Derek O’Brien’s speech during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address

As is the tradition, let me begin by thanking the Hon. President. Any criticism of her speech is not directed at the Hon. President or the highest constitutional office.It is an established convention that the speech is scripted by the Government. From 2014 to2024, Mr Modi’s BJP Government wrote the SCRIPT. This year, a creaky, shaky NDA
coalition government has written the SCRIPT.I am immensely proud as an Indian to have listened to the Hon. President, who is a woman.I am immensely proud as an Indian to have heard the Finance Minister, who is a woman.
I am immensely proud that the All India Trinamool Congress was founded 28 years ago by a self-made woman. And talking about women… The BJP, for all its big talk, has 13% women MPs. AITC 39% (a decade before the Women’s Reservation Bill may be passed, MamataBanerjee’s Trinamool Congress implements).35% of ministerial positions in the Bengal government are held by women.SCRIPTS! Indian films and their SCRIPTS have played a significant role in telling the story of India.

TODAY’S THEME, 10 FILMS FROM INDIA ENTERED TO THE OSCARS.

Mother India (1957. Starring Nargis): Shows how a family of farmers were ruined trying to
pay back moneylender.
• In last five years, agricultural wages grew by just 0.2%.
• 2 out of 5 farmers are in debt. Average debt of Rs 75,000
• 30 farmers commit suicide everyday.
• Still no legal guarantee for MSP
• Bangla Shoshyo Bima Yojana, state pays entire premium, Rs 3500 crore spent, 1.12
crore farmers benefitted.

SECOND FILM
Apur Sansar (1959. Directed by Satyajit Ray): Starts with a graduate who is unemployed.
• 75 lakh youth enter the labour force every year in India
• 8 out of 10 unemployed are youth
• Unemployment rate 6 times higher for those who have studied till higher secondary, and
9 times for graduates, than those who could not read or write.

THIRD FILM
Akhri Khat (1967. Debut film of Rajesh Khanna): A woman is sold off for Rs 500 by her
stepmother, subjected to abuse.
• 51 crimes against women are registered every hour.
• 85 cases of rape reported every day
• 3 out of 10 married women have experienced spousal violence. No exception for marital
rape in new criminal laws.
• Champion women wrestlers. BJP ex-MP who is a criminal

FOURTH FILM
Garm Hava (1974. Balraj Sahni lead actor, based on a short story by Ismat Chugtai): Shows
how a minority family who decided to stay in India after partition were treated horribly.
• Punished for what you eat, what you wear, who you love.
• Anti-conversion laws violate Fundamental Rights under Article 14, 15 and 25 of the
Constitution
• Extra jurisdictional land laws (Waqf). Issue constitutional, not religious
• Hate crimes, hate speech. Acknowledge Christians and their contribution.
• In CHRISTIAN RUN educational institutions, 3 out of 4 students are non-Christians.
Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist.

FIFTH FILM
Salaam Bombay (1988. First feature film directed by Mira Nair): Shows how a child is forced
into labour and exploited.
• 20-30 lakh child labourers in the country. 2021 Census still not done.
• 1 out of 2 of the world’s wasted (low weight for height) children live in India. PM poses
with children promoting his book EXAM WARRIORS.
• NFHS-5 data: 32% children underweight, 35% children stunted
• 8 out of 10 children lack WHO recommended balanced diets. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh worst

SIXTH FILM
Lagaan (2001. Aamir Khan): The British force high taxes on a village plagued with drought.
• Individuals are paying more income tax (19% of govt revenue) than corporates (17%).
• Personal income tax made up 53% percent of direct taxes in 2023-24, the highest in 24
years.
• INCOME INEQUALITY. Top 10% of population holds 77% of total wealth.
• CESS not shared with states. In 2012, cess formed 7% of Union government’s total tax
revenues. In 2023, increased to 16%.
• States deprived of funds. Politically oppose you so punish. Fiscal federal terrorism.
Bengal owed over Rs 15,000 crore under MNREGA, Awas Yojana. Total dues 1.7 lakh
crore.

