Author: aitc

Jawhar Sircar’s speech during the discussion on “India’s glorious space journey marked by successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3” in the Rajya Sabha

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Thank you, Sir. As I can’t see any clock, I hope my time starts now. The first point that I would like to make is across the House. We are Indians first, and as Indians, we take immense pride in the Chandrayaan Mission, we take immense pride in the scientific achievements of India, irrespective of what part of India we come from, what we represent. That is the first basic point that we have to remember. India is a continuum; India is eternal. We cannot slice a part of India and say, ‘this was my part and all the credit happened during this part, all discredit happened during that part.’ We were all part of a continuum. When we talk of Chandrayaan — Mr. Jairam Ramesh has explained it in great detail, the Chair also has explained in great detail — the whole journey of Chandrayaan expands for six decades and more. Numerous individuals have contributed to it. Today is a time when we need to remember them. We need to celebrate the moment, but we also need to remember our history. We also need to celebrate history. So, I will begin with what Mr. Jairam Ramesh said about the great contribution of Pandit Nehru to the whole episode, to the whole journey. As Indians, no one can deny — I am not speaking parochially — the immense contribution of the man who introduced scientific temper in India, the man who introduced all forms of scientific research, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. We have come to a new House and there should be a new approach. Instead of only political leaders, we should celebrate the images, the statuaries of Vikram Sarabhai, of Abdul Kalam, of Homi Bhabha. These are the ones who took us to where we are. We have to admit that it is the great leadership, the great vision, the unending toil of Homi Bhabha, of Satish Dhawan, of Vikram Sarabhai, of Abdul Kalam which took us to where we are today. We also cannot acknowledge or disacknowledge or deny the role played by the Prime Ministers. The present Prime Minister must have surely contributed to this great journey. But that does not mean that earlier Prime Ministers, who laid the path, did not contribute and should be forgotten. As an Indian, my heart leaps when I see our Space Launch Vehicles propel the satellites of other countries and place them in space. We do a big favour to the rest of humanity, who are the nations. But my heart is big. As an Indian, as a person who shares the timelessness of India, we should have a big heart, a big heart that not only takes Space Launch Vehicles but also propels ideas. Today, my heart leaps with joy for another reason, and the reason is that science is finally gaining over superstition. We have to believe in both experimentation, in empiricism and evidence before we open our mouths. Before we open our mouths, we must think of the consequences of what we are saying. How can one say that Ganesha’s head was placed by plastic surgery? We had his chaturthi yesterday. We believe in the greatness of Ganesha, but how can you say that his head was placed by plastic surgery? How can you talk of stem cell science bringing in a particular large section in the Mahabharata? You have to have to have faith in something as well as a strong belief in rationality. Personally, I don’t find any great conflict between faith in something and rationality; others may, but I don’t. As an Indian, I can move along with faith and I can also move along with rationality, but I would not ever like to see the day when faith, superstition and backwardness trample upon the fruits of science. We have the Science Minister who comes and says that we reject Darwin. We have another Minister who comes and says that we reject Einstein. For God sake, if you reject science, you cannot celebrate science just because the timing was such. You cannot reap the benefits of timing and then say. We had a Science and Technology Minister who said that we discovered the theories of Pythagoras before Pythagoras. For God sake, you are the Minister of the great Republic of India! You cannot make these statements. I beseech of you, please restrain them from making irresponsible statements. A Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University talks about stem cell research. A Chief Minister talks of internet and space communication during the age of Mahabharata. Let us, from this moment, take a note that before we make unscientific comments, we will restrain ourselves, we will stick to science so that we have many more Chandrayaans, we have many more Adityas, we have a superior Make in India. Since people were talking about contribution, a very important point that we need to remember is that this contribution of Chandrayaan reveals that it is the smaller technological colleges of India, that