TMC MP slams BJP over farmers’ crisis, women representation

Rajya Sabha MP and TMC leader Derek O’Brien on Monday took on the BJP government over the plight of farmers and the lack of leadership opportunities for women within the party.

Speaking during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, O’Brien expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of farmers’ issues over the past five years.

“In the last five years, agricultural wages have grown by just 0.2 per cent. Two out of five farmers are in debt, with an average debt of Rs 7,500 crore. Thirty farmers commit suicide every day, and there is still no legal guarantee for MSP,” he said. He likened the situation to Bollywood film Mother India, which depicts farmers in distress and burdened by debt.

Turning his criticism to the BJP’s record on women’s representation, O’Brien accused the party of failing to ensure adequate ticket distribution for women candidates despite its advocacy for women’s empowerment.