SEVENTH FILM
Shwaas (2004. Marathi film, based on a real life incident in Pune): A grandfather takes his 8
year old grandson for a check up and finds he has retinal cancer, has to be operated.
• Remove 18% GST on health and term insurance
• Ayushman Bharat conditions
• Bengal’s Swasthya Sathi (2 years earlier) no conditions. Card in name of woman head
of family. Parents of both spouses included.

EIGHTH FILM
Peepli Live (2010. Produced by Aamir Khan Productions): A farmers off the cuff remark
about committing suicide is turned into a sensationalist media circus.
• MEDIA OWNERS. DISCLOSURE. MPs disclose, so why not media owners.
Journalists fight for your rights against media owners.
• Kumbh mela tragedy. Discussion was allowed during Delhi tragedy on 29 July. Why
was no discussion allowed today?

NINTH FILM
Court (2015. Marathi film): Shows how a man is falsely accused and trapped in the legal
system
• The 22nd Law Commission suggested sedition should be well-defined. Union
government did opposite of that in BNS.
• UAPA conviction rate less than 3%.
• Father Stan Swamy case.

TENTH FILM
Newton (2017. Hindi film. Rajkumar Rao plays the titular role): An idealistic govt officer sent
on election duty and the problems he faces.
• Institutions like EC, CBI, ED being weakened.
• 95% of political leaders investigated by CBI and ED are Opposition leaders.
• Since 2014, 95% of opposition leaders being investigated by Central agencies got
reprieve when they went to BJP.
The best script writers are the people of India. They will write a new script, and then this
horror film will come to The End.

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar’s speech during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address

