अजीत सिन्हा / नई दिल्ली
Rahul Gandhi said- Thank You Speaker Sir for allowing me to speak on the Presidential address. I felt that the Presidential address should have been a strategic address, an address that spoke to India about where we are and where we should be going. What are the challenges we are facing, what are the difficulties we are facing and what is the potential direction in which we can go.
Unfortunately, the Presidential address was a long list of things that the Government claims to have done, but didn’t really contain the deeper strategic issues that we would have liked to see. Also, the Presidential address didn’t touch a couple of central challenges facing our country and that’s what I would like to discuss today.
To me, it seemed that the Presidential address was a list of bureaucratic ideas instead of a strategic vision. It looked to me as if it had been constructed not by a vision of leadership, but by a group of bureaucrats, who had simply to put something down on paper. So what did the Presidential address miss? What did the Presidential not speak about? What did the Presidential hide from the people of India? I think there are three fundamental things that were not spoken about in the Presidential address.
The first and what I considered to be the most important is the idea that there are now two Indias. There is now no longer one India. There are two Indias. One India is for the extremely rich people- for those who have immense wealth, for those who have immense power, for those who do not need a job, for those who do not need water connections, electricity connections, but, for those who control the heartbeat of the country; and then another India for the poor (disruptions by BJP MPs)…. and for my friends in the government, I want to make it clear that the spirit what I am saying is not one of criticism. The spirit with which I speak is one of discomfort with the status, the state of our country, and the spirit with which I speak, is one where I am worried about what is happening in the country. So you must not take it as a criticism, take it as a citizen of the country, who is concerned about what is going on.
तो दो हिंदुस्तान बन रहे हैं – एक अमीरों का हिंदुस्तान और दूसरा गरीबों का हिंदुस्तान और इन दो हिंदुस्तानों के बीच में खाई बढ़ती जा रही है। आपने अभी देखा होगा, अभी दो स्पीकर्स ने बात की, मगर आपने ये नहीं कहा कि रोजगार ढूंढने के लिए उत्तर प्रदेश में, बिहार में रेलवे की नौकरी के लिए वहाँ पर युवाओं ने क्या किया और क्या हुआ, इसके बारे में आपने नहीं बोला। गरीब हिंदुस्तान के पास आज रोजगार नहीं है। प्रेजिडेंशियल एड्रेस में बेरोजगारी के बारे में एक शब्द नहीं था और पूरे हिंदुस्तान में आज हिंदुस्तान का युवा रोजगार ढूंढ रहा है। हर स्टेट में, उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार, सब जगह हिंदुस्तान का युवा एक ही चीज मांग रहा है कि रोजगार हमें दे दो और आपकी सरकार नहीं दे पा रही है।
आपको मैं आंकडा देना चाहता हूं – इस पिछले साल तीन करोड़ युवाओं ने रोजगार खोया है। आप बात करते हैं रोजगार देने की, 2021 में तीन करोड़ युवा अपना रोजगार खोए हैं। 50 साल में सबसे ज्यादा बेरोजगारी आज हिंदुस्तान में है। आपने मेक इन इंडिया की बात की, स्टार्टअप इंडिया की बात की, पर जो रोजगार हमारे युवाओं को मिलना चाहिए, वो नहीं मिला और जो था, वो गायब हो गया और ये सच्चाई है और इस सच्चाई को आप भी पहचानते हो, क्योंकि आपने भी अपने भाषणों में रोजगार के बारे में कुछ नहीं कहा- कितना रोजगार पैदा किया गया है, किस प्रकार किया गया है, उसके बारे में आपने नहीं बोला और आप बोल भी नहीं पाएंगे, क्योंकि अगर बोलेंगे, तो हिंदुस्तान का युवा आपकी ओर देखकर कहेगा कि ये मजाक कर रहे हैं।