are not in the limelight, non-IITs, if I may put it bluntly, that have landed India into such a glorious position. We are feeding on IITs, but many of the products of IITs are going abroad to serve the interests of world capitalism, to serve the interests of world domination. Why are we doing it? We need to shift our emphasis to our smaller colleges. Bengal, incidentally, has sent 31 scientists in ISRO. We could have said more about it. Now, when I have mentioned about superstitions, I also come to two small spoiler points. We have spoken about the greatness of ISRO, but we have not mentioned one word about the Devas-Antrix Scandal. The DevasAntrix scandal remains alive till today. A few months ago, the Delhi High Court pronounced the judgement which will make you shiver. They say that it is poison in the sea. The entire thing is a poisoned effort. It does not matter to me which regime did it. No regime gets into such great detail. It does not matter. We should have closed this chapter. We should have punished them because we remain vulnerable to an international fraud of something like Rs. 30,000 crores. Why should we pay it? Just because some technocrat made a dirty deal! We talk of the Nambi Effect. We celebrate. We can celebrate science. We can celebrate the effects of science. We can celebrate our victories, but do not, as the Chair has said, bring politics into it. This brings me to a point where I say that if you want to really move forward with more Chandrayaans, with more Adityas, with more progress in this domain, then, free science. You have made science subservient to the rules of bureaucracy. You have created Departments and Ministries of Science where you have placed scientists, but the rules remain the same. The rules remain the same. You have to have a separate set of rules. You have to go in for faith. You have to allow them to function, not shackle them with bureaucratic rules. My heart leaps when I hear that India has joined the six nations for the National Quantum Mission. This National Quantum Mission will take India forward. Whether ‘x’ regime stays or ‘y’ regime comes or ‘z’ regime goes, it doesn’t matter. This permanent contribution to the National Quantum Mission will take India forward. We should move higher. We have already moved high on the innovation index. The world over look at us to see how much we have innovated, not how much we have talked. How many patents have we filed? This is a hard fact. And we have actually gone up. But we need to go further up. This is where the focus should be. The tragic point about Indian science is that even the budget of ISRO has been cut by eight per cent. The tragic part of Indian science is that we do not contribute enough to research and development (R&D). It is an international shame. I am saying it to the Ministers that it is an international shame because when we make claims, we must substantiate claims. Contribution of our GDP to research and development is 0.65 per cent, out of which four per cent is contributed by the state sector, that is the Government sector, and only 0.2 per cent is contributed by the corporate sector in India. It is the same corporate sector for whom you have allowed remission of four lakh crore rupees. I am repeating it. You have remitted four lakh crore rupees by way of taxes from 2019. What have you got in return? Can you make them contribute half a per cent more? This is the remission of income tax or what you call corporation tax by way of favours. I am repeating the point. It is Rs.12.5 lakh crore. I am repeating it. Rs.12.5 lakh crore of bank customers’ money has been evaporated, has been extinguished and has been written off to favour big corporates. A big corporate, who belongs to a political party and who was also a Member of this House, has got away with Rs.5,000 crore….. My submission, Madam, is not politics. My submission is that this is the type of money that could get in to help the science sector with more funding. That is all. All I am saying is this. Don’t talk of lack of resources. Say that we have resources but they have gone in wrong directions. Now that we are conscious of our capabilities in science and technology, in industry and in Make in India, let us put more money in research and development. And where do we get the money from? I have already mentioned about Rs.5,000 crore that has been remitted. Do not permit these things to go on. We have had a long discussion on Space Mission. We have had an erudite discussion by Shri Jairam Ramesh, by hon. Chairman and by the Leader of the House. I thank all of you. We should have found time not only for the space and the moon but also for Manipur. We have had no time at all to discuss Manipur. With these words, I thank you and I support the Resolution in favour of congratulating Indian science as a whole for several generations.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s speech on “parliamentary journey of 75 years”

