NDA members buoyed up by pro-farmer budget

The first BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in the session on Tuesday in which members of its allies were also invited had Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speak in detail about India’s strong growth amid the global slowdown and members were also briefed about government’s developmental agenda in the coming years.   

“MPs were very enthusiastic about the budget as it will empower villages, farmers and youth. It is dedicated to them and all-round development of the country. India has always been called an agrarian country but this is the first time that people have realised that with the budget being dedicated to farm sector,” Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters. 

“We have heard about ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ and this budget is dedicated to ‘Jai Kisan’,” he said following the meeting. A presentation was also made in the meeting about the government’s development projects aimed at poor, youth and weaker sections, he said. By 2019, he said, all villages will have electricity, water, irrigation and road connectivity, he said. That year, incidentally, is also scheduled to hold the next Lok Sabha poll. Asked about the Opposition’s notice for privilege motion against HRD Minister Smriti Irani, he said BJP members had also brought privilege motion against some opposition members.  

“Some parties have been beaten during the debate in Parliament on the issue. Now they are crying in frustration,” he said, in a dig at Congress and other opposition parties. Sena MPs did not attend the meeting, saying they were not “informed” about it. 

“There was some communication gap,” its MP Anandrao Adsul said. Jaitley told the MPs that the government was making all-out efforts to created an “insured and pensioned” society and highlighted steps like health insurance and life cover announced for the masses, sources said. The over one-hour meeting saw a brief intervention by Modi when he asked MPs to work towards taking the benefit of newly announced ‘Pradhan Manti Fasal Bima Yojana’ to farmers. He urged NDA MPs to take this as a challenge in their constituencies, the sources said. 

The JNU row and the debate in Parliament over it also found a mention with Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu giving an account of developments in JNU and Hyderabad Central University and urging the members to counter opposition’s charges. 

He praised HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s “spirited reply” and members too joined in with “loud clapping”.  Irani’s reply has sparked a row with opposition members giving notice for privilege motion against her, accusing her of “misleading” the House.