तो ये स्थिति पैदा कैसे हुई – ये दो हिंदुस्तान पैदा कैसे हुए? रोजगार स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्री और जो हमारा इनफॉर्मल सेक्टर है, उससे बनता है। लाखों–करोड़ रुपए आपने उनसे छीनकर हिंदुस्तान के सबसे बड़े अरबपतियों को दिलवा दिया। आपने पिछले सात साल में अनऑर्गनाइज्ड सेक्टर और स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्री पर एक के बाद एक, एक के बाद एक आक्रमण किया है।
(भाजपा सदस्यों द्वारा व्यवधान और टीका टिप्पणी पर श्री राहुल गाँधी ने कहा) सात की कर रहा हूं, मैं 60 की भी करुंगा, मैं अपने भाषण में अंत में 60 साल की बात करुंगा आपको खुश करने के लिए, आप ठहर जाइए।
मगर असंगठित जो सेक्टर हैं, उस पर आपने आक्रमण किया, कैसे किया – नोटबंदी, गलत जीएसटी और कोरोना के समय जो सपोर्ट उनको देना था, आपने नहीं दिया। नतीजा क्या हुआ – नतीजा ये हुआ कि आज 80 प्रतिशत हिंदुस्तान के लोगों की आमदनी घटी है और वो तेजी से गरीबी की ओर बढ़ रहे हैं। यूपीए की सरकार ने, आपने पूछा 60 साल की बात आपने कही, यूपीए की सरकार ने 27 करोड़ लोगों को गरीबी से निकाला था 10 साल में। हमारा आंकड़ा नहीं है। आप हंसिए, हमारा आंकड़ा नहीं है। ये सच्चा आंकड़ा है। 27 करोड़ लोगों को हमने गरीबी से निकाला था और 23 करोड़ लोगों को आपने गरीबी में वापस डाल दिया।
और हो क्या रहा है – फॉर्मल सेक्टर में मोनोपली बन रही हैं। किसी भी आप सेक्टर में देखिए और सबसे दो मोनोपोलिस्टस के बारे में बोलूंगा। उसको वो कोरोना के समय अलग-अलग वेरिएंटस आते हैं, आते हैं ना – डेल्टा, ओमीक्रॉन, वो डबल वेरिएंट है और वो पूरा का पूरा हिंदुस्तान की जो अर्थव्यवस्था है, उसके अंदर फैल रहा है।
आपने बात उठाई, तो मैं उसके बारे में पहले बोल देता हूं। एक व्यक्ति को, नाम नहीं लूंगा, एक व्यक्ति को हिंदुस्तान के सब पोर्टस, हिंदुस्तान के सब एयरपोर्ट, पावर, ट्रांसमिशन, माइनिंग, ग्रीन एनर्जी, गैस डिस्ट्रीब्यूशन, एडिबल ऑयल, जो भी हिंदुस्तान में होता है, उधर अडानी जी दिखाई देते हैं, और दूसरी साइड – अंबानी जी – पेट्रो केमिकल्स, टेलीकॉम, रिटेल, ई कॉमर्स में मोनोपलियां।
तो पूरा का पूरा धन जो है, चुने हुए लोगों के हाथ में जा रहा है और आपने जो असंगठित सेक्टर को खत्म किया। देखिए अगर आप इनफॉर्मल सेक्टर को खत्म कर देते और मैन्युफैक्चरिंग जॉबस आप क्रिएट कर देते, तो फिर इतनी प्रॉब्लम नहीं आती, फिर दो हिंदुस्तान नहीं बनते। मगर आपने क्या किया – आपने असंगठित सेक्टर को खत्म कर दिया – नोटबंदी, जीएसटी, कोरोना। सारे के सारे जो स्मॉल और मीडियम बिजनेसस हैं, आपने बंद कर दिया। सारे के सारे जो स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्री है, आपने उसको खत्म कर दिया, नष्ट कर दिया। अगर आप उनकी मदद करते, उनको सपोर्ट देते, तो फिर मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सेक्टर तैयार हो सकता था। मगर जो लोग आपका मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सेक्टर बना सकते थे, उनको आपने खत्म कर दिया। तो आज हिंदुस्तान में आप मेक इन इंडिया, मेड इन इंडिया की बात करते रहते हैं, मेड इन इंडिया हो ही नहीं सकता आज, बात खत्म हो गई है, क्योंकि मेड इन इंडिया वाले हैं कौन ? मेड इन इंडिया वाले स्मॉल और मीडियम वाले हैं। उनको आपने खत्म कर दिया। स्मॉल और मीडियम वाले कौन हैं – असंगठित लोग हैं, उनको आपने परे कर दिया, खत्म कर दिया, मेड इन इंडिया नहीं होने वाला है। अरे भाई, मेड इन इंडिया, मेड इन इंडिया करने के लिए स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्री को ही बड़ा करना पड़ेगा। बिना स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्री को सपोर्ट किए मेड इन इंडिया हो ही नहीं सकता है और अगर आप पूछते हैं, मैं आपको बताता हूं, मैन्युफैक्चरिंग जॉब की अगर हम बात करें, मेरे पास आंकड़ा है यहाँ पर। पिछले पांच साल में मैन्युफैक्चरिंग जॉब 46 प्रतिशत कम हुए हैं।
