Minister Piyush Goyal Responds to Rahul Gandhi’s Claims in Parliament
New Delhi [India], July 30: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal addressed a press conference, countering opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims in the Lok Sabha. Goyal criticized Gandhi’s statements on giving a legal guarantee on MSP to farmers, paper leaks, low representation of OBCs, SCs, and STs in bureaucracy, and tax terrorism.
MSP and Farmers
Goyal pointed out that the Congress government did not implement the Swaminathan Committee report on cost plus 50% profit to farmers. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan provided proof from a 2007 written answer where the UPA government said it was not feasible to implement it. Goyal emphasized that the Modi government has implemented cost plus 50% profit for farmers and increased MSPs by up to 150% over the last 10 years.
Paper Leaks
On paper leaks, Goyal mentioned that 17 paper leaks occurred during Congress rule in Rajasthan. He stated that there is no large-scale paper leak in the NEET exam, and the Supreme Court has endorsed this view. The CBI is investigating a few cases, and the Modi government has introduced strong laws with hefty punishments against paper leaks.
Representation of OBCs, SCs, and STs
Goyal criticized Congress for the low representation of OBCs, SCs, and STs in high posts in the bureaucracy, stating that most were recruited under the Congress regime. He highlighted that the Modi government has given higher representation to these categories in UPSC exams, which are now held in 22 languages, allowing more people from rural areas to participate.
Tax Terrorism and Crony Capitalism
Goyal accused Congress of crony capitalism and tax terrorism during their regime, mentioning that the Supreme Court cancelled over 190 coal blocks and 122 telecom licenses due to corrupt practices. He criticized Rahul Gandhi for making false statements and irresponsible speeches.
India’s Economic Growth
Goyal emphasized that India is currently the fastest-growing major economy in the world, with a growth rate of over 8% in the last three years. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for empowering every child in India and transforming youth into job creators.
Doubts Revealed
Piyush Goyal -: Piyush Goyal is a politician in India who is currently the Minister of Commerce and Industry. He works in the government to help manage trade and business in the country.
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a leader of the Congress party, which is one of the main political parties in India. He often speaks about issues and challenges the government on various topics.
Swaminathan Committee report -: The Swaminathan Committee report is a set of recommendations made by a group of experts led by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. It focuses on improving the lives of farmers in India.
MSP -: MSP stands for Minimum Support Price. It is a price set by the government to buy crops from farmers to ensure they get a fair amount of money for their produce.
OBCs, SCs, and STs -: OBCs, SCs, and STs are different groups of people in India. OBC stands for Other Backward Classes, SC stands for Scheduled Castes, and ST stands for Scheduled Tribes. These groups often get special help from the government.
crony capitalism -: Crony capitalism is when businesses get unfair advantages because of their close relationships with politicians. It means some companies get special treatment, which is not fair to others.
tax terrorism -: Tax terrorism is a term used to describe when the government uses its power to unfairly target people or businesses with heavy taxes or penalties. It makes people feel scared about taxes.
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is the current leader of India. His full name is Narendra Modi, and he is the head of the government, making important decisions for the country.
