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

Hon. Speaker, Sir, I stand here on behalf of All India Trinamool Congress in great reverence towards the speech of Mahamahim Rashtrapati Shrimati Droupadi Murmu. But I would like to ask a question also. Why is this the first time that she came here and not on the day that this grand building was inaugurated? What is the reason? Why was she not present, why was she not invited for the inauguration is a question. The other question is this. As her speech commented a lot on the nari shaktihere, we would like to say that when Nari Shakti Adhiniyam was passed by this House, there was a demand to increase the reservation beyond 30 per cent as my leader Mamata Banerjee has done in West Bengal without reservation being in force at that time. So here, when the Reservation Bill has been passed, it should cross that number. At this juncture, even day before yesterday, women have been molested and killed in the North eastern Region of the country, in Manipur. Can we really say that nari shakti is being revered and nari shakti is being propagated or is given an equal opportunity in this country? I do not think so. Beyond that, Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji was talking about the Constitution. I would like to quote here that the fabric of our Constitution is being violated every day in the nation today. The nation is seeing an unforeseen betrayal to democracy, an indifference to respect for individual liberty and a deafness and blindness to the cries of the tormented. But we do not see any action being taken by this Government. I take this opportunity to congratulate the scientists of this country, the scientists who successfully carried out the Chandrayan Mission and Aditya Mission. It is through their efforts that India became the first country to hoist its Flag on the Southern Pole of the Moon. It is the result of the hard work of the scientists — nobody else, no politician — who might have stayed away from many family reunions and might have given up on many nights of family life to take our country to this glory. In the same voice I would like say that a draconian notice is given by the National Medical Commission (NMC) to the doctors of service all over the country to act like bonded labours. They have to sign at 9 o’clock in the morning and sign at 4 o’clock in the morning. Now, doctors cannot be compared to any other professionals, not even the people who are working so hard. We have the judicial system. We have the teaching system. We have advocates. They all have a time of working. But doctors can be called at the middle of the night, at 2 a.m., to treat a patient of arrhythmia or a patient having atrial fibrillation. If all the doctors of the country, every doctor of the country, put down their pens, or they do a pen-down or a stetho down so to say one day, then who is going to treat the emergency patients? When a doctor is called at the middle of the night to do a caesarean to save a mother and child, a mother who is suffering from pre-eclamptic toxaemia, then the next morning he cannot be expected to be present in the hospital at 9 o’clock because he was working till 5 o’clock in the morning, between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. So, I would like to request the Government that this NMC should not be allowed to bring this notice and serve it on the doctors. I oppose it completely. It has happened and the notice has reached the different hospitals of the country. I would also like to bring to the notice here that in this country there is a demographic deficit. Nearly 44 per cent people who are seeking jobs are jobless. In the democracy, there is a shift of electoral autocracy. As far as the job market is concerned, in the last one fiscal, 135 million labour force was added which amounts to 450 million people looking for jobs. But there is no job market. There is no job. This is the first time possibly in Independent India that more than 45 per cent reverse migration is happening. People are going away from cities and towns towards villages looking for jobs in the farmland. But there also, the farming sector is being affected adversely by the increase in FDI. The farmers are also committing suicides. Farmers’ suicides are rising so much. It is the report of the NCRB that the farmers’ suicides are approximately rising to 11,290, one suicide per hour. This is a very serious note to be taken care of that we are not by the nari shakti and we are not standing by the farmers under the regime of this Government. I quote the speech of the hon. Rashtrapati ji when she says, ‘That this Government has made a contribution towards the wealth creators and believes in the private sector’ Then, why is it that more than one lakh families who were engaged industrially in this country as wealth-creators have given up their citizenship of this country and relocated to other countries? Is it in protest against the violation of human rights and respect to diversity in this country? It is a serious question. Today, she quoted another thing. I quote her:- “Forty-six per cent of the world’s total real time digital transactions took place in India.” Now, this digital transaction is also opening a death trap. Due to these digital transactions, suicide rate among the adolescent and young adults is increasing so much. She said that Rs. 1200 crore transactions were done through Unified Payment Interface (UPI). It has become the centre of the biggest UPI scam and the Government does not bother. How is that happening? It is happening because of the Apps. There are Apps which are being put up by one other country – I do not want to name the country – by a different country, a neighbouring country. There is no vigilance over those Apps. Due to this, there is a major rise in suicides and young people are falling into the trap by using those Apps and they are applying for loans. When they cannot repay the loans, they are committing suicides. She talked about the high-speed trains. But what about the tracks? These tracks were laid during the British Raj. After that, the tracks have not been repaired. पिरी इिनी सड़ी हुई हैतक जानलेवा दघुािनाएंहोिी रहिी हैं। हम इसकेऊपर वंदेभारि चलाएं या िास्ि रेन्स चलाएं िो एक्सीर्ेंि्स होिेरहेंगेऔर we will lose so many people. Without repairing the tracks, without laying new tracks, we should not be going in for these fast-moving trains. Then, again, coronary stents, knee implants, cancer medicines, prices have been reduced. Maybe the Government is self-congratulatory on that. But they mention that more than 12 per cent increase in costs of many life saving drugs has happened which is making it very difficult for those patients who have to take medicines related to hypertension and medicines