46 per cent drop in manufacturing jobs in India, why- because you have destroyed the unorganised sector. Why- because you have destroyed MSMEs, that is why. You are focusing completely on five or ten people. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t have a problem with big industries, focus on them, but, please realise that they cannot produce jobs for you. Small and medium industries are the only people who can produce jobs for you, that is the reality.
और हो क्या रहा है, दो हिंदुस्तान बन रहे हैं, आप यहाँ पर भाषण देते रहते हैं। नया हिंदुस्तान, न्यू इंडिया, मेक इन इंडिया, स्टार्टअप इंडिया, आप ये बोलते रहते हैं, बोलते रहते हैं और देश में बेरोजगारी फैलती जा रही है। आप ये मत सोचिए कि ये जो गरीब हिंदुस्तान है, जिसको आप बना रहे हैं, ये मत सोचिए कि ये चुप बैठा रहेगा। ये मत सोचिए कि ये चुप बैठा रहेगा, ये चुप नहीं बैठा रहेगा। इस हिंदुस्तान को सब कुछ दिख रहा है। इस हिंदुस्तान को दिख रहा है कि आज ये आंकड़ा आप सुनिए, ये आंकड़ा आपकी सरकार की देन है। ये आंकड़ा अच्छी तरह सुनिए।
इस गरीब हिंदुस्तान को दिख रहा है कि आज हिंदुस्तान के 100 सबसे अमीर लोगों के पास हिंदुस्तान की 55 करोड़ लोगों से ज्यादा जायदाद है। बात समझिए, 10 लोगों के पास 40 प्रतिशत हिंदुस्तान से ज्यादा धन है 10 लोगों के पास। ये कैसे हुआ, ये आपने किया, ये नरेन्द्र मोदी जी ने किया और मैं आपको एक सुझाव देता हूं, प्रधानमंत्री जी आपको सुझाव देता हूं – ये जो दो हिंदुस्तान आप बना रहे हैं, इन दो हिंदुस्तानों को जोड़ने का काम जल्दी से शुरु कीजिए। स्मॉल और मीडियम इंडस्ट्रीज की मदद करना शुरु कीजिए। जो हमारे बेरोजगार युवा हैं, उनकी मदद कीजिए और ये जो आप पूरा का पूरा धन इन्हीं 5-10 लोगों को दे रहे हैं, क्योंकि ये आपकी मार्केटिंग करते हैं, आपको टीवी, वॉटसअप, फेसबुक पर लगाते हैं, ये काम आप बंद कीजिए, नहीं तो देश का नुकसान होगा। आपका नहीं, देश का नुकसान होगा। तो पहला मेरा सुझाव ये है।
नंबर दो और नंबर तीन भी है, अभी आएगा वो और वो जो आपने 60 साल की बात कही थी, वो नंबर तीन में आएगा।
Now, I would like to speak, now, there are two competing visions of this country, which is frankly the main difference between us and them. If you read the Constitution of India, you will find, and many of my colleagues, who have not read it, should look at it, you will find that India is described as a Union of States. India is not described as a nation; it is described as a Union of States. What is that mean- that means my brothers from Tamil Nadu have the same right as my brothers and sisters from Maharashtra, as my brothers from Uttar Pradesh, as my brothers from Bihar, as my sisters from Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, of Course Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, of course Andaman Nicobar, of Course, that is Lakshadweep, that’s what it means. Now what is the difference, you have to understand this. This is a serious matter, I would like to have your view on it and I would like this Parliament House to start serious discussions instead of the type of discussions that we are having. That’s why, it is serious and I would like the serious response, right. What I heard frankly, what I heard in the first address today was not serious. What I heard Mr Dwivedi say, was not serious. It did not behoove this house. It was not at the standard that this house should be used to. It is not at the standard that India should watch.