Sir, thank you. I stand here on behalf of All India Trinamool Congress and my leader, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, to take part in the Motion of Thanks on the speech addressed to both the Houses by Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji, Shrimati Droupadi Murmu ji. Today is Basant Panchami, so, I also express my greetings to all Members here and to all the citizens, and I wish there was a holiday for us. हम इममीनान सेपूजा करते, लेककन वह नहीं हुआ। I am a very religious person, a devout Hindu, but I believe and respect all religions, and that is why, like me, there were millions of Indians who were preparing for the Maha Kumbh Mela that was supposed to take place after 144 years. Some of the poor people were saving money to go and take the maha snan on the Mauni Amavasya. Sad to say, Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji, in her message, spent only 61 words to express her sorrow and has not condemned the death, has not given condolence message to the families of the dead. We are very sorry for it because she has totally neglected the dead people. There is definitely a discrepancy between the number of dead bodies in the morgues as said by the doctors and the number of dead bodies or the people missing that we see. The same thing had happened in the State during the COVID-19 times. So, in this State how much ever the advertisement they did, but as far as the preparedness is concerned, disaster management is concerned, they have failed. They are giving zero because they should not be given this kind of a responsibility where they play with the lives of the common man like this. After we go on to her speech where she mentions about the middle-class, you know the National Council of Applied Economic Research says that 30 per cent of the total population of India belongs to the middle-class. We had the Budget on the next day in which a lot of promises were made. Who is the middleclass? People who earn between Rs.2 lakh and Rs.10 lakh per year are supposed to be the middle class. But what about inflation? What about food inflation? What about support to the farmers? What about waiving of the loans for the farmers? Nothing is mentioned in the speech of Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji. I am sorry to say that loans of the multinationals and the billionaires have been waived by the banks but not that of the farmers. This is absolutely unwarranted in a country where we depend on the farmers for our food. We live in the cities. We do not grow our foods. The farmers do. They toil in and out. They were sitting at the Singhu border. In the border, they were tortured, but they were not given the waivers. I‍िwould‍िalso‍िlike‍िto‍िdraw‍िattention‍िto‍िthe‍िhon.‍िRashtrapati‍िji’s‍िspeech‍िwhere‍ि she talks about teaching. She says that the number of colleges has been increased; the number of universities has been increased. But is it not an irony that there are no teachers? The number of teachers has not been increased and the amount is absolutely ridiculous. What is being taught in certain States? I do not want to name those States because there also, as in the Maha Kumbh, there is failure. In the same State, teaching is such a failure. The teachers do not know how to add nine plus thirteen, what to talk about the students. Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji talks about the medicines where she says that some drugs have been made customs duty free. That is definitely welcome. But there are many, many other drugs which need to be made custom duty free. Also, there are certain equipment because only medicines do not help patients. Some of the equipment that are being used for the patients in different hospitals of the country are charged 300 per cent customs duty. But nothing is happening. I would just like to draw the attention of Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji. * “Life‍िof‍िa‍िhuman‍िbeing‍िis‍िnot‍िmeasured‍िin‍िyears‍िor‍िdays.‍ि‍िTheir‍िwork‍िis‍ि the yardstick‍िfor‍िthis.” It should be realised that the work we do, the work we do for people is more important than the statistics we give. Here,‍िit‍िis‍िsaid‍ि‘Housing‍िfor‍िAll’.‍ि‍िA‍िhuge‍िnumber‍िis‍िbeing‍िpromised‍िfor‍ि three-crore families with a budget of Rs.5,36,000 crore. But I would like to draw the attention of this august House and also Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji that more than 11 lakh families in West Bengal are suffering and spending their nights under the open sky since 2022. When these families received sanction after we applied, more than 60 teams went from the Central Government and they checked all the data. An Action Taken Report was also sent from the State of West‍िBengal‍िfor‍िthis‍िmoney‍िto‍िgo,‍िthe‍िCentral‍िGovernment’s‍िpart‍िof‍िthe‍िmoney,‍ि to more than 11 lakh families. It appears that there is some kind of an economic blockade or some kind of an economic betrayal for West Bengal from the Central Government. This has not been mentioned here. This is for the Awas Yojana. We are requesting again for these people and for the common men. The poor person, who is spending with his family under the open sky, has done no mistake and he is not a political person. Why did they spite on him? It is because people of West Bengal have never voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party and they have always defeated. So, this is not the right thing to do. She has said that there is a multi-fold increase in the number of seats in medical colleges. Well, it has definitely increased. But sometimes, the college fees are exorbitant. She is saying that there is a neo middle-class which is coming up. There is no middle-class at all. It is because of the inflation that the middle-class is shrinking; the middle-class cannot afford to pay the bills; the middle-class cannot afford to buy the fuel; and the middle-class cannot afford to buy food. There is food inflation in the country. And the Government has done nothing to take care of the middle-class. Ms. Mamata Banerjee, my leader, has been taking care of the people by giving them free food, free education, and free clothes. The whole country should follow her example. You beat a lot of drums when you say that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed. Yes, it was passed in this august House. But when the elections came, we did not see so many ladies coming from the Bharatiya Janata Party, neither during nomination nor being present in the House. The only political Party in the country, which has fielded women and which has more than 33 per cent women, is the All India Trinamool Congress. It is due to Ms. Mamata Banerjee. She respects women. She has brought them here. Not only here, but also, in the local bodies and in each step of the administration, she is giving respect to the women and she is bringing them to the mainstream. Somebody might stand up from