NEW DELHI: Opposition in Rajya Sabha today castigated the Narendra Modi government for neither condemning hate speeches, nor acting against those making them and said the ruling dispensation was actually an "RSS Government".
Speaking on the motion of thanks on the President's address, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said though the Prime Minister has stressed on tolerance and said the citizens have the right to pursue their faith, he has neither condemned, nor given any assurance that action would be taken against any person, who violates the law by making such speeches.
"The Prime Minister and BJP leaders are speaking differently on the issue of religious conversions," he said, adding that the "RSS government" had an "open agenda" of transforming secular, democratic Indian republic into a "fascist Hindu nation".
"Philosophy is being replaced by theology and history is replaced by mythology," Yechury said while also citing Modi's speech on the existence of plastic surgery in India in the ancient times.
Warning that emphasis on uniformity would adversely affect national unity, he said equality must be ensured as mere tolerance was "not just enough". "But, there is no mention of equality, that all will be treated as equals."
Taking a dig at the government for its 'Make in India' initiative, the CPI(M) leader said some foreign companies have shut down at a time when the government was pushing for it and referred to the closure of the Nokia manufacturing unit near Chennai.
Referring to a remark by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that no scam had taken place in nine months of the current government, Yechury said "it will be reflected later as what was cooking under UPA-I came out during UPA-II regime and what is cooking now, you will know later."
On land acquisition bill, he said that BJP had opposed it when the party was in the opposition and the net result is that the country is losing.
BJD member A V Singh Deo also targetted the Prime Minister for not criticising RSS-BJP leaders' statements on the issue of religious conversions.
Extending sympathy to the President for reading out one of the "dullest speeches", Mani Shankar Iyer (Cong) said it was "only a laundry list and lacks vision."
"This government is misleading people. I have no trust. Sooner it stops writing the President's address, it would be better for us," he said.
On the land acquisition bill, the Congress leader said no government in the world acquires land for private sector, which does it on its own.
While there was no opposition on industrial development it should not be at the cost of farmers' livelihood, he said and expressed concern over the "jobless economic growth".
Welcoming the Finance Commission's recommendation to raise the share of states in taxes to 42 per cent from the existing 32 per cent, Iyer warned that the government's excess focus on Centre-State relations was derogation of constitutional rights as panchayats and municipalities are "completely ignored". He also stressed the strengthening and empowerment of local bodies.
Dr Keshava Rao (TRS) said the government has launched schemes such as 'Jan Dhan Yojana' and 'Beti Bachao Beti Padao' but they were not being fully implemented on ground.
He said that opening of bank accounts does not lead to financial inclusion unless they are made operational. Not a single account is operational as of now, Rao said.
He said while a girl education scheme has also been launched, but no funds have been allocated yet, he said, adding that same was the status of other schemes.