Now, let me come back to the discussion, Speaker Sir. There are two visions of this country. One vision, that it is a Union of States; meaning- it is a negotiation, meaning- it is a conversation; meaning, I go to my brother in Tamil Nadu and say, what do you want and he says, this is what I want and then he asks me, what do you want and I say, this is what I want. It is a partnership. It is not a kingdom. Remember that. You will never ever in your entire life rule over the people of Tamil Nadu, it cannot be done. You will never ever in your life rule over these people. Please listen, what I am saying.
Now, no matter what fantasies you might have. You will never ever rule over the people of the states of India. It has never been done in 3,000 years, never ever. The only way India has been ruled and you can look at any empire you want, you can look at Ashoka the great, you can look at the Mauryas, you can look at the Guptas, you can look at any one you want, It has always been ruled by conversation and negotiation. Now, what is the problem? The problem is you people are confused. The problem is, you people think, that these languages, these cultures, these histories, you think that you can suppress them. You have no idea of history, you have no idea what you are dealing with, because the people of Tamil Nadu have inside their heart the idea of Tamil Nadu, the idea of the Tamil language and then also the idea of India. Do not be confused. The people of Kerala have the idea of (interruption), I am not, I am telling you the truth. The people of Kerala have a culture. I am now a Member of Parliament of Kerala, I understand it, slightly better, they have a culture, they have a dignity, they have a history. The people like the gentleman said, the people of Rajasthan have a culture, have a history, have a tradition, have a language, they have a way of life. This is like a bucket of flowers. This is our strength. I learnt from the people of Tamil Nadu, I learnt from the people of Rajasthan, I learnt even from you, every day, I learnt from you. I do, it is not funny. It is not funny, I learnt from you. Right! It is not funny.
Anyway, there is another vision, a vision that India can be ruled by a stick from the centre. You people have no idea of history, because every time it has been attempted that stick has been broken and smashed. Now, what is happening as a result of your flawed vision of the country? Two Indias are of course being created. Speaker Sir, what is happening? So, what is happening as a result of this flawed vision? Two Indias, उस पर भी बोलता हूँ, उस पर भी बोल देता हूँ, (सत्तारूढ़ पार्टी के सासंद द्वारा प्रश्न पूछने पर कहा) मैं उस पर भी बोल देता हूँ। मैं इमरजेंसी पर भी बोल देता हूँ, कोई प्रॉब्लम नहीं है। मैं बोलने से नहीं डरता हूँ, मैं डरता नहीं हूँ बोलने से। Anyway, so there are two visions. One is a union of states, union of languages, union of cultures, a bucket of beautiful flowers that can challenge any power in the world. No power in the world has ever been able to challenge this bucket of flowers.
Now, there is another vision, a centralizing vision, the vision of a king, the idea of a king, which the Congress removed in 1947. We smashed that idea of a king. Now that idea of king has come back, that there is a king, a Shahenshah, a ruler of rulers, a master of masters. Now, what is happening? Now, Speaker Sir, what is happening as a result of this flawed vision? What is happening, is that the instruments of the conversation between our states. The instruments of the conversation between our peoples, what we call the institutions of our country are being attacked and captured by one idea. So, for example- today, the idea of Tamil Nadu is excluded from Indian institutions. They can keep coming to you again and again and again and again and saying NEET, NEET, NEET, NEET, NEET, NEET and you will say – no, get out of here, right. They do not have a voice in your framework.
