Kapil Patil, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, had said it’s not the responsibility of the PM to contain the rising prices of onion, potato or pulses but to abrogate Article 370
Team Clarion
New Delhi – The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) strongly condemned the reported statement of Kapil Patil, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, that it’s not the responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to control inflation.
Speaking at a function in Kalyan West, Thane, Maharashtra on January 30, the minister had said that Modi has not become Prime Minister to contain the rising prices of onion, potato or pulses but to carry out other plans such as abrogation of Article 370. He expressed hope that by 2024, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would be integrated into India.
During the course of his speech, Patil took a jibe at public saying they have no problem buying mutton for Rs 750 a kilo, and pista (pistachio) for Rs 600 a kilo, but when it comes to veggies like tomato and onion, they complain about price rise.
Such statements, an NFIW press release said reflect on the priorities of the BJP-led NDA Government. Their agenda is to divert public attention from the core issues of peoples’ survival and development while keeping the discourse of governance confined to Kashmir and Pakistan.
“The minister’s unfortunate statement confirms that the reason the government is not investing in the welfare of over 70 per cent of the poor in the country struggling to have access to one square meal a day. Rather it is concerned about the rich, the big businesses and corporates,” the NFIW observed.
Mocking at the public demand to arrest the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, the press statement said was a serious affront to their basic right to life and dignity. Coming as it does from no less a person than a minister in the government it’s all the more deplorable.
The press statement noted that as a matter of fact, the country is facing the worst economic crisis it has ever seen with unprecedented unemployment, alarming levels of poverty, hunger and malnutrition today. Almost half of the women population in India and 75 per cent of children are anaemic and suffer from various nutritional deficiencies, which is also linked to high maternal and infant mortality rates.
The pandemic has exacerbated food and health crisis, and women and children are the worst affected by it. India today has almost 53 million unemployed people, of which a huge proportion is that of women. It is estimated that almost 4.1 million Indians have lost their jobs to the pandemic, which impacted their access to optimum quantity and quality of food.
It is time the government addressed the everyday issues of governance and development, including of food security, price rise, health and education, employment and social security. Political representatives need to remember that they are elected to serve the people and it is their duty to respect and fulfill their basic demands for a sustainable and healthy life.
The NFIW demand an unconditional apology from Kapil Patil for his statement and due action against him by the party and the government.