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Sir, I rise to speak on the discussion on Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – which has not yet been discussed in detail at all in the House – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings. This is the last day of the current Parliament House, and this is possibly the last agenda in the current Parliament House we are going to discuss. On this day of nostalgia, we feel a flood of memories from the past and pledge to preserve our best democratic traditions for the future. The journey began just before Independence with the convening of the Samvidhan Sabhaor Constituent Assembly. The list of Members registered and presented their credentials on the discussion held on December 9, 1946. Bengal had been a veritable roll of honour. Many speakers took part. I would just remember their names and their role. It reads as follows: 1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar from Bengal; 2. Mr. Sarat Chandra Bose; 3. Mr. Kiran Shankar Roy; 4. Mr. Frank Reginald Anthony; 5. Mr. Satya Ranjan Bakshi; and 6. Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh. The list included another 25 Members from Bengal who took part in this debate for the final publication of the Indian Constitution. Sir, the proceedings of this Constituent Assembly would have been very dull. Dr. Ambedkar said in his final speech in the Samvidhan Sabha. “If all Members had yielded to the rule of party line or party discipline, in all its rigidity, then, it could be a gathering of ‘yes’ men only.” But a few persons raised their voice of their own, going outside of the resolution that was before the House. There were rebels rising to lend qualified support to Dr. Ambedkar’s motion to pass the Constitution. One of these rebels, Hari Vishnu Kamath suggested – “We, the people of India”, and that was inducted in the Constitution with the proposal of Hari Vishnu Kamath – “We, the people of India”. We had come to the end of a long journey which was, however, “the beginning of a longer, a more arduous and a more hazardous one”. True to the Indian genius, he noted, “our struggle, our awakening, began with a spiritual renaissance which was pioneered by Ramakrishna Paramahansa Dev, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Dayananda. In the wake of those spiritual leaders came the political renaissance and the cultural renaissance of which the torchbearers, the leaders, the guides were Lokamanya Tilak, Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi, and, last but not the least, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.” Today, we once again pay our tribute to those great leaders of our freedom struggle. The journey of the next 75 years started seven and a half decades ago, and convening of this session of the 17thLok Sabha, in this historic Lok Sabha. Before moving from an old building to a new one, we need to understand the true meaning of the name of our country, “India, that is, Bharat.” We are happy and comfortable with both names. That we want to reiterate here also. While seeking inspiration from achievements, experiences, and memories of the past, we must take the main learning for the future. We, who are currently in the opposition, rededicate ourselves to defending democracy against authoritarianism and commit ourselves to building our new India on the strong foundations of secularism and federalism. One of our colleagues, Sugata Bose, is now the Head of the History Department in the Harvard University. When he was the MP in the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, he delivered a beautiful speech on this subject which I remember very much. India has a parliamentary system of Government. We have been watching it since the last 75 years. At the Union, Parliament is the supreme legislative body of India. Our parliamentary democratic system stands upon the principles of communal harmony, secularism, and unity of the country. After the Constitution was passed, the ethos of our Constitution vibrated as unity in diversity. This spirit is to be kept maintained. India is a country which almost believes on principles of Nana Bhasa Nana Maat Nana Paridhan Bibidher Majhe Dekho Milan Mahan. This is unity in diversity. This spirit was reflected from the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and that should be reflected so long as we remain in the country. We speak ek jati ek pran ekota, ei desh amader bisesata. This country is Godly to us, and this ‘one country’ feeling should percolate to the hearts of every Indian. We believe in the principles of unity amongst Hindu, Buddha, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Muslim and Christian. Somehow, we are finding this idea being not implemented in all parts of the country. The Indian Parliament is famous for its ornamental speeches, records of debates and discussions since its inception. The spirit of brotherhood and feeling of respect always used to be maintained between one party MPs and the other party MPs. Now, we are lacking in this culture. This system has vanished. The Prime Minister was expressing that there were no claps from the Opposition. I was hearing his speech. But this system has collapsed, and this is not a good sign which we are going to face. The Indian Parliament on different occasions and at different eras has proven how much powerful the Indian Parliament is at the time of any crisis of the nation. The whole Parliament stands by India or Bharat. Earlier, the Prime Ministers of all times responded to the questions raised by the Members but somehow, we have not been finding this since the last 10 years. Why is it happening? I have been here since the Twelfth Lok Sabha. I have interacted with so many Prime Ministers in the Question Hour but this time I am not finding it. I hope this will be reflected in the new House. The process of continuous discussions in connection with international and very important national issues was part of regular parliamentary practice. Now-a-days, it is totally invisible. The Indian Parliamentarians have shown unity amongst themselves when China and Pakistan invaded India. Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji praised Indira Gandhi by pronouncing her as Maa Durga at the time of war in Bangladesh. We still remember it. There are exemplary precedents like this in the history of Indian Parliament. The spirit of the Opposition praising the Treasury Benches and the Treasury Benches praising the Opposition was reflected in the House on many occasions and at several times. But now it is totally invisible. Keeping faith upon international solidarity and brotherhood, our Parliament has expressed solidarity with many other countries which have fought for their Independence. I was first elected in the Twelfth Lok Sabha as the Trinamool Congress candidate. At that time, under the leadership of our Party Leader Mamata Banerjee, it was for the first time a new political party entered into the Parliament. At that time, she raised her voice in Parliament for one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. We still remember the incident when she caught one Member of Parliament by the neck when he was going to tear the Bill which was going to be placed on the Table of the House. Now, Sonia ji has also written a letter to the hon. Prime Minister to take it up. Our demand is that when we move to the new parliament building, let this Women’s Reservation Bill be tabled and passed without further delay. Let it be done with a positive note so that this Parliament can initiate its journey with a very positive outlook. Sir, all of us have witnessed the power of one vote, and we have seen the power of the Parliament also, how peacefully the voting pattern went on. Just next to me was sitting Chandrashekhar ji. He asked me, “Sudip, what is the result of the voting?” I said, “Vajpayee ji has been defeated by margin of one vote only.” He said to me, “Oh, if I had the idea, I could have voted for Vajpayee ji by which the voting pattern could have been different.” So, these are the memories, which haunt me always. Sir, let the present House run with a positive note. A common principle of parliamentary democracy is that the House belongs to the Opposition. I often tell it in all-party meetings convened by the hon. Speaker that in a parliamentary democratic system the House should belong to the Opposition. But nowadays, Bills are being passed without debates or discussions. It is not a good precedent. Both sides have to be more objective in their approach and outlook. It is only when the Ruling Party takes a positive decision, it becomes possible. Otherwise, it is not possible for the Opposition to run the House in a proper manner. Sir, a midnight Parliament Session was convened to celebrate the launch of Goods and Services Tax. It was held to make it historical. But many important and extraordinary situations prevailing in the country are not being allowed to be raised and discussed in the House. Sir, brute majority in Parliament of one political party at this present Parliament reflects that arrogance is not desirable. But my long experience says that if a brute majority persists, they are in a mood to grab the voice of the Opposition. It is neither desirable nor supported by the hon. Members. So, we will approach to the Ruling Party to practice some restraint in this regard in the coming Sessions. Since long it is proven that Parliament Sessions must reflect more positivity and become result-oriented. But in last few Sessions, or in last few years, the Parliament Sessions are not becoming result-oriented. That is a part of sorrow. The attitude of the Ruling Party of Parliament can make it viable and functioning. If it continues, people will start losing their faith in the parliamentary system of democracy. They may ask what Parliament is going to give to us. Once people start losing faith upon the parliamentary system, it would be a very dangerous situation. So, we must try to remain more committed and faithful at the 75th Year of Indian Independence to see that the parliamentary democratic system remains alive with its massive strength. Sir, when we are entering into the New Parliament Building, let all the systems be approached, be focussed, be presented, be ventilated in a positive manner. All the country should feel the change from one building to another building. When we move, we carry forward with us good feelings. Good sense of ideas should prevail, and each one of us should become respectful to each other. Lastly, I must say the slogan that whatever manner the country proceeds, we must say, “long live secularism and federalism”. The federal structure of the country is under a big threat where West Bengal is one of the major victims. I should take it up. We are trying our best to draw the attention of the Government. As the Leader of the Trinamool Congress Party in Lok Sabha, I should keep it on record as mentioned. Sir, I repeat that no attempt is to be made to create a division between India and Bharat. We firmly stand by both. Jai Hind. Jai India. Jai Bharat.

