely wealthy Indians and others. He said, "There are two Indias, one India is for the extremely rich people, with immense wealth and power, those who do not need a job, water connection, electricity connection. Another India is for poor people and the divide between two Indias is widening."

3. ‘Pegasus tool to destroy Opposing voices’: Rahul Gandhi said that Pegasus was being used to destroy the voice of anyone who opposes "the organisation that has captured the institutional framework". "A confused ideology and confused understanding of this nation India is playing havoc with this country. The judiciary, the Election Commission, Pegasus, these are all instruments to destroy voice of the union of states," he said.

4. ‘23 Crore pushed into poverty’: He said, "The UPA government pulled 27 crore people out of poverty in 10 years. This is not our data, this is factual data. You pushed 23 crore people back into poverty," he said.

5. ‘Unemployment at 50-year high’: Rahul Gandhi said that the President's address did not mention any step taken to generate employment, because the government did not take any. “In every state, youth is looking for jobs and the government has failed to provide them any," Rahul Gandhi said, adding that in 2021, three crore youth lost their jobs. Back to back attacks on the MSME and informal sectors like note ban, wrong GST and lack of support during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today 84 per cent people have lost part of their wages and are heading towards poverty," he said.

6. ‘Failed Made-In-India project’: Gandhi said that the government policies have ensured that 'Made India' cannot be successful any more. "You talk of Made in India. But there cannot be Made in India today. The matter has ended because who are the people involved in Made in India? Small and medium industry, unorganised sector - whom you have finished. Made in India is not going to take place," he said.