Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday invoked the Constitution's significance in empowering all sections of society, saying it was the Constitution, not Manu Smriti, that enabled the Finance Minister to present the Budget and gave everyone the right to speak in Parliament.
Leading the Opposition's charge during the debate on the Presidential address in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge launched a sharp attack on the government while warning against "Manuwadi" ideologies.
"It is because of the Constitution the Finance Minister got the opportunity to present the Budget, not because of Manu Smriti. We have got the right to speak because of the Constitution. Don't listen to Manuwadi," he said.
Kharge was carrying a copy of Manu Smriti to the Upper House and asked if the Chair had read it fully.
The Manu Smriti is an ancient Hindu legal and ethical text attributed to a legendary figure Manu, considered the first man and lawgiver according to Hindu mythology. It contains 2,694 verses across 12 chapters that outline social duties, laws, rituals, and Hindu cosmogony.
On February 1, 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made history by presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget -- a record for any finance minister in India.
In a scathing attack of the Modi government's 11-year rule, Kharge alleged complete failure on development, employment, farmers' welfare, and federal structure fronts.
The Leader of Opposition in the Upper House claimed that the country has seen no "vikas" (development) as evidenced by declining GDP, weakening rupee, and mounting unemployment.
India's GDP growth stood at 7.8 per cent during Manmohan Singh's tenure from 2004-14, while the GDP growth lowered to 5.8 per cent during the BJP's rule since 2014, he said.
Jobs cannot be created without economic development. "Educated people are unemployed as there are no jobs in the country. In the government, 35-40 lakh posts are vacant. Why are these posts not being filled?" Kharge asked, suggesting it was a deliberate strategy to deny opportunities to Dalits.
Citing National Crime Records Bureau data, he claimed more than 1 lakh farmers died by suicide in the past decade, adding that merely enhancing farm credit limits won't address the agricultural crisis.
"It is not my data, as per NCRB, more than one lakh farmers have committed suicides from 2014 till date. Who is responsible for this? Will their welfare happen after the death?" he said.
Kharge alleged that 12,000 MSMEs had shut down in just four months. He criticised the privatisation of railways and ports, claiming that they were handed over to "Adani alone".
"I am in favour of the public sector. That is the only way to help the poor," he said.
On Manipur, Kharge said the state "was burning" but the Prime Minister hadn't visited even once. "This is fear. Fear makes a person weak. You advise him to visit Manipur," he said. -- PTI
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