Derek O’Brien’s speech on “parliamentary journey of 75 years”

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Sir, we had 21 minutes and my colleague has spoken for 3 minutes. hat is not how we have done it. We had 21 minutes. My colleague has spoken for 3 minutes. So, I have got 18 minutes. The board is saying, 18 minutes, Sir. I have not even started. The board is saying, 18 minutes and you are telling me 10 minutes. Sir, the board is saying, 18 minutes. Sir, I can only understand that my Trinamool Congress was given 21 minutes. My colleague has spoken for 3 minutes. Give me back my Parliament. Give me back my Parliament, which is not mocked. Give me back my Parliament, which is not undermined. Give me back my Parliament, where Prime Ministers come and answer questions on the floor of Lok Sabha and on the floor of Rajya Sabha. In the last seven years, not a single question has been answered on the floor of Parliament. Give me back my Parliament, where urgent national issues can be discussed from 11 o’clock in the morning under a special rule. In the last seven years, not one notice given by the Opposition has been accepted. Give me back my Parliament, where we get to see the hon. Prime Minister regularly here with us. In 2021, our hon. Prime Minister was here for four hours and three minutes between the two Houses. Give me back my Parliament, where Members are allowed to vote when Bills are put to vote, and not the sacrilege which happened during the Farm Bill. Give me back my Parliament, where we have a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha. For the last five years, there has been no Deputy Speaker. Give me back my Parliament, where policy making is collaborative, not dictatorial. On record I say, from 2014 to now, one out of ten Bills is sent to Parliamentary Standing Committees for scrutiny. Give me back my Parliament, where legislation undergoes rigorous stakeholder evaluation. On record I say, nine out of ten Bills marked by zero or incomplete pre-legislative consultation. Give me back my Parliament, where Bills are passed keeping this House in mind, the Council of States, the federal structure. On record I say, about one out of three Bills passed have been anti-federal, hurting the States. And, on a personal note, we may be going to the new building. But we have so many bonds, so many friendships, so many crossing of ideological barriers, so many times when we have condoled with colleagues from different parties who have lost their loved ones, or celebrated the births of grand children. We used to do this in the Central Hall. Sir, give me back my Parliament. Let’s go to the new Parliament but keep our Central Hall alive. Give me back my India. Give me back my Bharat. Give me back my India where a State is not consumed by violence for five months. Sorry, Manipur, we still haven’t managed to send our hon. Prime Minister to you. From all of us, ‘sorry’. Give me back my India where one out of three youth are not unemployed. Give me back my India where the double-digit food price inflation does not lead to three out of four people in a situation where they cannot afford a healthy diet. Give me back my India where crimes against women are met with the harshest punishments; where our champion athletes don’t get sexually harassed; and where abusive men in power are not shielded. Yes, my Party, All India Trinamool Congress, led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee needs no lectures on Women’s Reservation Bill. Whether you bring the Bill or don’t bring the Bill, we already have one-third of our elected representatives women here in Parliament. But don’t spare the men who have done what they have done. It doesn’t matter whichever party they come from. Give me back my India where farmers are guaranteed MSP for crops; where farmer suicides are a thing of the past; and where farmers get prioritised over large corporations. Ten thousand farmers committed suicide in 2021. Give me back my India where the Prime Minister pays condolences when jawans are martyred and not attend party functions. Don’t show us hollow nationalism to win political points. Give me back my India where States — and I say this from the Council of States — are not deprived of funds because a State’s political ideology is different from the Union’s political ideology and my Bengal, our Bengal, is deprived of funds worth ten thousand crore rupees. Give me back my India where its profitable PSUs, where its crown jewels — Rail, SAIL, BHEL, BSNL — are not privatised. Give me back my India where people’s hard-earned money is not used to cover up frauds and corporate osses amounting to about 13 lakh crore rupees. Give me back my India where economic offenders do not loot this country and then flee to another land while the common people have to face rise in the price of gas cylinder and price rise. Give me back my India where institutions are not systematically weakened to be subservient to the ruling dispensation. Give me back my India. Give me back my Bharat. Sir, just one minute….. Sir, my subject is… What is two minutes, Sir? What is two minutes? I have got 16. Sir, I am reading from here — Parliamentary journey of 75 years, achievements, experiences, memories and learnings. As a Parliamentarian of 13 years, I am sharing my learnings here in the Council of States. Please allow me, Sir, to express myself. I disagreed with a lot of what the BJP spokesperson said. He is a brilliant speaker. I disagreed with his ideology. We quietly sat. No one disturbed him. He spoke. That was his view. Let me express my view. Give me back my India where media owners — let’s not blame the journalists — are not enslaved by the party in power. Real journalists will remain real journalists. The real villains are the media owners. Sir, I am making a speech. If it is somebody’s right to make a speech, it is your right also to give commentary. I will keep quiet and sit down. Sir, I say this humbly. We expect not to be interrupted. You are right. Okay, Sir. Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party! Give me back my India where the Government does not have to revise the methodology of calculating GDP to make its number appear artificially higher. This has been changed. Give me back my India where slums are not covered with green curtains when we are hosting international events. Give me back my India where dissent does not mean jail. There are Father Stan, Siddique Kappan, Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde and so many. Give me back my India where religious propaganda does not trump science. We have champions — the champions of Chandrayaan. Give me back my India where citizens do not die because of one man’s whimsical announcement of demonetisation at 8 p.m. And if you are talking about positives, look at the policies by some State Governments like in Bengal where there is a migrant policy in place, migrant board in place, etc. Please learn from States. Give me back my India where statistics and data were not the enemy of the State. Give me back my India where the environment was not sacrificed at the altar of corporate profit. Give me back my India where language was a means of communication.. not for Mr. Siva and not for everybody else who are now marked out. Sir, I don’t believe this. ..Sir, I do not believe this. I humbly appeal to you. My Party has 18 minutes. How much more humility do you want me to show? Sir, you have not given me my time. What are you talking about? ….. You have taken away my time.

