New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Monday demanded a white paper on the recovery on black money and targeted the government over issues such as farmer suicide, unemployment, price rise, and increase in crimes against women.
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Trinamool Congress member Md Nadimul Haque said the government had promised to bring back black money stashed in tax havens abroad and demanded a white paper on it.
"The Panama and Pandora Papers revealed the names of thousands of rich Indians who had parked black money in different tax havens. I demand a white paper from the government on this issue. No more empty promises. Let the people know," he said.
Haque alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was destroying institutions such as Parliament, Election Commission, CBI, ED, and the Reserve Bank.
"Even the majestic Supreme Court has not been spared. It is now being called the subservient court. There is disturbing talk about 'bench fixing' in SC, Parliament cannot look away," he said, suggesting that cases are being assigned to preferred benches for favourable verdicts.
"Why has the PM not held a single press conference in 10 years? Why has the Lok Sabha not had a deputy speaker in the last five years? Why has a single BJP MP not been suspended in the last nine years whereas 146 (opposition) MPs were suspended in the last Winter session for demanding a discussion on the security breach in Parliament," he said.
Haque said the President's address did not mention about the government's oft-repeated promise of doubling farmers' income.
Speaking on the motion after Haque, DMK member Kanimozhi NVN Somu raised several issues, including suicide by farmers and farm labourers.
"It is very unfortunate that the incidence of suicide by farmers and farm workers is on the rise. More than 1 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last 10 years. According to the records of National Crime Records Bureau, 30 farmers died by suicide every day in spite of tall claims of farm loans disposal by the government," she claimed.
Flagging a rise in unemployment, Somu said that in 2014 the unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent and it has risen to 10.03 per cent as of today.
"The unemployment rate in the 25-35 age group has touched 30 per cent. This shows 40 per cent of our youth population is unemployed. Another 30 per cent of the population are underemployed. Only 30 per cent of people are fortunate enough to get regular jobs. We should not forget that in their manifesto they (BJP) had mentioned about providing a job to every Indian," she said.
Somu claimed violence and crimes against women and children are on the rise.
She also raised the issue of decline in the value of rupee against dollar.
AAP member Vikramjit Singh Sahney raised the issue of price rise and demanded an investigation into the decline in the number of beneficiaries in the PM Kisan Scheme.
In his remarks, CPI(M) member A A Rahim, citing the constitutional mandate of secularism, said the government should not project the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple as an achievement.
He said the president, in her address, did not use the word "unemployment- the elephant in the room".
"Unemployment, under-employment and contractualisation of labour are the three major evils that are faced by the youth. (Short-term military recruitment scheme) Agnipath is a tremendous example of contractualisation of the Indian job sector. Instead of permanent appointment, the government is recruiting contract labourers in the banking sector, insurance sector and even the railways and PSUs," he charged.
The Narendra Modi government "is not creating new jobs and also has no intention to fill up" vacant permanent posts, Rahim alleged.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of Parliament on January 31 and highlighted major achievements of the government.
Participating in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi hailed the government for awarding the Bharat Ratna to BJP stalwart L K Advani, who had led the Rath Yatra for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
He said that in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India will pip Germany and Japan to become the third largest economy in the world.
BRS MP K R Suresh Reddy said that in the 75th year of the republic, the time has come for parliamentary and legislative reforms.
He suggested that the working days of Parliament should be increased as it would give more time for discussions, reflecting the diversity and views of regional parties.
In some mature Parliaments the opposition decides the agenda for a day, he said.
A private member's bill carries a lot of useful information, he said, adding such a draft should be taken seriously and debated.
He said the government should accept whenever "something good" comes from the opposition benches without making it a prestige issue.
RJD MP A D Singh expressed concern over the situation in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, and flagged China's growing influence over neighbouring countries. Singh also drew the government's attention to issues such as cybercrime and standard of education in India.
BJD member Amar Patnaik, Congress MP Yajnik Amee, AIADMK MP M Thambidurai, BJD MP Sulata Deo, BJP MP S Phangnon Konyak, and Congress MP L Hanumanthaiah also participated in the discussion.