there and say that you cannot take her name as she is not the Member of the House. She is the Chief Minister of West Bengal. She is taking care of the poor. She is taking care of the Dalits. She is taking care of the women. She is taking care of the children. But look at the state of affairs here where the Adivasis are neglected and all the other poor people are neglected. The Awas Yojana has not reached those people. The sanction was given in 2022 but till now, in 2025, the poor people have not received it. In the speech, she lauds the daughters of the country by saying that they bring us medals. That is appreciable. But let me tell you that these golden girls हमारी सरताज हैं। इस परहमेंनाज है। But the hon. MP, sitting here, molested them. He was not punished. It is so shameful that his son has come back here. So, does it show that the women are respected; that the golden girls are respected; and that the sports women are respected, by this Government? So, the speech is absolutely wrongly written. I would request that when the speech is written, then they should consider what they are writing for the Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji because it is coming out from the highest Office. People are listening to her. They should not feed her with wrong information which goes against the ethos of our Constitution. Just now, the LoP was speaking about the Constitution of India. At every step, the Constitution is not respected. We must keep in mind that our Constitution forms the backbone, and our country became Independent in 1947 and not last year in 2024. Any person can have their own religious belief. I am a devout Hindu but I respect all religions, and we celebrate all festivities. Like my leader, Ms. Mamata Banerjee‍िsays,‍ि“Dharmo Jar Jar, Utsav Sobar”.‍िEverybody‍िcan‍िtake‍िpart.‍िSo,‍ि when they did this, they should not have spoken like that. That is disrespecting the Constitution. You should not be doing it. The Global Hunger Index puts our country at 105th rank out of 127 countries. The index is 27.3. About child wasting, it is the highest in the world. The children of different States are not getting enough to eat. During the 2014 elections, a lot of jobs were promised. Where are those jobs now? Sir, 46 per cent of unemployment is there in the country. Out of the total population, 28 per cent of the population is between the age of 15-29 years looking for jobs and you will be astonished Sir that more the education, more the joblessness. A graduate is more akin to get jobless than an unskilled labour. Persons, who have passed graduation, postgraduation, Ph.D., are applying for menial labour or unskilled labour. When the advertisement is coming for such jobs, they are applying because there is no job. It is like the LOP was saying that there is no projection for production and for having more production. There is a telephone Public Sector company where 48,000 people lost their jobs. Was it done just to let one private telephone communication company thrive? Those 48000 people, who lost their jobs, were working in private sector but the Government did not take care of them. Foreign Direct Investment has entered into insurance where people keep their hard-earned money. A person gets it at the end of the day or when he is not there, his family gets it. So, you have the FDI coming into that. You have the FDI coming into seeds. When the Seed Bill was passed, the farmers protested. Nobody listened to them. Is this a democracy where nobody listens to the common people? And you just go on passing Bills. We also protested when the common NEET was brought. It was National Eligibility Entrance Test. We requested let it happen in regional languages throughout the country because students used to study in their mother tongue and when they are applying for it in Class XI and XII standards, let them sit and write in their own language. But the Government did not listen. They have a common test for which many poor students cannot apply for the NEET. So, this also should be undone and they should be allowed to sit and write exam in their own mother tongue. When this initiative is giving rise to digital commerce, well, it is appreciable. But do you know how many lakhs of crores of rupees have been lost by people? Either the message comes on the Whatsapp or the message comes in email or there is a phone call saying your electric bill is due, you either pay just now by pressing zero. And as soon as you press zero, all your bank accounts get empty. Lakhs of crores of rupees have been lost by people through this cybercrime. Who are these people operating this nexus or this cybercrime? It is sometimes from outside the country also. I am to understand from very reliable sources, I do not want to quote because we are not supposed to discuss Committee things outside. We have about 500 students of IIT, different IIT engineers, trying to find out who is operating this from where, from which part of the country and which part of the world. We know some places. I do not want to say this here but they are operating like this and they are siphoning off money from‍िpeople’s‍िbank accounts. This cybercrime is taking place at a large scale. A video call from some people comes and somebody puts on the phone to talk. That picture is taken and superimposed and then, he is black-mailed. So, these things are happening. The cybercrime is destroying the peace of the country. The sanctity of the ladies of the country is being destroyed. What is the Government doing for that? So, they were not prepared before they started this online transaction. Without learning how to swim, they jumped into the pool. And that is why, people are getting this kind of messages. So, we would request that the Government should take up cybercrime very seriously and look at it, so that the people do not lose their hard-earned money. So, we would like also to request about the Eastern side. There are eight States. Not one word was used to talk about Manipur. For one whole year, Manipur is burning. More than that, houses have burned in Manipur. Ladies have been gangraped. Children have been born in the camps, and none of our hon. Ministers, not our Prime Minister had the time. He has time to visit the States where there is election. But he has no time to go to Manipur where our hon. Chief Minister, Shrimati Mamata Banerjee sent a team. We went there and saw how babies are in the makeshift relief camps. There is no baby food. More than 6,000 houses have been burnt. There is an ethnic war going on and there was not a single word about how many square kilometres of India is occupied by foreigners. I do not want to name but foreign power is occupying parts of Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Ladakh. Why should we allow my motherland be occupied by foreigners and bow down to them? Do we not have the courage to stand up and protect my motherland? Thank you, Sir

