Rahul Gandhi demands caste census, legal guarantee of MSP to farmers

New Delhi, Jul 29, 2024, By News on Air

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has demanded caste census and legal guarantee of MSP to farmers. Participating in the discussion in the Lok Sabha today on the General Budget 2024-25, he said the legal guarantee for MSP in the Budget would have helped farmers. He vowed in Lok Sabha that if the INDIA bloc comes to power, it will provide legal guarantee of MSP to farmers and will conduct the caste census in the country. He also questioned the Agniveer scheme. He alleged that the Union Budget 2024-25 has nothing for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs who account 73 percent of the country’s population. He also talked about the paper leak issue saying that this issue is affecting youth.

Mr. Gandhi also raised the issue of taxation on the middle class saying removal of indexation and increasing the capital gain tax will adversely affect the middle class. When Mr. Gandhi was speaking, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to some of his comments on the Chair accusing him of undermining the dignity of the Speaker. Referring to Mr. Gandhi’s remark on the Agniveer scheme, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, misconceptions have been created about the scheme by the Leader of Opposition and he is ready to have a discussion on Agniveer in the House. During his speech, Mr. Gandhi tried to display a photograph in the House which was objected to by Speaker Om Birla. Mr. Birla said, it is against the rule and asked Mr. Gandhi to refrain from doing so.

Earlier, participating in the discussion, Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party claimed that budget allocation for the education sector has been continuously decreased. She added that the unemployment rate is increasing in the country and questioned the Agniveer Scheme. She also raised the issue of caste census. The SP MP alleged that there is no focus agenda for the health sector in the Budget saying inadequate funds have been provided for the sector in it. Mrs Yadav highlighted that the country has a huge shortage of doctors, nurses and technicians in the country. 

Suresh Kumar Kashyap of BJP lauded the Union Budget saying it will give new direction to the country and make the country self-reliant. He added that 25 crore people have been moved out of poverty highlighting several initiatives that have been taken in the Budget for youth and women.

Mr. Kashyap said the announcement of building three crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is a big gift for the poor.  He said the Budget has given a special focus on education, employment and skill development to make the youth of the country atmanirbhar. The discussion is underway.