PTI, NEW DELHI: The opposition in the Rajya Sabha today accused the BJP-led government of polarising the country and creating a “fear psychosis” among the people, alleging that it was just renaming the earlier policies without delivering their benefits to the poor.
It is not a “game changer” but a “name changer govt” which has failed to deliver on all fronts be it providing relief to farmers and poor, generate jobs or addressing the Kashmir issue, the opposition leaders said.
Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President’s address, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the government for creating fear, not only among people but also among the bureaucrats and opposition leaders.
“A fear psychosis has set in. You cannot see when you are in power. If someone is scared to talk to the Opposition or transact with them, it is not good for democracy or freedom of speech or even freedom of business,” he said.
Azad alleged that opposition leaders were being treated as “potential terrorists” and their phones were being tapped. “No one today talks to me over phone because they say your phone is tapped,” he claimed.
Opposition members, including those from the Congress, SP, NCP and the Left parties, have moved as many as 324 amendments to the President’s speech as part of the debate on the Motion of Thanks.
In his speech, Azad said the govt was not only polarising the country, but also dividing parties in the opposition and intimidating them by using the CBI and the ED.
While supporting the draft triple talaq bill, Azad objected to the stringent punishment it proposes for a man for ending marriage through instant triple talaq.
“You have divided Shias and Sunnis. Now, you are dividing husband and wife. You cannot polarise the nation. … What kind of division are you involved in? Why are you intimidating the minority community who are victims of fear psychosis?”
“You should spare some section. We don’t want this New India. You have polarised it. Return us India of Gandhi where no fear existed,” he said.
Expressing concern over the Kashmir situation, he attacked the government for not framing any clear policy for the troubled state. “The situation is pathetic. …Borders are in a sad state of affairs. People are homeless and suffering. The government does not have any clear policy,” he said, dubbing the NDA government for being “weakest” in 70 years.
Stating that the recently announced national health insurance scheme is another “jumla” (rhetoric) of this government, Azad said it will only benefit insurance firms and not the ordinary citizens.
Instead of an insurance scheme for 50 crore people, he suggested that the Centre should focus on building more government hospitals to provide cost effective treatment to the poor.