Kirti Azad’s supplementary question requesting for reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel, and removal of GST on commonly-used food items to remove burdens from the people

अध्यक्ष जी, मेरा बहुि ही महत्वपूणन प्रश् न है। मैंयह जानना चाहिाहू ं दक क्या यह सच नहींहैपेरोल-डीज़ल के िाम आसमान छूरहेहैंऔर सरकार नेखान-ेपीनेपर18 प्रदिशि जीएसटी लगाईहुईहै? … यदि सरकारपेरोल-डीज़ल के िाम कम कर िे, जो वषन2014 सेपहलेिाम आधेकरनेकी बाि थी और खाने-पीनेकी चीज़ों सेजीएसटी हटा िेिो क्या लोगों को मंहगाई की िारी मार सेराहि नहीं दमलेगी? …  क्या मंत्री जी यहबिानेका प्रयास करेंगे?

Saket Gokhale’s Point of Order on the House’s need to confine itself, during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, to discussing only those issues mentioned in the Address

Sir, I have a point of order. Sir, I refer to Rule no. 15; ‘Scope of discussion’ on the President’s Address and Messages to Council. It says, “On such day or days or part of any day, the Council shall be at liberty to discuss the matters referred to in such Address on a Motion of Thanks moved by a Member and seconded by another Member.” Sir, this is campaigning for Delhi Elections…The President has not … Whatever is being referred to, has not been spoken in the President’s Address.

‘ধর্ষকের দুনিয়ায় কোনও জায়গা নেই’ : মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

গুড়াপের শিশু ধর্ষণ খুনে দোষী প্রতিবেশী প্রৌঢ়কে ফাঁসির সাজা শুনিয়েছে চুঁচুড়ার পকসো আদালত।পকসো কোর্টের বিচারক চন্দ্রপ্রভা চক্রবর্তী দোষীকে সর্বোচ্চ সাজা শোনান। পুলিশের ভূমিকার ভূয়সী প্রশংসা করে এ প্রসঙ্গে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় নিজের এক্স হ্যান্ডেলে লিখেছেন, ‘আজ, আদালত গুড়পের নাবালিকাকে ধর্ষণ ও খুনের দায়ে দোষী সাব্যস্ত ব্যক্তিকে মৃত্যুদণ্ড দিয়েছে। আমি বিচার বিভাগকে এর জন্য ধন্যবাদ জানাই। পাশাপাশি হুগলি গ্রামীণ জেলা পুলিশকে তাদের দ্রুত পদক্ষেপ এবং পুঙ্খানুপুঙ্খ তদন্তের জন্য ধন্যবাদ জানাই। যার ফলে ৫৪ দিনের মধ্যে দ্রুত বিচার এবং দোষী সাব্যস্ত করা সম্ভব হয়েছে।’

 

https://x.com/MamataOfficial/status/1880242769513570489

মানুষকে ভুল বোঝানো হয়েছিল,কিন্তু মিথ্যা বেশি দিন চলে না : মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

বছর শেষে সন্দেশখালিতে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। সন্দেশখালির ঋষি অরবিন্দ মিশনের মাঠে প্রশাসনিক সভা করেন মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। সেখানে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যাযে বক্তব্যের কিছু অংশ

মানুষকে আরও কাছাকাছি পরিষেবা দেওয়ার জন্য উত্তর ২৪ পরগনা জেলায় নতুন মহকুমা করা হবে

আপনার টাকা, আপনার অধিকার। আমাদের প্রকল্পের জন্য টাকা লাগে না। কাউকে টাকা দেবেন না

আমি চাই সন্দেশখালির ছেলেমেয়েরা এগিয়ে যাক। তারা এক নম্বর স্থানে আসুক। বিশ্ব জয় করুক।সকলে মিলেমিশে থাকবেন। দুষ্টু লোকের খপ্পরে পড়বেন না। মহিলাদের বলছি কেউ ডাকলে চলে যাবেন না

টাকার অঙ্কে খেলা হয়েছে। মানুষকে ভুল বোঝানো হয়েছিল। কিন্তু মিথ্যা বেশি দিন চলে না। আমি চাই সন্দেশখালির ছেলেমেয়েরা এগিয়ে যাক

খুব সুন্দর মিটিং হয়েছে। নজরকাড়ার মতো। সন্দেশের মতো মিষ্টি।সন্দেশখালির মানুষকে ধন্যবাদ। নতুন বছরের প্রাক্কালে সবাই ভাল থাকবেন। নতুন বছরের শুভেচ্ছা। নতুন বছরে গঙ্গাসাগর পৌষমেলা এবং আরও অনুষ্ঠান আছে। আর বাঘিনিটি ভালো আছে। বন দফতরের কর্মী এবং অন্যরা সমন্বয় করে ভাল কাজ করেছেন

