Govt anniversary: TMC's Derek O'Brien questions BJP manifesto promises
New Delhi (PTI): As the Union government completes the first year of its ongoing term, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Monday listed out a series of promises listed in the BJP manifesto, and said that the reality was different.
This is the third term for Narendra Modi, who has been the prime minister for 11 years now.
In an article published on his blog, O'Brien mentioned 15 promises from the 69-page manifesto released by the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections.
The BJP promised that it will protect 'garib ki thali' (food security), but according to World Bank data, 7.5 crore Indians earn less than Rs 225 per day, the Rajya Sabha MP said.
"The poorest 5 per cent spend Rs 68 per day. A vegetarian thali costs Rs 77," he said.
O'Brien said while the BJP promised empowering the neo-middle class, between 2014 and 2024, household liabilities have doubled, while net financial savings have "fallen to one of their lowest levels in the last 50 years".
The BJP promised creating high-value jobs, but in reality, since 2021, more and more people have been pushed towards agriculture.
"Currently 46 of the workforce is engaged in agriculture. Nearly three out of five people are self-employed, which experts call 'not the best form of employment'," the TMC leader said.
On participation of women in the workforce, O'Brien said between 2018-23, the proportion of women engaged in employment-related activities rose by just 2.3 percentage points.
"Time spent on employment-related activities increased by just 10 minutes over five years. The labour force participation rate for women remains half that of men," he said.
On reservation for women in legislature, he said the BJP has 13 per cent women MPs in Lok Sabha.
O'Brien criticised the BJP government on the Women's Reservation Bill that was passed in 2023.
"However, it was linked to the Census which is slated to be conducted in 2027. Post Census, the delimitation exercise will be held. It is only after both of these, that the Bill can be actually implemented. When? Anybody's guess." he said.
On farmers' issues, O'Brien said 30 farmers die by suicide every day.
"Between 2018-23, real wages declined annually by 0.4 per cent in rural areas, while agricultural wages saw an annual growth of just 0.2 per cent. The suggestion made by a Parliamentary Committee to increase funds under PM Kisan to Rs 12,000 has been ignored."
The value added by the manufacturing sector has declined from 12.3 per cent of GDP in 2023 to 4.5 per cent in 2024, falling below 2014 levels. he said.
"Over the past two years, only one in ten individuals have been employed in manufacturing. Between 2015 and 2024, the number of manufacturing MSMEs grew just over 2 percent," he said.
O'Brien said the BJP promised to expand the 'Kavach' train protection system. But it has only been installed on only 2 per cent routes, he said.
He also slammed the government over the pending bullet train project, and the alleged delay in the Bharatmala Pariyojana, an expressway and ring road expansion project.
The TMC leader also targeted the BJP government on its claims of removing corruption. In the last decade, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has only made two convictions out of 193 cases against MPs, MLAs, and political leaders.
"In the last 11 years, a total of 5,297 cases were filed by ED. Only 47 were taken to court for trial. For every 1,000 cases filed, accused were found guilty in only seven cases."
On the employment situation, he said one in three young people in India are neither in education, employment, nor training, with women making up 95 per cent of this group.
"Only 4 per cent of the youth workforce have received formal skill training. Under the PM's internship scheme, one out of five districts had less than 10 internship opportunities available," he said.
O'Brien also mentioned the ongoing strife in Manipur, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not yet visited the state.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