The farmers of Punjab can stand up and say, we do not agree with these three laws. They do not have a voice in your framework; only the king has the voice. The farmers can sit for one year, they can sit for one year outside in Corona, they can die, doesn’t matter, the king doesn’t agree. You do not listen to anybody and even all of you, my dear brothers and sisters in the BJP, I saw my Dalit colleague speak today, Paswan Ji, I saw him. He knows the history of the Dalits. He knows who has suppressed the Dalits for 3,000 years and he is speaking with the hesitancy, he is speaking without… (Interruption). I am proud of him. I am proud of this gentleman. He has spoken to me what is in his heart. I am proud of this man, but, he is in the wrong party. Don’t worry, घबराईए मत।
(Interruption)…Look, Speaker Sir, I am a democratic person, I will allow him to speak… So, Speaker Sir, So, this confused ideology, this confused understanding of the nation of India is playing havoc with this country and I will give you examples, the Judiciary, the Election Commission, Pegasus, these are all instruments of destroying the voice of the Union of States, when you applied Pegasus on a Indian politician. When the Prime Minister personally goes to Israel and authorises the use of Pegasus in India, he is attacking the people of Tamil Nadu, he is attacking the people of Assam, he is attacking the people of Kerala, he is attacking the people of Bengal.
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A particular organization has captured the institutional framework of the country and is attacking the voice of the different states of this country. And my fear is that you will get a reaction from that voice. My fear is that this attack, that you are carrying out on the institutional framework of this country is going to get a response from the Union of States and you are fiddling, I understand this, you might not appreciate it, but, my great grandfather spent 15 years in jail, building this thing, my grandmother was shot 32 times and my father was blown into bits, so I understand a little bit about what this country is. My blood has been sacrificed, not by me, by my great grandfather, by my grandmother, by my father for this country, so I understand what it is and you are fiddling with something very-very dangerous and I am advising you ‘stop’, because if you do not stop, you will create a problem. You have already started creating the problem. The problem has already started in the north east. The problem has already started in Tamil Nadu, it is not visible, it is not visible to you right now.
Jammu- Kashmir, which I will speak out which is my third point. Now, what you are fiddling with is extremely dangerous and it demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of history. Please, this evening, go back and look at all the empires that have ever ruled India, look at them carefully, you will find that every single one of them is a Union of States. There is not a single empire, there was a reason Ashok used to go and put his pillars everywhere, because it was a Union of States where Ashok, the great king respected everybody. You are disrespecting everybody. Disrespect me, I don’t care, It doesn’t matter to me, but, you cannot disrespect the people of this country, right!
Now final, and I think one of the more important parts of my speech, actually I want to say one other thing, which I demand an apology from the Home Minister and this represents again the idea of a Union of State vs the idea of a king. Now, a few days ago, some political leader, I am not going to name, came to me from Manipur and he was very agitated. I spoke to him, I said, why you are agitated my brother? And he says, Rahul Ji, I have never felt as insulted as I have, a few days ago. I said why? He said, Rahul Ji, a delegation of Manipuri political leaders, senior leaders went to see the Home Minister. Outside his house, we were told to take off our shoes and when we went inside his room, we found that the Home Minister was wearing his chappals. What is this mean? What exactly does this mean? Why is it that in the Home Minister’s house, the Home Minister can wear chappals, but a delegation of Manipur politicians cannot? What is this mean? Why? (Interruption) No, it reflects…, (interruption) नहीं गलत नहीं बोल रहा हूँ। मैं आपको फोटो दिखा दूँगा, स्पीकर सर। मैंने उस व्यक्ति से बोला- आप गलत बोल रहे हो, उसने बोला, राहुल जी मैं आपको फोटो देता हूँ और फोटो दी उसने मुझे। This is not a way to deal with the people of India. Anyway, now let me come to my final point and I think most important point. We are sitting… (interruption) संस्कृति ये होती है कि वो भी जूते उतारे और आप भी। (बीजेपी के सांसदों द्वारा संस्कृति की बात बोलने पर कहा) संस्कृति ये नहीं होती कि वो जूते उतारे, आप नहीं। ये पता नहीं कौन सी संस्कृति है आपकी? Anyway, let me finish.