related to diabetes because diabetes is rampant in India. India might be called diabetic capital of the world. The prices of medicines have increased in the whole of the nation. The highest number of diabetic cases are in our country. Mahamahim Rastrapati ji also talks about Nari Shakti again but women are paraded unclothed like we have seen in Manipur. They have been manhandled and nothing happened. This Government did not interfere in Manipur. Even day before yesterday, we have seen three people shot dead. Last month, we saw open fighting on the roads in Imphal. Business transaction is at its nadir in Manipur and also in the other Eastern States. So, what is the Government doing about it? We would also like to point out that if we want the womenfolk to come forward further, their remuneration should be paid on time. Time and again I have mentioned it here and written personally to the hon. Minister of Education that the premier institutes are seeing their students, their research scholars going without pay. In places like Indian Institute of Technology, the researchers, the PhD scholars are not getting paid. That is not mentioned here. The other thing is about the daily wage earners. It was decided that they would be given hundred days of work. But in the budgetary allocation of this very fiscal, their provision is only for 42 days. The total amount required would be Rs. 2.72 lakh crore but only Rs. 60,000 crore has been given. Why are the States not getting paid? In West Bengal, we have the hundred day workers who have not been paid for months together and they have worked. The statute is that they should be paid within 15 days after finishing the work. Now, months have turned up but they have not been paid. These people are being tortured familywise because they cannot run their home and hearth. The Government should sit up and take into cognisance the poor people of West Bengal who are suffering. Farmers’ deaths due to suicide, as per NCRB Report of 2022, are rising. The number was 11,290 in 2022. When you say that making farming more profitable is the intention of this Government, why is then FDI increasing? Foreign Direct Investment in farming sector in 2016-17 was 727.22 million dollars. In 2019-20, it was 904.70 million dollars. It shows that the farmers are not getting any benefit out of it because FDI is entering the farming sector also. Then, we see that the Government talks about the grain storage plan. In 2022-23, crop produced in the country was 3,296.87 lakh tonnes. But the storage capacity of the country was only 145 MMT. So, we have the capacity to store only half of the grains we produce and the remaining half is rotting on the streets in rain and sun. So, we are not equipped to give respect to the produce of the farmers. The farmers are producing the crops by their own toil but they are not getting any help from the Government at all. As far as Northeastern States are concerned, I do not know how this could be included in the speech. The Northeastern States have no development. There is no proper facility for their medical treatment; there is no proper facility for their education. I myself have visited three to four of the seven sister States. Their condition is very pitiable. The children do not have schools to go to; women do not have proper facilities for healthcare. So, North-east is not something we can boast of. This should not have found the place here. The renewable energy installed capacity has found the fourth place. It is congratulatory. But there is no mention about the grid conversion of renewable energy which is formed through the renewable sector. We are saying here that previously we had seven AIIMS and 390 medical colleges, and now the number has increased to 16 AIIMS. But where are the faculties? I know very well, being a doctor myself and being in the teaching line myself, that this NMC’s direction will further shrink the number of faculties. They are going to leave their jobs if NMC does not withdraw their draconian directions. We do not have faculties. So, you should organise teachers, get them from abroad and pay them properly. The doctors are not paid properly in the country. The doctors are working throughout the day and night. When a doctor’s telephones on the bedside table rings at 3 in the morning about a known patient who is getting pain in the chest, the doctor will not look at anything else. He will not think of anything else and he will just get up, take his car and go to the patient to perform cardiac resuscitation. But the doctors are being underpaid. This NMC regulation is like an added tension for the doctors. So, more people will leave the job. There is no faculty. You are making college buildings. But where is the faculty to teach the students? Students with lot of dreams will get into the medical line to learn about medicines, to stand by patients, to treat them and to get them well. But there is no teacher. There is no infrastructure. The building is not the infrastructure in medical field. It is the equipment. In the medical infrastructure, we have to have the technicians who teach you as to how to put the Ryle’s Tube in a patient. They should teach how to do a cannula and start the IV fluid. We do not even have that. So, the manpower and the infrastructure are lacking. Having building for AIMMS will not suffice. Then, again, we talk about the historical places which are being renovated and then there are many sites which are being discussed to be upgraded. In my Constituency, there is a place called Chandraketugarh. This is supposed to be nearly 3000 years old and after repeated requests to this Government, the Central Government, for 10 years, nothing happened. Then, my Chief Minister, hon. Mamata Banerjee allotted funds by which we got a site museum made and we have executed certain things that we found were relics in Chandraketugarh. A small museum is working there. I worked very hard for almost 10 years to get this museum put up. But, the excavation has been stopped. This was either in the Gupta Period or in the Mauryan Period. It has a port city also as shown in the relics and important structures to prove that there was business through the rivers up to Europe. We found the seals and statues also. But, the excavation has been stopped in Chandraketugarh by ASI. If you say that they are doing a lot, then, the first thing they should do is to take up Chandraketugarh and declare it a heritage site or a world heritage site. As they put forward arguments and Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji comes in and reads, I would like to say that the Government is really not doing justice to all segments of the people in the country like farmers, industrialists, students and naari shakti. Thank you, Sir.

