In Lok Sabha

DISCUSSION UNDER RULE 193 ON PRICE HIKE

Shri Manish Tiwari (Anandpur Sahib): Respected speaker sir, today the entire country is suffering from the issue of inflation. I thank you very much for giving me a chance to start the discussion on that subject.

Speaker Sir, any given economy stands on five basic foundations. The first is Savings, the second is Investment, the third is Production, the fourth is Consumption and the fifth is Employment. It is very unfortunate that in the last eight years these five basic foundations have been torn apart. From 2004 to 2014, when the UPA government was in power, 27 crore people were raised above the poverty line. It is unfortunate that in the year 2021, according to a report, 23 crore people have gone below the poverty line again.

Mr. Speaker, Anoop Satpathy Committee says that the poverty line rests at the benchmark of Rs. 375 per day and they have gone below that. What is even more unfortunate is that 77 percent of the country’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of only one percent of the people. This is the greatest inequality in this country.

It all started on November 8, 2016, when the BJP government, without much deliberation had issued demonetisation in this country. The growth rate of GDP was 6.8 percent in the year 2017-18. It fell to 6.6 percent in the year 2018-19 which further fell to 3.7 percent in the year 2019-20. In the year 2021-22, it went down to minus 6.6 per cent, in which Covid had a huge impact and in the year 2021-22 this rate came down to 8.9 per cent, but this figure is a lie, as the real GDP growth was only 2.3 per cent. I want to say this because the collapse of the economy was caused not only due to Covid which could be a contributing factor in that, but even before that, India’s economy had been continuously degrading and the biggest proof of this is that the 6 months prior to the year 2018-19, the fund flow in the commercial sector at that time fell from Rs. 7 lakh 36 thousand 87 crores to just Rs. 90 thousand 995 crores. It declined by 87.6 percent. After this demonetisation, the government implemented GST. The direct effect of that GST was that 2 lakh 30 thousand small-scale industries in the MSME sector, were shut down and they have not been able to overpower that blow even today.

Speaker Sir, the MSME sector as on date has an outstanding amount of Rs. 10.6 lakh crores because of which this sector can be completely destroyed. The impact of this demonetisation and GST has been felt not only by the small-scale industries but it has also affected employment.

The unemployment rate was 4.77 percent in the year 2017, which increased to 7 percent in the year 2018, 7.6 percent in 2019, 9.1 percent in 2020, 7.9 in 2021 and 7.8 percent in June, 2022. Speaker Sir, the criterion in any developed country is that two-thirds of the people should get employment. As of today, about 40 crore people are employed in India. If we want to be included in the category of developed countries, then it is necessary to take it to 84 crores. I want to say this that unfortunately the government has no strategy to take it from 40 crores to 84 crores. Today, the way the demand for MGNREGA has increased, it is a living proof of the problem of employment. In April, 2022, 23 million households had to seek the support of MGNREGA, in May, 2022, 37 million households had to take help form MGNREGA and in June, 2022 this number increased to 3.17 crores. Ever since the scheme was started in the year 2006, it is the highest number of people who are trying to make their living with the help of MGNREGA. I also want to mention in this House that when this government was formed eight years ago, they had referred to this scheme of MGNREGA as one ‘Gaddhey khodney ki scheme’ (A useless scheme).

Today, crores of families are earning their living with the help of the same scheme, so the government should mince its words.

In the year 2019, 1 lakh 45 thousand crore rupees were given to the corporate sector and between 2014-15 to 2019-20, this government gave 4 lakh 32 thousand crore rupees worth of concessions to the capitalists. But the fact is, it did not work and rather resulted in sinking down of India’s economy causing poor become poorer.

Sir, now I want to talk about petrol and diesel. From the year 2014-15 to 2021-22, this government has collected Rs. 27 lakh crores from the petroleum sector through excise, tax and dividend. Out of this, Rs. 23 lakh 625 crores were collected through excise duty and Rs. 4 lakh 23 thousand 775 crores were collected through dividend and income tax. What is surprising is the fact that the government kept filling its treasury, but kept emptying the pockets of the people. I want to give you an example. In April 2011, when the price of crude oil was $ 150, petrol was being sold for Rs. 58. 56 paise and in July 2022, when the price of crude oil was $ 98.94, petrol is being sold for Rs. 96. 72 paise. The price of LPG cylinder on March 01, 2014, was Rs. 410 and on August 01, 2022, that price increased to Rs. 1003. If you put so much burden on the poor people, on the middle class of India, then the whole country will suffer from inflation.

Now let us come to inflation. This country has double digit inflation rate for the last 14 months, which is the highest in the last 30 years. From 15.8 per cent in April, 2022, there has been a slight decline in July and the Consumer Food Price Index is skyrocketing. Apart from this, you have increased GST on everyday things. The funny thing in this is that you have even increased the GST on spoons and ladles too. The unfortunate thing is, which has hurt my sentiments as well is that you had to levy 18 per cent GST even on the construction of the cremation grounds. What kind of country are you building? Do we want to bring people to the ground?

I finally end with three lines from a Punjabi poet. In Punjabi they say-

“Pahle to Moonchh ki ladaai ne maar dia, doosra, yaar ki judaai ne maar dia, Teesra, rab ki khudaai ne maar dia or baaki jo bacha vo mahangaai ne maar dia.”

Thank you so much.

Extracts of the speech delivered in Lok Sabha on August 1, 2022

In Rajya Sabha

SHORT DURATION DISCUSSION ON RISING PRICES OF ESSENTIAL ITEMS on August 2, 2022.

Shri Shakti Sinh Gohil (Gujarat): Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have become the victim of the politics of vengeance, but our problems are not paramount. What is paramount are the problems of the people of this country. None can rule by harassing the truth or putting innocent people behind bars. History is replete with examples of such rulers like Ravana, Kansa or Britishers, who couldn’t suppress the truth by resorting to harassment.