Speaker Sir, it reflects a mentality. It reflects a sense that I am bigger than you. You are nobody, I am everybody. That is why, I will wear my shoes and you will not.
Anyway, going back to the main point, now and the final most important point, my understanding is that the RSS and the BJP is playing with the foundations of our country and they are weakening the foundations of our country. They are weakening the links between our people. They are weakening the links between our languages. Now, they have further weakened the country by ensuring that not a single Indian youngster can get a job. So today, unlike a decade ago, 15 years ago, India is weak. Ask yourselves, why you are not able to get a guest on Republic Day, ask yourself that question. Don’t look surprised, ask yourself that question. What is happening that India today is completely isolated? We are completely isolated and surrounded. We are surrounded in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Burma, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, everywhere we are surrounded and our opponents understand our position.
Please, let me speak, because I am saying something very serious, right. I am saying something very serious, let me say. We are, we have been weakened. The conversation between our people is not taking place. Our institutions are under attack and we are completely surrounded. The Chinese have a very clear vision of what they want to do. They are very-very clear about what they want to do and one second, please, the single biggest, you can ask anybody who understands, the single biggest strategic goal of India’s foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. This is fundamental for India and what you have done is, you have brought them together. Today, do not be under any illusion. Do not underestimate the force that is standing in front of us. Do not underestimate the power that stands in front of us, do not underestimate it. You have brought Pakistan and China together and this is the single biggest crime that you could commit against the people of India.
China has a clear vision, and I can clearly see without any confusion in my mind that China has a plan. China has a plan. I can see without any doubt that the Chinese, please we are all nationalists, so let us discuss properly. I can see that China has a clear cut plan. The foundations of their plan have been put in place in Doklam and in Ladakh. Do underestimate what we are facing. This is a very-very serious threat to the Indian nation. We have made huge strategic mistakes in Jammu and Kashmir, we have made huge strategic mistake in our foreign policy and if we do not correct those mistakes, what are the mistakes, I have just told you, you have brought China and Pakistan together, you have taken the concept of two different fronts and converted it into one unified front and by the way, in case you haven’t realised this, in case you haven’t understood what is going on, it is very clear that the Chinese and the Pakistanis are planning. Look at the weapons that they are buying, look at their activity, look at the way they are talking, look at who they are speaking to.
I am clearly stating in the house of Parliament that we have made a massive blunder and we need to make sure, absolutely sure, that we can defend ourselves against the Chinese. Please remember what I am saying, because the Chinese will …(inaudible). Remember what I am saying and remember that you will be responsible for anything that happens, that is why it is important that as a nation we start this conversation. It is important as a nation that you listen to what we say, because we have experience, we have understanding. You might not think so, but, we have people on this side, who understand these things, have great understanding. Use us. I can see that some of you are understanding what I am saying. I am happy, I can see.
So these are the three points I wanted to make today. The nation is now at risk. The nation is at risk. The nation is at risk from outside. The nation is at risk from inside and that is a very dangerous place for a nation to be and I don’t like it. I am very uncomfortable with my nation, with my beloved country standing where it is standing. Completely isolated on the outside, fighting on the inside, institutions captured, states are not able to speak to each other. This worries me. It frightens me for my country and so that is why, I thought it was important that I speak today. I know that many of you will just rubbish what I am saying. I understand it that you would have been told to do and I am happy to let you do it, but, remember what I said. You are putting this nation, this wonderful nation and its people at huge risk.