আপনারা বলবেন জয় বাংলা, আর কাপ জিতে নিয়ে আসবেন : মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

আজ প্রজাতন্ত্র দিবসের প্রাক্কালে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় ধনধান্য অডিটোরিয়ামে খেলাশ্রী প্রকল্পে আওতায় বিভিন্ন ক্রিড়াবিদদের সম্মানিত করেন। এছাড়াও রাজ্য পুলিশের স্পেশাল টাস্ক ফোর্সের অফিসারদের শৌর্য পদকে সম্মানিত করেন তিনি। ১৫৬৭ জন বাংলার বিশিষ্ট প্রাক্তন ক্রীড়া ব্যক্তিত্বদের অবদানকে স্বীকৃতি দিয়ে মাসিক সাম্মানিক হিসেবে ভাতা প্রদান প্রকল্পেরও আনুষ্ঠানিক সূচনা করেন। ওই অনুষ্ঠানে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের বক্তব্য

আজ খেলাশ্রী ও শৌর্য পদক প্রদান করা হয়। মোট ৩২২ জন ক্রীড়াবিদকে সম্মাননা জানানো হবে। আজ প্রায় ৬ কোটি ৪২ লাখ ৫০ হাজার টাকার সম্মাননা জ্ঞাপন করা হচ্ছে।

আমাদের সরকার অনেক নতুন সম্মাননা চালু করেছি। খেল সম্মান, বাংলার গৌরব, ক্রীড়াগুরু, জীবনকৃতি পুরষ্কার। এখনও পর্যন্ত ৪৬০ জন বিশিষ্ট ব্যক্তি এই সম্মান পেয়েছেন।