I want to start off with a few lines on inflation.

“Haye re Bhajpayee mehangai, tune kaisi aafat dhaai, Deshvaasiyon ke Jeevan ko, bana dia dukhdaai.”

I don’t believe in making any hollow promises or Jumlas. I’ll tell you the source. I would like to give you the data of the Price Monitoring Department, which is part of your Ministry of Consumers Department. The rate of inflation was 4.23 percent in April, 2021, the same inflation was 7.79 percent in April 2022 i.e. double in just one year. This is the condition of this country. The Monitoring Division of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has said in its data that in our times, the price of rice as on May 1, 2014, was Rs. 26.17, while on May 1, 2022, its price was Rs. 35.85. You have increased it by 37%. Wheat was at Rs. 20.05, you made it to be 28.01 percent. This means that it is increased by 37%. You have increased the prices of everything. I have a long list here. Modi ji is very smart in coining some words. He coined the word TOP (Tomato, Onion and Potato) which is necessary for the common citizen. Their prices were literally pulled to the TOP, this is a fact.

Sir, I take this opportunity to say this through you - I have a lot of respect for the Finance-Minister. She is very polite. I have a lot of respect for Jawaharlal Nehru University, from where eminent people have studied. She is a pass out of that JNU. I request the Finance-Minister that you are sensitive. You just pick up that Gujarat’s newspaper of four days ago and have a look at it. An educated man commits suicide and writes in the suicide note that I am dying because I am educated, but I did not get employment. I work as a labourer, but the inflation is so much that I cannot feed my family and I am committing suicide. I’ll talk to you about another issue. Sir, there is a scandal in Rojid Village of that Botad District. It is the land of Mahatma Gandhi, where liquor is prohibited and cannot be sold there. There comes spurious liquor and 75 people lose their lives. Some people survived there while others lost their eyes or kidneys. The Prime Minister did not go there, he did not go to Rojid. He did not go to wipe the tears of those poor people. Finance minister, if you may be willing to come, I will escort you and after seeing the inconsolable people of his house, you have to decide whether there is inflation or not. The reality is that people are distressed. In a democracy, the government should listen to the matter of opposition and in a democracy, the matter of opposition should also be obeyed, but things are topsy-turvy in today’s times. When Modi Ji was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I was the leader of the opposition party. I have taken out the video of that time and put it on my social media. Modi ji had said, “Seeing the inflation, I have to say – Doob maro, doob maro, dilli vaalo doob maro. Brothers and sisters, I have to say this after seeing inflation that such government that cannot control inflation is useless.” People troubled by inflation were hoping to get some relief with the start of the Parliament. But instead of giving them relief, you increased GST and that too on the items of everyday consumption that common citizens eat, such as curd, lassi, buttermilk, paneer, rice, wheat, muri, jaggery, natural honey. You have also levied 5% GST on hotel rooms with tariff more than Rs.1000. You didn’t even spare crematoriums! What could be worse than that!

Sir, I want to say that honourable member Prakash Javadekar ji used to say that you should bring oil bonds. I want to draw your attention to figures. You can see the data of Petroleum Analysis Cell. You recovered Rs. 27 lakh crores but how much have you filled in bonds – only 98 thousand crores. You collected tax of Rs. 27 lakh crores. How could you even talk about bonds!

Sir, Hon’ble Member Javadekar Sahab was talking about International Market. I want to remind about the international market that domestic gas i.e. LPG, which is decided by Saudi Aramco, in 2013-14 i.e. in our times, according to Saudi Aramco, the price of LPG was US $ 885.2 per metric ton and at that time we used to charge Rs. 400 to Rs. 415 on cylinders. In your times, LPG was priced at US$ 769 per metric ton in March 2022, means it became cheaper and you increased the cost of gas cylinder from 400 to 1,100 rupees.

Sir, I want to say that when we were in government, then you should look at the average of the last three years. Prakash Javadekar ji, you must look at the average of the last three years. At that time, crude oil was priced at 108.46 U.S. dollars per barrel. And at what price did we use to sell them off at? We never allowed it to reach Rs.100, but look at the average of your government’s last three years. In this, crude oil was even priced at60.06 US dollars per barrel which means that it was even halved, but you have still crossed its price to a hundred.

I say this to you that when our Prime Minister was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Manmohan Singh ji had asked the states to reduce VAT a little and what did Modi ji say at that time? Modi ji had said, ‘Brothers and sisters, these Delhiites commit sins and tell the states to wash them off. Where will we wash them off from? If you want to reduce anything, then you must reduce your excise. The increasing prices of petrol and diesel are a result of your sins, we will not reduce VAT.” This was said by Modi ji himself. I have the video. You bring a privilege motion against me and I will show you the video. You had not reduced a single penny of VAT and today you make clamouring noises about Maharashtra! Sir, in the nut shell, I say one last thing. Modi Ji used to say that if the rupee falls, then take it to be the fall of the Prime Minister and his honour. He used to say, ‘If the Rupee falls, take it to be the fall of the Delhi government.’ I say today that sir, you have broken the record. Show, who is falling in the country today?

Sir, I remember two lines from a verse,

‘Haaye haaye bhaajpayee mehangaai maharani, Thori si deshvasi par karo meharbaani. Sara desh tumse pareshan,Kuch to kripa karo sarkaar. Aai hai jab se Bhajpayee, Kathin ho gayi hai desh ki zindagaani. Swaad gaya Jeevan se, beswaad ho gayi hai, Deshvasi ki jawani.” Extracts of the speech delivered in Rajya Sabha on August 2, 2022