Govt anniversary: TMC’s Derek O’Brien questions BJP manifesto guarantees

Because the Union authorities completes the primary yr of its ongoing time period, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Derek O’Brien on Monday, 9 June, listed out a sequence of guarantees listed within the BJP manifesto, and mentioned that the truth was completely different.

That is the third time period for Narendra Modi, who has been the prime minister for 11 years now.

In an article printed on his weblog, O’Brien talked about 15 guarantees from the 69-page manifesto launched by the BJP forward of the 2024 elections.

The BJP promised that it’ll defend ‘garib ki thali’ (meals safety), however in line with World Financial institution information, 7.5 crore Indians earn lower than Rs 225 per day, the Rajya Sabha MP mentioned.

“The poorest 5 per cent spend Rs 68 per day. A vegetarian thali prices Rs 77,” he mentioned.

O’Brien mentioned whereas the BJP promised empowering the neo-middle class, between 2014 and 2024, family liabilities have doubled, whereas internet monetary financial savings have “fallen to one in every of their lowest ranges within the final 50 years”.

The BJP promised creating high-value jobs, however in actuality, since 2021, increasingly individuals have been pushed in direction of agriculture.

“At present 46 of the workforce is engaged in agriculture. Almost three out of 5 persons are self-employed, which consultants name ‘not the perfect type of employment’,” the TMC chief mentioned.

On participation of ladies within the workforce, O’Brien mentioned between 2018-23, the proportion of ladies engaged in employment-related actions rose by simply 2.3 share factors.

“Time spent on employment-related actions elevated by simply 10 minutes over 5 years. The labour power participation fee for ladies stays half that of males,” he mentioned.

On reservation for ladies in legislature, he mentioned the BJP has 13 per cent ladies MPs in Lok Sabha.

O’Brien criticised the BJP authorities on the Girls’s Reservation Invoice that was handed in 2023.

“Nevertheless, it was linked to the Census which is slated to be carried out in 2027. Publish Census, the delimitation train might be held. It is just after each of those, that the Invoice will be really carried out. When? Anyone’s guess.” he mentioned.

On farmers’ points, O’Brien mentioned 30 farmers commit suicide each day.

“Between 2018-23, actual wages declined yearly by 0.4 per cent in rural areas, whereas agricultural wages noticed an annual development of simply 0.2 per cent. The suggestion made by a Parliamentary Committee to extend funds underneath PM Kisan to Rs 12,000 has been ignored.”

The worth added by the manufacturing sector has declined from 12.3 per cent of GDP in 2023 to 4.5 per cent in 2024, falling under 2014 ranges. he mentioned.

“Over the previous two years, just one in ten people have been employed in manufacturing. Between 2015 and 2024, the variety of manufacturing MSMEs grew simply over 2 per cent,” he mentioned.

O’Brien mentioned the BJP promised to develop the ‘Kavach’ prepare safety system. However it has solely been put in on solely 2 per cent routes, he mentioned.

He additionally slammed the federal government over the pending bullet prepare mission, and the alleged delay within the Bharatmala Pariyojana, an expressway and ring highway growth mission.

The TMC chief additionally focused the BJP authorities on its claims of eradicating corruption. Within the final decade, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has solely made two convictions out of 193 instances in opposition to MPs, MLAs, and political leaders.

“Within the final 11 years, a complete of 5,297 instances had been filed by ED. Solely 47 had been taken to courtroom for trial. For each 1,000 instances filed, accused had been discovered responsible in solely seven instances.”

On the employment scenario, he mentioned one in three younger individuals in India are neither in schooling, employment, nor coaching, with ladies making up 95 per cent of this group.

“Solely 4 per cent of the youth workforce have acquired formal ability coaching. Below the PM’s internship scheme, one out of 5 districts had lower than 10 internship alternatives obtainable,” he mentioned.

O’Brien additionally talked about the continued strife in Manipur, and mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not but visited the state.