During the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Opposition parties Tuesday attacked the government over the Maha Kumbh stampede. They also raised issues ranging from unemployment to Manipur’s civil unrest and said several issues were missing from the President’s address, such as inflation and the implementation of welfare schemes.
RJD’s Manoj Jha and CPI(M)’s John Brittas led the Opposition charge. From the BJP, Ashok Chavan and Nabam Rebia defended the government’s implementation of its schemes and programmes.
Jha equated the situation at Maha Kumbh to that of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said several bodies were left unattended at the time as well. “Nehru ji was brought into the discussion with members talking of the deaths during the 1954 Kumbh. People must be feeling so hurt by this discussion on numbers,” he said.
On unemployment, Jha said: “There is no instant solution… but what is the plan? The government has to first acknowledge that there is a problem.” He said the new University Grants Commission (UGC) draft regulations were anti-student, anti-teacher, and anti-federal.
CPI(M)’s Brittas echoed Jha’s views on the UGC’s draft regulations. He said they took power away from states. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responded that it was only a draft and states could send their suggestions. “In a few states, VC posts are given to personal aide’s wife and personal assistants. Such a practice should stop,” Pradhan said.
TMC member Sagarika Ghose accused the government of hiding the number of deaths at the Maha Kumbh stampede.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said a large number of new voters were added to the rolls in Maharashtra in the recent elections. While she did not level any accusation against the Election Commission, she said: “72 lakh registered voters were there — new voters in five months who perhaps did not vote in Lok Sabha — they came out and voted in Assembly election; 47 lakh voters were newly registered and, between 2019 to 2024, nearly 47 lakh voters were added. In 5 years, 47 lakh voters and in 5 months, 48 lakh voter addition happened. This is a serious issue for discussion.”
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AAP’s Sanjay Singh too raised voter deletions ahead of the Delhi elections.
BJP’s Ashok Chavan said that everyone was sad about the stampede during Maha Kumbh but urged fellow members to also take note of the “good arrangements”. He said the government was working on all fronts for the welfare of the people.
Sandosh Kumar P of the CPI said that out of 5,839 words in the President’s speech, not one was on Manipur.
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