Md Nadimul Haque’s speech on “parliamentary journey of 75 years”

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Sir, thank you very much for giving me the chance to speak on this issue. Thank you for limiting me also, Sir. Sir, the word ‘federal’ is not mentioned in the Constitution even once, yet it is the spirit and soul of this country. Remember that this is not the House of Elders; it is the Council of States. Do not do anything that will hurt federalism. Do not do anything that will compromise the States. Do not assault federalism. ‘Federalism’ is a nation’s precious asset. Madam, depriving the States of funds is a threat to democracy. Let me give you an example of my State, West Bengal. Labourers who worked under ‘MNREGA’ from 2021 till now have not been paid their wages, amounting close to four thousand crore rupees. If we include the non-wage component, the amount goes up to seven thousand crore rupees. Madam, 11,36,000 beneficiaries have been denied the Gramin Awas Yojana. Under different Schemes, the Union Government has blocked tens of thousands of crores to West Bengal. This is not ‘federal’. This is against the States. Seventy-five years ago, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said, and I quote, “The Indian Constitution is a federal constitution in as much as it is established what may be called a dual polity which will consist of the Union at the Centre and the States at the periphery, each endowed with sovereign powers to be exercised in the field assigned to them respectively by the Constitution.”Remember that the double engine government that you propose is against the federalism that our founders envisioned for this country. It is against the very spirit of India. Madam, we are in 2023. I quote Arundhati Roy – “It is no longer just our leaders that we must fear, but a whole section of the population. The banality of evil, the normalization of evil, is now manifest in our streets, in our classrooms, in very many public spaces. The mainstream Press, the hundreds of 24 hour news channels, have been harnessed to the cause of fascist majoritarianism. The India’s Constitution has been effectively set aside. The Indian Penal Code is being re-written.” Madam, in conclusion, I must say that India’s equilibrium depends on fair play. Do not penalize those States that have done better in successful implementation of schemes but oppose you politically. Political parties come and go, Prime Ministers will come and go, but India, its Parliament and its Constitution, will remain forever. Thank you very much.

If We Don’t Love The Poor, We Cannot Ensure Development: Mamata Banerjee

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in Spain to participate in business summits and meet business leaders in preparation for the Bengal Global Business Summit.

Highlights of her speech at the summit today:

Bengal is a state which has mountains, forests, rivers and the sea. We have a skilled workforce. We have an atmosphere of harmony.

Bengal has all types of transportation. We have educated workers. The youth of today want to stand on their own feet. We request you to please visit us. See the infrastructural facilities. We are ready to provide all types of help.

A few months back, the theme of the International Kolkata Book Fair was Spain. At that time, representatives from Spain had invited me. I have not visited any foreign country in five years. So when I was invited, I decided that my next foreign visit would be to Spain.