 

Pratima Mondal’s speech on The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024

Madam, on behalf of the All India Trinamool Congress, I rise to speak on the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024. मैडम, सहन्दी मेंएक कहावत है– ‘देर आए पर दरुुस्त आए।’ िेसकन इस सबि को पढ़नेके बाद एक बार सफर सेयह स्पष्ट हो गया हैसक यह सरकार बोिनेमेंमासहर है, िेसकन अनसुूसचत जासतयों और अनसुूसचत जनजासतयों के सिए यह कुछ नहीं करगे ी। सपछिेदस साि जैसेझूठेवायदों का सौदा सकया, आनेवािेसदनों मेंभीवही झूठेवायदेकरनेवािी है। The Bill relies on the Census data of 2001 to ascertain the Scheduled Tribes’ population which is outdated and does not reflect the current demography. The inclusion of the Kunbi, Gawda, and Velip communities in the Scheduled Tribes List in 2003 led to a substantial increase in the Scheduled Tribes’ population as per the 2011 Census which should have prompted an earlier intervention. The reliance on old data may lead to flawed representation adjustment undermining the very objective of fair representation. Secondly, the Bill acknowledges that the Delimitation Commission’s work ended in 2008 and further delimitation has been frozen until 2026. These delays raise a question about why this Government waited until 2024 to introduce this Bill. The delay has already deprived the Scheduled Tribe communities of their rightful representation for over two decades. Thirdly, the Bill grants extensive power to the Election Commission to amend the Delimitation Order and readjust seats. While the Election Commission’s autonomy is crucial, the lack of a clear and transparent process in the Bill raises concerns about potential arbitrariness. The absence of a clear framework for public consultation and accountability in the decision-making process is worrisome. The Election Commission’s amendment to the delimitation process should include a mandatory public consultation phase. This would allow citizens and community leaders to voice their concern and give suggestions ensuring that readjustment process is transparent, participatory and democratic. Fourthly, the Central Government is empowered to issue orders to remove any difficulties in implementing the Act. This provision will allow the Government to make potentially significant changes without Parliamentary scrutiny, raising concerns about the erosion of democratic oversight. Any significant change should require the approval of Parliament ensuring that democratic processes and checks and balances are maintained. Fifthly, the Bill states that the readjustment of seats will not affect the existing Legislative Assembly until its dissolution. This means that even if the Bill is enacted, the Scheduled Tribe communities will have to wait until the next election cycle to benefit from the adjustment. This further delays justice and representation for these communities. The Bill should include a specific timeline for the completion of delimitation process and the implementation of seat adjustment to ensure timely justice. Sixthly, Goa has witnessed significant demographic changes since 2001. The Bill does not adequately address how this shift will be factored into the new delimitation process. The exclusion of updated demographic data could lead to ineffective or inequitable representation. The Bill should mandate the use of the most recent census data such as the 2011 data or even the provisional 2021 figure to ensure that the readjustment of seats accurately reflects correct demographic realities. My seventh point is this. The Bill’s provision that prevents the population figure and amendments from being challenged in courts could be seen as an attempt to insulate the process from judicial review. This raises constitutional concern as it may infringe on the Judiciary’s role in upholding the rule of law and protecting the citizens’ rights. A mechanism for judicial oversight could be included to ensure that the process remains fair and constitutional. This would build public trust and prevent potential legal challenges. I would like to mention here that for sustainable development and for economic development, our hon. Chief Minister Mamta Bandyopadhyay every month provides Rs.1000 to the SC/ST communities under the scheme of Taposili Bandhu and Jai Johar scheme. How can we expect from this Government that this Government will do justice to the SC/ST people? This is because this Government removed Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s statue holding the Constitution in his hand, raising his finger towards the Parliament Building. This is nothing but to dishonour Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar as well as the entire SC/ST communities. With this, I conclude my speech and thank you for permitting time to finish my speech. Thank you, Madam.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s intervention during the Finance Minister’s reply to the discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants – First Batch for 2024-2025, seeking an explanation on the suspension of the funding for MGNREGS and Awas Yojana in Bengal