১৫৬৭ জন বিশিষ্ট অবসরপ্রাপ্ত ক্রীড়াবিদদের ব্যাঙ্ক অ্যাকাউন্টে প্রতি মাসে এক হাজার টাকা করে সাম্মানিক যাবে। আজ থেকেই তা চালু হয়ে গেল।

পুলিশের আট জন আধিকারিক, যাঁরা অনেক বীরত্বের পরিচয় দিয়েছেন, তাঁদের শৌর্য পদকে সম্মানিত করলাম। তাঁদের কর্মদক্ষতা ও নিষ্ঠাকে আমি কুর্নিশ জানাই।

রাজ্যের পিছিয়ে পড়া এলাকার ছেলেমেয়েদের খেলাধুলোর জগতে নিয়ে আসার জন্য, জঙ্গলমহল কাপ, সৈকত কাপ, রাঙামাটি কাপ, সুন্দরবন কাপ-সহ বিভিন্ন টুর্নামেন্ট আমরা করি। রানার্স ও উইনার্সদের পুলিশে চাকরি দিই। ইতিমধ্যেই আমরা প্রায় ৪,৩০০ জন খেলোয়াড়কে চাকরি দিয়েছি।

খেলাশ্রী প্রকল্পের মাধ্যমে আমরা যতটা পারি চেষ্টা করব, যাতে বাংলার খেলোয়াড়রা মাথা উঁচু করে দাঁড়াতে পারেন। রাজ্যের ১৩২১ টি কোচিং ক্যাম্পকে চিহ্নিত করে, তাদের অনুপ্রাণিত করতে ১ লাখ টাকা করে দেওয়া হয়েছে।

আমি যখন কেন্দ্রীয় ক্রীড়া মন্ত্রী ছিলাম, তখনই কবাডিকে এশিয়ান গেমসে ঢুকিয়েছিলাম।

আরও অনেক সোনা-রুপো-ব্রোঞ্জ আনতে হবে। মাথা উঁচু করে খেলবেন। মনেপ্রাণে শুধু একটাই চিন্তা রাখবেন, খেলতে হবে জিততে হবে। শাহরুখের একটা সিনেমা করেছিল না, চক দে ইন্ডিয়া… ওরকম আপনারাও বলবেন, জয় বাংলা। জয় বাংলা বলতে বলতে গিয়ে একদম জিতে কাপ নিয়ে চলে আসবেন। নিজের অধিকার ছিনিয়ে নিয়ে আসবেন।

Holidays are given for political propaganda but not on the birthdays of ‘deshnayaks’: Mamata Banerjee

On the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee garlanded a bust of the freedom fighter on Red Road.

Highlights of her speech at the programme:

If we had followed what Netaji said before independence, the country have been much better off today.

He built the Indian National Army. He spoke of faith, unity and sacrifice. He wrote that without determination and dedication, one cannot do much in life. He also wrote that self-sacrifice and self-realisation are two sides of the same coin. He said you have to give 100 per cent to get 100 per cent.

If we have followed anyone, they are Netaji, Vivekananda and Ramakrishna. They played important roles in social reforms and political reforms.

Netaji had conceived of the Planning Commission. It is our misfortune that we never got to know what happened to the person who wanted to build a modern India. We know his birthday but not his day of death. We have put out in the public domain all the 64 files on Netaji that the Bengal government had. Before coming to power, the BJP government promised it would find out the truth about Netaji’s death, but it has not kept that promise.

Today, there is no Planning Commission, nor any plans about running the country. Planning has lost its way in the killings. A NITI Aayog has been created, but it has neither ‘neeti’ nor ‘aayog’.

Only that person can be called a leader of this country who has Hindus as well as Muslims, Jains and Christians on his side.

Netaji taught us to fight and to live a life worth living. It was Mahatma Gandhi who first hailed him as a ‘deshnayak’. Even after trying for 20 years, I have not managed to convince the government to make the birthday of Netaji a national holiday. I am asking you all for forgiveness; I am ashamed.

In this country, holidays are given for political propaganda but not on the birthdays of ‘deshnayaks’.

Bengal will have to take up the responsibility of saving all religions: Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee walked the Sanhati Rally (‘Rally for Harmony’) today in Kolkata, leading the march from Hazra. Before starting, she offered puja at the Kalighat Temple.