You all come and invest in my state. Even if you do not invest immediately, let MoUs be signed.

Democracy is the basis of India’s greatness. Different political parties rule different states. There is unity in diversity. I can’t say about states but at least in Bengal we equally respect every religion and group. If We Don’t Love The Poor, We Cannot Ensure Development.

La Liga will build a football academy in Bengal. We will provide every possible help. We want to develop the standard of football in Bengal.

We have decided to celebrate West Bengal Day on Poila Baisakh: Mamata Banerjee

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As per the set agenda, resolutions were brought in the Bengal Assembly to decide on the state anthem and state day. The first day of Baisakh, or Poila Baisakh, as the day is known, would be called West Bengal Day and Rabindranath Tagore’s famous song, ‘Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol’ the state anthem. These decisions were endorsed by the Trinamool Congress’ legislative party.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participated in the discussions in the assembly. Highlights of her speech:

The Leader of Opposition said he would ask the governor to not sign the two resolutions. We are saying it won’t matter. We will do what we have resolved to do. We have been voted by the people into power. It does not matter whether the governor approves our decisions or not.

I will see to it who wields more power—the people (who elected us) or the governor, who is a nominated person. I would not have said this if the talk about the governor had not arisen.

Other states too have adopted state anthems. I have discussed this with intellectuals and other important people before making this decision. The need had not arisen earlier as June 20 was not celebrated as West Bengal Day. The state government did not issue any notification about this. The Centre did. Bengal has no connection with June 20.

The first day of the Bengali calendar is Baisakh 1 (Poila Baisakh). We want to adopt the resolutions to declare this day as the state day and the Rabindrasangeet, ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol’ as the state anthem.

I have never seen such a vengeful government: Mamata Banerjee

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Highlights of Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee’s speech at the foundation day rally of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad on Mayo Road:

Delhi is trying to scare me by threatening my life. The Congress, CPI(M) and BJP have come together. But if they try to commit any wrong deeds here, the police will take action. I have instructed the police to ensure no untoward incident happens in colleges. Of course, students have the right to protest. They can demand justice, but the way things were done is not the right way to demand justice. Those who uttered the slogan to fire must be arrested. Nobody can say such a thing.

I have never seen such a vengeful government. I was sent a message on my phone the other day that Abhishek Banerjee would be arrested before the general elections next year.

We have come to know that it was someone from your party who downloaded the file, and then filed a diary with the police. Now they are saying that they said they will arrest the person who filed the diary. One day the jails will be filled up with people from your party only.

If you can conduct elections peacefully, I will instruct my people in all the districts to behave well too.

Among the scientists who worked on the Chandrayaan-3 project, 28 are Bengalis. I have sent letters of congratulations to each one of them. If they give me the time, I will honour them publicly.

People wanted to see the landing on the Moon. But the face of a particular person appeared suddenly on the screen. I too had sat down to watch the landing (of Vikram). But as soon as that face came up, I put the TV off.

We are the first government to bring laws on sand mining. I want green fireworks to be manufactured. The livelihood of lakhs of people are involved in the fireworks industry. Maybe they will earn a little less from selling green fireworks but lives will be saved.

There are 28,000 vacancies in teaching posts. I am not able to recruit because someone or the other keeps on filing cases in court. Let recruitment take place under the supervision of a committee of judges. But recruitment cannot stop.

 

 

Bengal is the state where Rabindranath organised Raksha Bandhan to unite Hindus and Muslims: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on | by aitc

Today, Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting of imams and moazzems held at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.

Highlights of her speech at the venue:

Bengal is the state where Rabindranath organised Raksha Bandhan to unite Hindus and Muslims. We are following in his path.

When I go to attend roza during the month of Ramzan, many people make fun of me. BJP people have even changed my name. But what I do is my business.

I only want to ensure that people do not fight against one another. Just like me, you too can see everything. When I dance with Adivasis or declare a holiday for a Matua festival, then people don’t criticise me. It is only against minorities that their anger is directed at.

The BJP’s job is to use the CPI(M) and Congress against us.

I hope Furfura Sharif does not get involved in politics, the same hope I have for Belur Math.

