‘PM leads a creaky, shaky coalition govt’
Kolkata: The discussion on Budget 2024 in Lok Sabha witnessed a sharp exchange of words between Speaker Om Birla and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee as the latter tore into the ruling dispensation at the Centre on Budget issue.
The discussion heated up as the Diamond Harbour MP claimed that the three farm laws, brought in by the Narendra Modi government during its second tenure and were eventually repealed, were passed without any consultation with farmers while Opposition parties were not taken into confidence.
Birla replied that the House discussed the issue for five-and-a-half hours. Banerjee then continued to persist with his claim, prompting Birla to retort: “When the Speaker speaks, he speaks right. You correct yourself.”
Abhishek trained his gun at the BJP-led government at the Centre on Budget 2024 and cautioned: “You BJP are on borrowed time. Kursi ki peti bandh lijiye, mausam bigarne wala hai.” (Keep your seat belts on, weather is about to deteriorate).
Abhishek criticised the Narendra Modi government over various issues. During the course of his speech, he even raised the issue of demonetisation. The Speaker remarked that the issue dates back to 2016 and urged Banerjee to stick to the 2024 Budget. But Banerjee replied: “A few days back, in the same House, wasn’t Emergency discussed? That happened 50 years ago. Why can’t I speak on demonetisation?”
“When somebody speaks on topics relevant 60 years ago or on Nehru, then you don’t say anything but when I speak of an issue that happened 5 years ago, you are asking me to speak on current issues. This biased approach should not be there. You can’t do this. When Biplab Deb was speaking, he was talking about Emergency that happened almost 50 years ago. At that time, you were silent…,” he remarked.
Towards the end of his speech, he remarked: “Waqt badal gaya hai (time has changed. Prime Minister Modi leads a creaky, shaky NDA COALITION government, waiting to blow up. Rather than investing in the future of the country, it is unfortunate that a Union government is investing in Modiji’s political survival at the expense of the nation’s well-being. Truth is, Modi ji as PM is on borrowed time.”
Criticising the Budget, Banerjee said that it lacked a clear vision and was designed to appease BJP coalition partners rather than address the needs of India’s 140 crore people. He said the Budget was crafted to benefit two political parties - allies JDU and TDP - accusing the government of bribery to buy time before it collapses. He pointed specifically to the support from TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and JDU leader Nitish Kumar, which he argued helped the BJP secure the numbers needed to form the government.
“This is a Budget planned by two individuals to keep another two in good faith,” he said, adding that it was “planned by two, executed for two”. The “anti-people” Budget was crafted to “bribe two political parties and buy time before the government implodes,” said Banerjee.
