'Vikas ki Mausi 10 saal mein...': Saayoni Ghosh attacks Modi govt in maiden Lok Sabha speech

Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh, an actor-turned-politician, fiercely criticized the NDA government during the Lok Sabha's Question Hour in the ongoing monsoon session. Her remarks came while participating in a discussion and voting on budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.

Ghosh alleged that the BJP and its affiliates talk about cows but have been unable to provide them with enough fodder or protect them from dying of lumpy cow disease. 

She thanked the people of her constituency for her victory and defeating the politics of hatred and betrayal. Referring to the allegation that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's microphone was switched off during a NITI Aayog meeting, Ghosh said stopping the CM from speaking was akin to silencing the people of Bengal. 

She warned the BJP that the people of Bengal would turn off the mic of their party in the next election. 
Ghosh raised concerns over the rising price of cattle and poultry feed, pointing out the nine-year high wholesale fodder inflation, and emphasized that 70 per cent of India's rural poor depend on livestock. 

She said that in the last 10 years, 1,12,000 farmers have committed suicide, with 30 farmers killing themselves daily. Ghosh highlighted that cows are dying without food in government-owned cowsheds, especially in BJP-ruled states, and mentioned that 32.7 lakh cattle got infected with lumpy cow disease, resulting in 2.4 lakh cattle deaths. 

She also raised concerns about rising milk prices and the lack of eggs in mid-day meals in several states, stressing the need to increase allocation for fisheries. Ghosh mentioned the disturbance in Manipur's Loktak lake, which has endangered fish species due to last year's clashes between the Meitei and Kukis.

BJP MP Dushyant Singh lauded the budgetary grants for the ministry, noting that animal husbandry plays a big role in doubling farmers' income and is crucial for poverty alleviation and nutrition security. 

Singh said the 21st livestock census would be completed by December and highlighted that milk production has increased under BJP's rule, with India contributing 23 per cent of global milk production. Congress MP Benny Behanan discussed the impact of climate change on those dependent on fishing and livestock, citing the landslide in Wayanad, Kerala, as an example.

Behanan emphasized the need to strengthen the sector and ensure it is more adaptive, mentioning that coastal floods increasingly affect fishermen. He also advocated against the promotion of tourism, which he claimed could adversely affect fishermen. Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel highlighted the issue of stray cattle in Uttar Pradesh and criticized the government's lack of efforts to address the problem.