BJP MP K.J. Alphons on Thursday said that the contribution of industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani in creating jobs and making large investments in the country must be recognised.
During a Budget debate in the Rajya Sabha over unemployment in the country, the Kerala MP said that these leaders ought to be “worshipped” for creating jobs.
“You can accuse me of being a mouthpiece of the capitalists,” said Alphons. “The people who have created jobs in this country, let me name those people, because you have named them. Be it Reliance, be it Ambani, be it Adani, be it anybody, they must be worshipped. Yes, because they provide jobs.
“The people who invest money—Ambani, Adani, every industrialist who creates money in this country—create jobs. They need to be respected.”
Tearing into opposition's allegations that the rich are growing richer and that government policies were benefitting corporate houses, Alphons hit back saying all key economic indicators showed that the Modi-government had steered the country to the path of growth, amid the pandemic.
On the opposition's jibes on industrialists, Alphons argued that while every country honours people who create jobs, the opposition in India believes in shaming them.
"You shame them.... They must be honoured, they must be recognised," he said and, in turn, questioned the opposition on how many jobs did they created while in power.
Alphons said that amid the pandemic, the government went all out to give purchasing power in the hands of people, to create medical facilities and vaccinate people.
Launching a fiery attack on the opposition, Alphons said that the wealth of even global corporate leaders like Elon Musk, Larry Page, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates had grown, and added "global inequality is a fact".
He also criticised the opposition for spreading "canard that Christians are being persecuted".
"I have never seen such happiness on the face of the Pope as when he embraced India's PM Narendra Modi," he said.
- With inputs from PTI
