New Delhi [India], February 3 : Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday attacked the Modi government, saying that the average GDP growth has come down to 5.8 per cent from 7.8 per cent recorded in 10 years of Manmohan Singh-led UPA government and asked how jobs will be created if the economy does not grow at the desired pace.
Taking part in the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address, Kharge asked if it was "Amrit Kaal" or "Vish Kaal", claiming that one lakh farmers have died by suicide in the past 10 years.
"Is this 'Amrit kaal' or 'Vish kaal'? In the last 10 years, 1,00,000 farmers have committed suicide. They have not progressed. Neither did they get MSP nor did their income double," he said.
The Congress leader also expressed condolences over loss of lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede, saying the government was not being transparent about the details of the incident. He demanded 'report' on the number of deaths.
"I want to speak over the stampede in Maha Kumbh 2025 ...So many people lost their lives... I said a thousand people died there (at Maha Kumbh stampede), if you say that I am wrong then at least give the exact report of the number of deaths that took place there," he said.
Kharge slammed the government over the falling value of the rupee against the dollar.
"In 2013, when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the UPA government was in power at the Centre, he used to say, 'Rupee is in ICU' and has taken downwards dive, Today, the rupee is on a ventilator; it has crossed 87."
Later, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Kharge to substantiate his allegation that thousands lost their lives in Kumbh stampede. He said LoP should do so by the end of today's proceedings
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Kharge had alleged that lakhs of farmers died citing NCRB data and said the Leader of Opposition should substantiate his claims. Kharge said that he made the remarks as correct figures are not coming from the government.