PM under "heavy influence" of RSS, says Kharge

Alleging that there was "heavy influence" of the RSS on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress today said if such people were around him, he would not be able to take his projects forward.
"There is a heavy influence of RSS on you. This is fine for BJP and Pracharaks, but not good for the Prime Minister. There are different medicines for different diseases. RSS has never thought about poor," Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said while speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address.
"Aapke aaju-baaju me aise log rehenge to apke projects, apki gari kitni door tak chalegi (If such people are around you, then how will you be able to take your projects forward)," he said.

Modi was present in the House when Kharge was speaking.
Kharge also accused the government of repackaging most schemes of the erstwhile UPA government and cutting down benefits to farmers and said there was a huge difference between the "policies and intentions" of the NDA government.
Maintaining that Modi had once criticised the national rural employment scheme, Kharge said the entire world had appreciated the flagship schemes of the UPA, including the MGNREGA, the Food Security Act and the Right To Education.

He said the schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Swasthya Bima Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, Krishi Sinchai Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana were all replicas of the UPA government schemes.

Drawing the attention of the House to the recent India- Africa summit held here, the Congress leader said while the global leaders appreciated the role of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, there was no word of appreciation from Modi.
"The country cannot function if you create an atmosphere of such hatred. History will not change whether you take Nehru's name or not. History will be written in golden letters," Kharge said.
He said the President's speech had failed to focus on issues afflicting women, farmers, the poor, workers, dalits and adivasis and added that there was a need to change the thought process to build a strong and far sighted India.

Taking a dig at the government, Kharge said it was
"rebranding old projects with new names. Whatever the UPA Government had done in the past, you have just embraced and re-branded it."
"Koyle ko sabun se dhone pe safed nahi hota. Koyla ko jalane pe he safed hota hai. Naamantar se kisi ka udhhar nahi hota, kaam karne ki avashyakta hai (Coal can't be washed to make it white, it can only be done by burning it. By merely changing the name no one benefits. For that, work is essential)," the Congress leader said.
Asking the government to refrain from accusing the opposition for stalemate in the House, he said "you need to talk to Opposition and take their suggestion. We always coopoerate, like we are cooperating for the past two days. We want functioning under democracy and want you to function democratically as well."

He strongly objected to members of BJP or its affiliates saying "we will shoot them (Goli maar denge)" and said if such is the situation, then such issues would definitely find their echo in Parliament. He also asked why BJP-ruled Gujarat was not implementing the Food Security Act.
With regard to security situation, he said the government has no firm policy on how to deal with terror strikes and hence there is an atmosphere of scare in the country.
Kharge said even though Modi and US President Barack Obama spoke on phone regularly, "still the US gives F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan."

With regard to efforts to bring back black money, Kharge said the BJP had promised that Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in all bank accounts within 15 days, but even after 650 days not a single penny has come.
Kharge accused the government of withdrawing certain benefits given to farmers under the Accelerated Irrigation Programme of the UPA government, and instead supporting the corporates by reducing their tax rates to 25 from 30 per cent.
"By reducing the tax rates, the corporates will reap a benefit of Rs 3.5 lakh crore over 4 years and (the poor) will suffer loss of about Rs 4 lakh crore," he said.

As regards dire situation concerning bad loans in the banking sector, Kharge said the UPA government had written off farm loans worth Rs 72,000 crore but the NDA government is writing off loans of corporates.
With regard to the atrocities on SC and ST, Kharge said the NDA government did not implement the SC, ST Atrocities Ordinance brought in by the UPA and hence it lapsed. Later, the NDA themselves brought in the same act.
"You don't want them (SCs and STs) the chance to stand on their own feet. Whatever they (Government) say, they do not act on it," Kharge said.