Highlights of speech after the march:

It is the people of Bengal who would have to take a leading role in saving the essence of all religions.

A set of people is intent on selling off the whole country for the sake of elections.

Before elections, they instigate people in the name of religion, saying people are out to divide the Hindus.

We have not been given our due money for 100 Days’ Work. Rural road rural housing projects are suspended. We have been ordered to paint saffron – but why saffron when there are so many colours?

Do they have a count of the number of people who died when they announced they would impose NRC? Where were the other leaders then? Only Trinamool hit the streets in protest.

Where was the BJP when the Babri Mosque was destroyed?

I too follow religion.

How can the people who are talking of breaking down the Dakshineswar Skywalk call themselves preachers of Hinduism?

They would decide who gets to eat what and wear what.

Since I speak against them, they have painted my whole family as thieves.

I gave the name INDIA to the coalition, yet when I went to the meeting, I found the CPI(M) controlling. I have tolerated the CPI(M) for 34 years, now no more. I have been insulted enough, no more will I allow it.

A struggle has started and it will continue. We are not cowards, so we will fight.

We won’t let the BJP win even a single seat.

They do whatever they want to the poor.

I respect the international channels. The Indian channels have all been sold to Ambani and Adani, they show whatever they are told to.

Do not watch news channels as they only create tension. They show news which create controversies. But remember, I am not against reporters, I am against the owners of their channels.

I am ashamed that they did not announce a national holiday on Netaji’s birthday but have given a national holiday today; they are saying today is supposedly their independence day.

Do I now have to hear from them that even Swami Vivekananda was not a Hindu?

Everyone is being told to stay at home today and listen to ‘Man Ki Baat’.

You talk about Ram but not about Sita and Kaushalya – so doesn’t that mean you are anti-women?

Ultimately, Bengal will show the way.

 

In Bengal, only Trinamool can teach BJP a lesson: Mamata Banerjee

Today, Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressed a party workers’ meeting in Chakla in North 24 Parganas.

Highlights of her speech:

The INDIA alliance will be in power across the country. In Bengal, Trinamool Congress will lead the fight, because it is the only party here which can teach BJP a lesson. It can show the way forward to the whole country.

They are talking a lot about citizenship. But let me emphasise, all of you are already citizens. Else, how do you get ration? How did you get PAN cards?

Bengal has become the destination of choice for the whole country. In this district, too, the government has done a lot of work. Rs 90 crore has been spent to build the Dakshineswar Skywalk. A skywalk is being built to the Kalighat Temple. Our government has done a lot of work for the Matua community in this district.

Blood is life, it does not make any distinction between religions. Religion equates to humanism, to love, not divisiveness. It cannot be that you exploit the people of the country using religion before elections.

The Gangasagar Fair will start in a few days. Earlier, there were no places to stay for the pilgrims; look at the changes today.

If outsiders come before the elections, offering money, do not refuse. But please do not vote for the CPI(M) or the BJP. Do not pay heed to anyone trying to stir the communal pot. These people are being funded by the BJP. A group of people have appeared out of nowhere, going around trying to cut a dent into the Trinamool vote bank in the guise of organising religious gatherings.

My minority friends, be careful. Your lives are secure here. We have also ensured your financial security. If you listen to people who are trying to fool you, after talking money from the BJP, you will fall into trouble. You have the responsibility of ensuring Bengal remains with Trinamool. If we get less seats, the BJP’s harassment will only increase.

Who is the BJP to try to become your guardians just before the elections? It has exploited you a lot using CAA and NRC. I request all of you, please do not misunderstand us. As long as we are in power, we will constantly guard you against people trying to harm you. I keep an eye in every direction.

The senior leaders of the party should be given their due respect. I have always emphasised this. The old have a lot of wisdom. We need both the young and the old, both men and women.