When people attack you, it is we who are the first to defend you and fight for you till the end. Several states have implemented NRC, but we have not. Assam left out the names of many from the minority community from its list of citizens. I had sent representatives, but they were not allowed to enter the state. When they protested, an FIR was lodged against them.

Bengal is number one in providing scholarships to students from minority communities, giving 63 lakh scholarships in the last 12 years. The Union government has stopped providing funds for the welfare of OBC. The reason is that 97 per cent of the minorities in this state are OBCs.

Imams and moazzams will get loans up to Rs 5 lakh, for which the state government will be the guarantor.

No dirty game of terror would be allowed: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on | by aitc

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave an audio message today.

Highlights of that message:

He is saying whatever he wants about Team INDIA without any proof. He wants the poor to die, wants the country to die. Let the people be in despair, only BJP should prosper. But he is not being able to convince the people about his ideology.

At least you cannot talk about corruption because you yourself are involved in shady affairs like the PM-CARES fund, Rafale deal, selling off armaments factories and disinvesting from public sector companies.

Certain currency notes were banned in the name of demonetisation. Later, you demonetised Rs 2000 notes to help yourself and your party. Don’t think that the people will be fooled every time. You can fool them a few times, but you can’t keep fooling them.

Charity begins at home. Look at yourself first. You don’t take action against corrupt people in your party. You don’t take action against those who disrespect women, who disrespect wrestlers, who are causing hatred in Manipur, and others. Your people have killed 16-17 people in Bengal but you are giving them political support.

Your intention is to cause communal strife in Bengal, like in Manipur. Your intention is to break up Darjeeling. But we won’t let these fires be lit. I may even have to light my own funeral pyre. But no dirty game of terror would be allowed.

A parallel government is being run with the help of governors. When there is a democratically-elected government, what need is there for a governor? Replacing vice-chancellors has become the main job of this governor—replacing them with BJP- and RSS-affiliated people. Is this his work? Let governors be made redundant. Governors were needed during the British rule, but no longer.

They want to implement a uniform civil code (UCC). We stopped NRC and CAA from being implemented, likewise we will stop UCC.

They know there are many sub-castes not only among Hindus but also Muslims and Christians. But they don’t discuss anything. You are depriving and exploiting Bengal. To appease your party’s leaders, you are stopping the funding of projects in the state. Rs 1.90 lakh of our dues are blocked.

BJP, quit India: Mamata Banerjee

Posted on | by aitc

Mamata Banerjee spoke at a public meeting in Jhargram today. Here are the highlights of her speech:

Taking my oath on the Quit India Movement, I am asking the BJP today to quit Delhi. BJP, quit India. You have no right to remain on the throne of Delhi. From Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh to so many other states, look at the atrocities happening. Manipur has been burning for four months. They think that by creating communal strife, they can divide the nation.

Food, clothing and shelter, nothing is important to them. To them, only vote matters.

The prime minister does not convert even one bit of what he babbles into action. They would once again announce free ration before the elections. Why not now? Hordes of migrant workers from Bengal are returning to the state from Delhi and Haryana. The people of Bengal would no longer tolerate deprivation, insult and exploitation.

Midnapore has birthed so many movements. Let the fight against the BJP too start from here.

Though some do, we never talk ill about the language a person speaks in. People have even urinated on the faces of Adivasis and Dalits in BJP-ruled states.

They have forgotten Gandhi ji and Netaji. They have started talking about the uniform civil code. But they can’t force their decisions on people. I will never accept a uniform civil code.

Nobody can be forced to accept something. Students will be able to select their own language, for which the three-language formula has been introduced. One’s mother tongue will be their first language. The Santhals had a specific demand, to satisfy which a dedicated branch has been set up within the school board. An English-medium school will be set up in every block of Jhargram.

Government-owned BEd colleges have been set up. Eight hundred forty-four teacher posts have been filled up. More work needs to be done.

Sadly, the Union government has stopped funding of the 100 Days’ Work scheme, the rural housing scheme and the pension for the poor. Yet it ensures collection of GST from here without fail. We have built roads with our own money. We are protesting against the deprivation we are suffering at the hands of the government at the centre. We demand their relinquishing of power. They have no right to continue.