Madam, what I want to suggest or submit is this. If any corruption happens in any part of the State, why
is the total amount of money being stopped? Where the possibility of inquiry appears or the Central Team and the State Team jointly detected any such area,you should stop sending money over there. But for few places or for one or two places, you are blocking the total money. My request and suggestion to you is to release the amount to the State which has dues from the Centre of more than Rs. 1,00,000 crore as a whole. So, would you kindly take up these two issues – MGNREGS and Awas Yojana? I also want to request you that wherever reports of corruption are there, you should block money over there, but do not stop the full money as a whole for the total State

Kalyan Banerjee opposes the introduction of The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024

Sir, under our Constitutional scheme, the basic structure of the Constitution is read in between the lines. This proposed Bill hits the basic structure of the Constitution itself. If any Bill or any Act which hits the basic structure of the Constitution, then that is ultra vires. Sir, the proposed Article 83 sub-Article 5 is just contrary to Article 83 subArticle 2. It is just contrary. Either you keep Article 83(2) or 83(5). Both cannot be kept. Both are inconsistent with each other. Then, the effect of the proposed Article 82A sub-Article 3 establishes that the tenure of a State Legislative Assembly depends upon the tenure of the House of the People. It is not a doctrine of pleasure. The doctrine of pleasure is under Article 311 of the Constitution. But the mandate given by the people of the country to the State Assembliescannot dependupon the doctrine of pleasure of this House. How can it be? This is inconsistent. It cannot be accepted. We must remember that the State Governmentsand the State Legislative Assembliesare not subordinate to the Central Government or to the Parliament itself. This Parliament is having the power to legislate law under the Seventh Schedule, List-1 and List-3. Similarly, the State Legislative Assembly is having the power to legislate law under the Seventh Schedule, List-2 and also List-3. Subject to that, it would not be contrary. So far as Concurrent List is concerned, it would not be contrary to Article 254 of the Constitution. Therefore, the autonomy of the State Legislative Assemblies is being taken away through this process. That is ultra vires. That hits the basic structure of the Constitution. Sir, now I come to Article 82A sub-Article 5. Unfortunately, I cannot think about it. Really, I cannot think that Article 82A sub-Article 5 is giving an uncanalised power to the Election Commission of India. We do not have any value. Will the Election Commission of India decide everything? A party cannot remain the ruling party till doomsday. One day, it will be changed. Sir, why a law to provide State funding to conduct electionsis not brought? Every problem will be resolved. Then, you can conduct elections. How much money is being spent? All elections should be conducted through the State Election Fund. Why are we not bringingthat law? That will bring the real election reforms. This is not an election reform. Sir, I have not finished yet. Sir, it is not the election reforms. It is just the fulfilment of one gentleman’s desire. This is nothing more than that. No, it is not permitted . Sir, we have heard the speech of the hon. Prime Minister regarding the First Amendment to the Constitution. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said, ‘We are giving a draft Constitution to the country, and the country will make the amendments. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had not brought any amendment to the Constitution which had really hit the basic structure. सर, प्लीज आधेवमनट का समय दीवजए। आप इतना रूठा मत कीवजए। This is not done. This Government had brought an amendment to the Constitution, that is, the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill. It was passed. It was struck down by the Supreme Court because it hit the basic structure of the Constitution. There are so many amendments they have brought. We are opposing the introduction of this Bill. At the same, I would request that at the time of voting, kindly take a division. We want to oppose it and we will show our strength.

Kalyan Banerjee’s supplementary question on whether the Union government has imparted any training to the coastal police

Sir, an area up to eight nautical miles from the sea coast remains under the control of the State Government, and beyond that limit the area falls under the control of the Central Government. So, up to eight nautical miles, it is the responsibility of the State Government, and beyond that it is under the Central Government. The coastal police are appointed by the State Government to look after these eight nautical miles from the sea coast. Have you given them any training? You are talking about giving aid and help to the local police stations. How much help have you given to them? How many times is the training being imparted to them? What is your responsibility to be discharged after these eight nautical miles in sea? That is your responsibility. If there is any illegal thing happening beyond those eight nautical miles in the sea, it is the responsibility of the Central Government, not the State Government.