Jawhar Sircar’s supplementary question during #QuestionHour on the status of the demand for making 10 languages part of the Eighth Schedule as independent languages

Sir, I would like to ask the hon. Minister whether in addition to 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule, these languages — Bhojpuri, Bundelkhandi, Chhattisgarhi, Garhwali-Pahari, Gondi, KumaoniPahari, Magahi, Pahari-Himachali, Rajasthani and Shauraseni — have also petitioned repeatedly to be in the Eighth Schedule. These ten languages have repeatedly petitioned that they should be considered as independent languages, not as Hindi. In other words, they would willingly like to leave the Hindi Official language family. Is it correct, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’?

Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s statement in LS on the smoke cracker attack inside the chamber

Sir, we should be more cautious. At the entry gate, hundreds of people gather, and when we, the MPs, enter the building, it becomes a very difficult situation for us to enterPeople stay at the gate from 11 am to 6 pm, taking photographs and selfies, and nobody can guess who is an MP and who is not an MP. Today’s incident is very serious. It is a security lapse. It should be ensured that such type of incident does not happen in future. … Okay, Sir. It is better if you call the Members from all the Parties. Let there be a separate gate for the MPs.

Saugata Roy opposing the introduction of The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023

Sir, under rule 71, I oppose the introduction of the Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill. This relates to raising the age of the tribunal’s judges in the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal, the State Value Added Tax Tribunal, etc. The age in one of the tribunals is being raised from 67 years to 70 years. There is no reason why this should be raised. In the other, the age of retirement is sought to be raised from 65 years to 67 years. This is absolutely unnecessary. These may have been effected to favour some people who are getting appointments. This is what is called ‘trivial legislation’. There is no need for that. … That is why, the Minister, instead of bringing in such trivial legislation, should look into the matter of inflation. The food prices in November have risen to 3.5 per cent.

Dola Sen’s speech in the Rajya Sabha on The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023

