• NDA means 'No Data Available': Congress' dig at PM over speech in Rajya Sabha

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    NDA means 'No Data Available': Congress' dig at PM over speech in Rajya Sabha
    Kharge further claimed that Modi's speech was primarily directed towards criticizing the Congress and avoided discussing issues related to economic inequality, unemployment, and price increases.


    Digital Desk: In a speech to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accused by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge of making false statements about the UPA government. Kharge further claimed that Modi's speech was primarily directed towards criticizing the Congress and avoided discussing issues related to economic inequality, unemployment, and price increases.

    "Those who do not believe in the Constitution are preaching on patriotism to the Congress," Kharge stated in reference to Modi's response during the Motion of Thanks debate on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha.

    "Modiji, in your speeches in both the Houses, you only cursed the Congress. Despite being in power for 10 years, instead of talking about himself, he only criticises the Congress party. Even today, he did not talk about price rise, unemployment and economic inequality. Actually, the government does not have any data. NDA itself means No Data Available government -- Census 2021 has not been conducted, there is no employment data, there is no health survey. The government hides all the statistics and spreads lies. Modi ki Guarantee is only to spread lies," Kharge said.

    "Those who did not believe in the Constitution, did not participate in the Dandi March and the Quit India Movement have the audacity to today preach patriotism to the Congress party," he stated.

    "Modiji made numerous untrue statements about the UPA administration. I would like to know why the unemployment rate is at a 45-year high during your term when it was 2.2% during the UPA rule. Kharge enquired.

    The head of Congress questioned why the GDP growth rate during the present government's tenure is only 5.6%, given that it was 8.13 percent on average during the 10 years of UPA control.

    He claimed that in 2011 alone, India's GDP grew to become the third largest in the world, according to the World Bank.

    "In ten years, we lifted 14 crore people out of (multidimensional) poverty. You are spreading lies by critiquing speeches from time to time," Kharge remarked.

    He claimed that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), led by Congress, established the groundwork for India's recent advancements in digital transformation through the Aadhaar, DBT, and bank account structure.
    "Up until 2014, we had already enrolled 65 crore Aadhaar cards, and DBT-PAHAL had begun direct subsidy transfers. Additionally, we had opened 33 crore bank accounts for the underprivileged under the Swabhiman Yojana," Kharge said.

    "Modiji said something about PSUs (public sector undertakings). Let us remind that your 'Sell and Loot' policy led to full/half/or partial privatisation of 147 PSUs till April 2022," he said in a post on X.

    The Congress leader stated that there are 30 lakh unfilled government positions, with the majority of these being for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). Additionally, there are almost three lakh unfilled positions in five ministries: railway, steel, civil aviation, defense (without troops), and petroleum.

    "You talked about Eklavya schools, but did not say that 70 percent of the teachers in these schools are on a contract basis," he responded.

    "It is unfortunate that the gap between our exports and imports has increased by three times in the last 10 years and despite knowing this fact, the government does not accept it as a problem and has not taken any corrective measures," he stated.