“The government stands accused of having spent taxpayers' money to buy technology to spy on its own citizens,” said TMC MP Mahua Moitra in Lok Sabha on Thursday, 3 February.
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President, Moitra brought up several issues, such as farm laws, the Pegasus 'mess', Bulli Bai deals, and arrests of journalists Siddique Kappan and comedian Munawar Faruqui.
Moitra spoke about the President's Address in the Lower House, saying that she "vehemently disagrees with the president's assessment of the state of the union today".
Resuming her censure of the government, Moitra said:
"The address refers to Netaji on multiple occasions, this is the same man who said the Indian government should have a neutral attitude to all religions. Would Netaji have approved of the Haridwar Dharam Sansad, that issues calls of Muslim genocide?"
‘The Govt Wants To Alter History’: Moitra
She said the names of freedom fighters in the President’s address was only “lip service”.
The leader said, "This government wants to alter history...and the invocation of an imaginary past goes on and on. The appropriation of Bhagat Singh, who was staunchly anti-fascist, the appropriation of Patel, who banned the RSS after becoming Home Minister."
She added that the insignia of Netaji's Indian National Army (INA) was Tipu Sultan's springing tiger. "The same Tipu Sultan that this government has erased from textbooks," she said.
On Farm Bills
Moitra continued her speech by attacking the BJP government on the farms bills and said that there is no remorse for over 700 farmers who passed away during the protests.
"You (BJP government) mistrust our annadaatas who repeatedly told you not to bring farm laws. even when you rolled them back, I think it was most your fear of losing 70 seats in western UP than any remorse you felt for 700+ farmers that passed away."Mahua Moitra, MP, TMC
The MP went on to urge the Centre to remove the Minster of State, the MP of Kheri, whose son stands accused of mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur.
She said, “I stand here today to ask the most important question that faces us all - what is the kind of republic that we want, what is the India that we want today?”
Moitra added, “You (government) fear an India which is comfortable in its own skin. Which is comfortable with conflicting realities. So, you fear an India where a Jain boy can hide from home and enjoy a Kathi Kebab on a street cart in Ahmedabad. So what do you do? You forbid non-vegetarian street food in Gujarat's municipalities."
As the proceedings of the Budget Session of Parliament continue, the Lok Sabha assembled at 4 pm on Thursday and resumed the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
(With inputs from India Today.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)