It’s okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Sir, but बुरा मत मािनएगा, लेिकन इसमेंबहुत िदक्कत होती हैिक कौन सा िबल आएगा, जेएंडके का िबल आएगा, िरपीिंलग िबल आएगा या सें�ल यूिनव�सटीज़ िबल का आएगा, यह हमें पता ही नहीं चला। हमेंयह अचानक ही पता चला। हमें�ेपरेशन का टाइम भी नहीं िमलता है। Mr. Chairman, Sir, on behalf of my Party, AITC, I am thankful to you, my Party and my leader, Ms. Mamata Banerjee as well for giving me the chance to speak. I will speak in Bangla, my mother language, if permitted. I do not know whether the interpreter is here or not. *”Sir, on behalf of our party Trinamool Congress, I welcome this. I got an opportunity to study in a good school and college since my childhood. This is my good fortune. From that point today what we can see in these days of ‘Achhe din and sabka saath sabka vikas ‘Government, the way in which history is being distorted, the way in which history is being pushed into oblivion, the way in which the stories of Celluar Jail etc. is being recreated, the way new false fake history is being rewritten, that is very unfortunate. I would like to cite an example. Recently, I went on a study visit of the Standing Committee for Labour to Andaman’s Cellular Jail. During British regime, 90% of the detainees were Bengalis. Now important figures like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Barin Ghosh, Biren Dutta Gupta have been forgotten, Ulaashkar Dutta was termed as a deranged man and Savarkar has been hailed as a ‘Veer’. There is only one light or lamp for all other freedom fighters and a separate light is there for Savarkar. But I am sorry to say that he was such an inmate who had submitted written petition for clemency time and again to be freed from jail. However, we know that our history of the freedom struggle is not that of clemency petitions, not a history of bowing down before the Britishers. Our history of freedom struggle is dotted by great leaders like Gandhiji, Netaji, Vallabh Bhai Patelji, Ambedkarji and our own Rabindranath, Nazrul, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan, Rashbehari Bose, Binoy, Badal, Dinesh, Khudiram, Bhagat Singh, Lal, Bal, Pal, Matangini Hazra, Pritilata Wadedar, Surya Sen and such other great souls who made our history stand tall, without bowing head. It’s a history of sacrificing lives voluntarily with a smile on the face. However, today our educationalists are forced to revisit history, rewrite history chapters and discard the role and key figures, just to please the current Central Government, I am sorry to say. I hope this Government doesn’t force them revisit and edit the history of Sammaka, Sarakka, the legendary mother daughter duo who passionately battled for the welfare of the community. Sir, there are a large number of vacancies in the Central universities. As on date, it is to the tune of 12,860, out of which vacancies are 62%, 63%, 61%, and 60% for SCs, STs, OBCs and economically backward communities respectively.. Apart from this, it is also unfortunate that the Central Government has given wrong information regarding the Telengana Tribal University a few days back, like they generally do in Parliament. This is highly unfortunate. Yesterday in response to the supplementary question posed by our member Sh. Saket Gokhale about the GST due, Hon. MoS, Finance had said that no GST is due to any state. And hon. Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharamanji had herself said that for West Bengal the GST compensation is due for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 as the AG certificate has not been received. However, immediately, after that, I went out and checked the facts with the Finance Minister of West Bengal Chandrima Bhattacharya and the updated facts are here with me on my mobile, I can share the copy if you wish. GST certificates of 2019-20, 2020- 21, 2021-22 have regularly been submitted by our State Government. So the claim that since AG certificate is pending, therefore, the GST is due, is not correct. Similarly, it is highly unfortunate that once they had said in Parliament that the Government of Telengana has not sent any proposal for this Tribal University. However, the Tribal Welfare Minister of Telengana, Smt. Satyabati Rathore had allotted 170 acres of land in the year 2017 for this university. This is how this dignified House, this foundation of democracy, is being attacked time and again and we are extremely pained to witness that. We say that this Government has made a mockery of Parliament. It also appears that the Modi Government is willing to stop the welfare of the people. Please spare me for one minute more, Sir. For instance, I wish to point out how much is yet to be paid to Bengal and for which heads. For 100 days work Rs. 6561 crores, Rs. 9329 crores for Awas Yojana, Rs.344 crores for Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs. 174 crores for mid-day meal, Rs. 6334 crores for Bulbul cyclone affected people Rs.4022 crores for Yas cyclone, total Rs.100968 crores. This is neither an example of federalism, nor an example of respecting the Parliament. I would like to present some more statistics. Like in IIT, IIM, out 13,626 students SC, ST, OBC students who study in these prestigious institutes of IIT, IIM and Central Universities, about 35,000 students have committed suicides from 2019 to 2021. This is very unfortunate. And in case of Central Universities also, there is no instance of any success of Modi Government. I will say that in 2014, the expenditure of Union Government on the education sector for Central Universities was 0.63% of GDP. It became 0.34% of the GDP in 2021-22. In 2023-24, it has become 0.37% of the GDP. This figure is extremely less. Yes, I will authenticate.Do not worry, I will authenticate. I have the paper. …(Interruptions)… I shall conclude my speech by saying that Viswa Bharati University is a Central University which has been conferred with the title of World Heritage by UNESCO, that university which was set up by Rabindranath Tagore with passion and with all the resources he had at hand, the way in which the name of Tagore was removed from the plaque and the names of PM Modi and the Vice Chancellor were inscribed, is highly condemnable. Though it has been rectified by the Central Government later, the act was a grave mistake and unfortunate. It was done in an undemocratic manner and I would like to say that it should not have been done… Sir, I will authenticate. I stand correct with my point and. I will authenticate. I have informed prior to my time. Tomorrow.

Santanu Sen’s supplementary question during Question Hour on the number of states and districts having functional sanitary napkin vending machines and the details on their quality audits

Sir, the data shown by National Family Health Survey is really very alarming. It shows that till date, twenty-seven per cent of young rural women need to resort to the unsanitary process of protection during the menstrual cycle. And seventy-one per cent of women are hardly having any experience regarding the menstruation till they face the first menstrual cycle. There is a gross disparity, so far as the awareness is concerned, amongst the rural population and the urban population. In our State of West Bengal, our Government has taken several measures. Through you, my humble submission to my hon. Minister is: How many states and districts have functional sanitary napkin disposal machines? When was the last audit of quality and quantity of such machines done?