Government's script, full of lies: Oppn leaders on President's address to Parliament
New Delhi (PTI): Opposition leaders on Thursday dismissed the President's address to the joint sitting of Parliament as a "script given by the government" that was "full of lies" and also castigated the government over the repeated mention of the 1975 Emergency.
They said there is an "undeclared emergency" in the country and the Constitution is being attacked under the Modi government.
In her address, President Droupadi Murmu described the imposition of Emergency in 1975 as the "biggest and darkest chapter" of a direct attack on the Constitution and said the country emerged victorious over unconstitutional forces.
Speaking to reporters after the President's address, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav punched holes in the government's claim of India being the fifth-largest economy in the world.
ALSO READ: Emergency biggest, darkest chapter of direct attack on Constitution: President Murmu
"The story that is being told about India becoming the fifth-largest economy... has it made our farmers prosperous? If we are the fifth-largest economy, then why are so many youths unemployed? Why is there a scheme like Agniveer? Why can't price rise be controlled?" he said.
On the government's claims about investment, the SP chief said, "We would have witnessed more growth if there was investment. The growth of some individuals cannot enable national growth. It can improve our numbers but what is there in it for farmers, the poor and those who have been most exploited."
Asked about the mention of Emergency by Murmu, he said, "What did the BJP do for the people who were in jail during Emergency? The SP gave them respect and pensions."
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said the President read out a "script given by the government" and that the BJP has not realised yet that it does not have a majority on its own.
"The government's problem is that they are not yet able to understand that they have come to 240 from 303. They prepared the speech based on the majority of 303. That is why she said there is a clear majority government when the government is actually in minority," she said.
Maybe they took portions from the last year's speech, she said.
Speaking about the recent general elections, Murmu said the whole world is talking about India's Lok Sabha polls.
"The world is witnessing that the people of India have elected a stable government with clear majority for a third consecutive term," she told the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.
CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad said the President's address was "full of lies".
"This is an alliance government which they are calling a majority government as if it is a BJP government. They should have talked about Manipur. Why are they making empty speeches on women empowerment? Women were paraded naked there (Manipur), people have been rendered homeless... women wrestlers have not yet received justice. This address was full of lies," he said.
On the President talking about Emergency, Prasad said, "That was a declared emergency and this one has not been declared."
"They mentioned Emergency yesterday as well. This is not right. They are mentioning Emergency but we are facing a mega-emergency at present. The Constitution is being attacked, democratic values are being murdered and people are being silenced. By talking about Emergency, they are trying to hide their own mega-emergency," he added.
Congress leader Tariq Anwar said there was nothing new in the President's speech.
"They just made a few changes to old speeches. There was nothing new in the President's address to Parliament today," he said.
"Several elections have been held since Emergency in which the BJP was defeated. They have nothing new to say," Anwar said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have also condemned the imposition of Emergency.
Addressing the media in the Parliament complex ahead of the start of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha on June 24, Modi had termed Emergency a black spot on India's parliamentary history when the Constitution was discarded and the country turned into a prison.
Soon after his election as Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday, Birla had set off a firestorm by reading out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency as an attack on the Constitution by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi, an act that triggered vociferous protests by Congress member in the House.
VIDEO | "Rahul, Leader of Opposition, had informed the Speaker this could have been avoided. That is a clearly political reference, it could have been avoided," says Congress MP KC Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) on President Droupadi Murmu's remark over Emergency. pic.twitter.com/QEDuoCpUya
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 27, 2024
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Akash Singh says signature celebration fuels motivation, reinforces dominance
Lucknow (PTI): Pacer Akash Singh caught the eye with his unique celebration during Lucknow Super Giants' win over Chennai Super Kings, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket after a wicket, a gesture he said was aimed at "motivating" himself and "asserting dominance" over batters.
The left-arm pacer pulled out a scrappy piece of paper after each of the three wickets he took in LSG seven-wicket win over CSK, with the message reading: "Akki on fire -- Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket.
The 24-year-old, who began his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals and was part of Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2023 before moving to Lucknow Super Giants, registered his best IPL figures with 3 for 26 on Friday.
"'Akki knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket', right?" Akash said when asked about the message on the piece of paper, adding that it serves as a source of motivation and helps him focus on dominating batters and delivering stronger performances for the team.
"Different things motivate different people. Some days I show the paper, some days I don't, but it reflects my mindset on that particular day. When you carry a piece of paper with something written on it, you manifest things and the most important part is when those manifestations actually materialise," he added.
Akash, who hails from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, said the strong backing from the Lucknow Super Giants support staff over the last two years had played a huge role in his growth as a cricketer.
"I've been with LSG for two years and the most important thing has been the backing from the coaches, even when I'm not in the playing XI. This year we have Bharat Arun sir, last year Zaheer sir was there...Tom Moody. The way they guide us, prepare us and keep us ready for opportunities is very important when there are 25 players in the squad," he said.
"When you are not playing, you naturally seek backing and every player wants to make the most of the opportunities he gets. The support from the captain also matters a lot and with Rishabh bhaiya backing you, the confidence grows and you are able to perform better," Akash said, referring to Rishabh Pant.
Akash said Pant had asked him to trust his strengths ahead of the clash against CSK.
"He told me that the new ball is my strength and that I can swing it both ways. So I just tried to make the best use of my skills. The wicket also had good bounce, so I focused on using the bouncer effectively,” added Akash.
On his success against CSK, Akash said his experience of playing in the IPL since 2020, including a stint with CSK, helped him understand the opposition batters better, while backing his own strengths with the ball also played a key role in his impressive spell.
"Obviously, when you play in the IPL and have shared the dressing room with some players, you understand their strengths and weaknesses. My focus was first to back my own strengths, then exploit their weaknesses and also make the best use of what the wicket was offering," Akash said.
Akash said he had sensed over the last two-three games that an opportunity could come his way after being repeatedly told to "be ready", though he admitted he was unfortunate not to get a chance earlier.
"Two days before the match, during practice, I was told to be ready," he said.
Clarifying that he had not been carrying the piece of paper in anticipation, Akash said he often notes down thoughts that could help improve his game..
"Whenever I’m alone or about to sleep, any thought that comes to my mind which can help my cricket, I write it down. The other night I got this thought and jotted it down on paper," he added.
