Give us an India where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs & Christians live for each other: Azad

New Delhi: Taking a jibe at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of ‘New India’, Leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said that in old India, there was love, peace,  tranquility and culture while in ‘New India’,  man has become man’s enemy.
“Keep your New India with yourselves,  return our old India. In old India, there was love, peace, tranquility  and culture. There was no hatred and enmity. In New India, man has  become man’s enemy. You will not be feared of wild animals but you do of  humans in this New India.
Give us that India where Hindu  Muslim Sikh Christian live peacefully and are ready to give their life  for each other,” he said while speaking on a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
During the address , he attacked the government over range of issues.
On Jharkhand lynching case, the Congress leader said, “Jharkhand has become a hub of mob lynching and violence. Every week, the dalits and minorities are being killed there. PM, we are with you in the fight of ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas’ but it should be there for people to see it. We can’t see it anywhere.”
In reaction to BJP working President JP Nadda’s suggestion that the opposition should follow the BJP’s way of working, Mr Azad said, “Even if we sit in opposition for thousands of years we will not follow your paths. We believe in secularism, pluralism, freedom, diversity, unity and existence of India. Those who try to break them, they might win elections and have also won but the country gets defeated.”
On celebration of 150th Birth Cenetary of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha said,“It’s unfortunate that we are celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in the same year in which few Parliamentarians have won election and termed the killer of Gandhiji as patriot.”
”I have complaint with the prime minister. Those members of the ruling party should have been dismissed on the same day but you didn’t. But you still have time till October,” he added.
He also took on the government over not releasing of National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data since 2016 and alleged that the crimes against women have increased in the last five years.
On 33 per cent reservation to women in State legislatures and Parliament, the senior leader added, “When we were in power- we had passed the Bill in Rajya Sabha because we had majority. We couldn’t pass it in Lok Sabha because we lacked numbers.
You have numbers in Lok Sabha and your strength in Rajya Sabha has also incresed. You should pass it. Entire opposition was waiting for this Bill since last five years. In last government, you had absolute majority but you didn’t bring it in Parliament.”
He also raised the issue of unemployment and took a pot shot on government at joblessness being at 45-year high. He termed demonetisation as a bad decision as it led to job loss of crores people.
Expressing concern on lack of equal opportunities, the Congress leader said, “Only one per cent of entire population hold 73 per cent of country’s wealth. All contracts are being given to 1-2 persons or those who are close to the government. ”
Taking potshots on Government talk of cooperative federalism, he said, “You have left no state without defections. You use Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate, CBI and money to defect.”
On triple talq, the leader added, “We are against the Triple Talaq. But this Bill is about destroying the houses.”
On economic offenders, he said, “Big businessmen like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi escaped to London or foreign countries and small offenders have joined your party.”
On situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Azad said, “You say you have conducted corporation and Lok Sabha elections peacefully but why do have you not conducted assembly election since last 1.5 years.”
He also alleged that the government is trying to rule the state through backdoor.
“We urge you to hold the election as soon as possible, Tourism is crippling in J&K, why are you not conducting assembly polls in the state? Occupancy in hotels is very low and you’re saying you’re working for the welfare of the state? “, he said.