Dr Santanu Sen speaks on The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Dr Santanu Sen speaks on The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Posted on July 8, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Sir for giving me the scope to speak on this Bill. I will take just a few minutes to highlight on certain important points. As you know, in our country, dental education was started in the year 1920 when the first full fledged dental college was established in our city of Kolkata by Padma Bhushan late Dr R Ahmed. But since then it has remained a very neglected section of health education.

Job opportunities are very less for the dentists. Earlier there was hardly any scope of post graduation for the dental surgeons. Many colleges were shut down earlier, faculty numbers were very less in many medical colleges; research facilities were also very less in many medical colleges. We must take note that presently 75 percent of adult Indians who are above 45 years, have dental problems.

My humble suggestion before our respected Minister is that each and every primary health centre of our country should be manned by at least one dentist, which will indirectly increase the job opportunities for dental surgeons, as well. Sir, it must be made a part of primary preventive care, as nowadays dental problems are associated with many non-communicable diseases, as well, like diabetes and hypertension. There should be continued dental education, like continued medical education, in case of MBBS doctors.

The grave situation of our country is reflected in this statistic: there are less than two percent dentists per 72 per cent rural Indians, where 90 per cent of rural Indians have gum problems. Only 50 per cent of Indians use toothbrushes, while two percent go for dental checkups. Hence, it needs rigorous awareness. We need to increase budgetary allocation for the same. I am very sorry to mention over here, during the Budget Session we have heard that even in the mental health sector, the budgetary allocation has been reduced, at a time when many Indians are suffering from mental health problems.

My last submission will be that there is a tendency, an intention of the present government of brining a bridge course, by the process of which they are trying to allow these dental surgeons to use modern medicines. Sir, my suggestion will be, instead of bringing up these bridge courses, we should try to bring up and develop the age old dentistry medicine in the whole.

Thank you.

Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar speaks on The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Posted on July 2, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is the prelude to another Bill, precessed to another chapter, the NMC. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is to repeal the Ordinance promulgated by the Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji on January 12, 2019. This Bill has also been scrutinised by the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. This is not the first related Ordinance though – there has been one in 2010, one in 2018, and then another in 2019.

Let me first clarify that my party, All India Trinamool Council is always against the attitude or attempt to bypass the elected House of the People and pass an Ordinance. In the last few years, we have seen a ratio of 10 to 4 with respect to Bills to Ordinances whereas after independence, the first 30 years saw a ratio of only 1 Ordinance for every 10 Bills while the next 30 years saw only 2 Ordinances for every 10 Bills. This is undemocratic and unhealthy for our democracy.

The question is, why was the Bill was allowed to lapse several times since 2016, when the matter is such a serious one? We have seen many deaths, particularly 50 deaths in only one State of our nation. So I consider it my sacrosanct duty as a responsible Opposition member to sound out to the government that passing an Ordinance is a peril to democracy.

The Indian Medical Council was formed in 1933 and the first Indian Medical Council Act was formulated in 1956, but thereafter rampant all-pervasive corruption had crept in and the Medical Council was plagued by it. The functions of the Medical Council mentioned thereof were to make recommendations to the Central Government on the subjects of giving recognition to medical institutions, determining the course of study and examinations after completing the syllabus, inspection of examinations, and maintaining the register for medical practitioners.

As per List II in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, and as determined by Article 246, Health is a State subject, and so the Central Government should not formulate rules to interfere in this provision of empowerment to the States. This Bill deals with the fate of those whose faces we see right when we are born and at the end, when we die, and they are the doctors. A former HRD Minister contradicted Darwin’s theory of evolution, stating, and I quote, “none of our ancestors have seen an ape turn into a man.”

Madam, such statements are not only dangerous but also highly irresponsible, as the very fundamental principles on which medical science is built are shattered. It has been stated, and I quote, that “cancer is the result of past life sins and a form of divine retribution.” It is ridiculous. Some have stated that cow urine or ‘gau mutra’ can cure cancer. That is absolutely against the present scientific standard of research all over the world. The vice-chancellor of a State university has claimed that the technique of creating test tube babies existed in ancient India, and referred to the Kauravas.

According to the Indian Constitution, the development of scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform is the duty of every citizen and is implicitly the responsibility of the state, and the state should take cognisance of this fact. However it is highly unfortunate that irresponsible statements have been made by individuals who maintain high public offices which attack the very basis of medicine.

We agree that India has a very rich cultural heritage, the history of medical sciences being known through ‘Charaka Samhita’, written in 200 BC, and ‘Sushruts Samhita’ (Sushruta was known as the ‘Master of Surgeries’ in India in the 13th century), but we have come a long way from that. Today we have research on using stem cells for improving cardiac health, in-vitro fertilisation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), etc. Today’s medical science is very strong. The inspiration doctors get is from practitioners like Leonid Rogozov, a Soviet GP (general physician) on the sixth Soviet Antarctic Expedition. He had the strength to perform appendectomy on himself alone, when he was stationed at the Arctic Novolazarevskaya Station.

Doctors are not puppets. A sixteen or seventeen-year-old forgoes movies with friends, family reunions, shopping sprees with mother to sit and study for 16 hours a day in order to crack the medical entrance examination. Students of our varied country, with multiple linguistic areas and regional sentiments should be allowed to write their exams in their mother tongue, if they are proficient in that.

Deaths have occurred with respect to writing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). A particular incident I want to mention happened in Tamil Nadu, when a girl, a topper, committed suicide because she couldn’t crack the NEET. We suggest that to avoid such deaths we should do away with this entrance test. We should depend on the class 12 qualifying examination marks to give entrance into medical institutions because students study very hard for this. They then study 12 hours a day for six years to become attain the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science (MBBS) degree. Can this rigorous six years of study be diluted by a six-month bridge course of a quack?

For clinical training many junior doctors perform emergency services through day and night. Being only human they too feel tired so they sleep in a mackintosh, which we wear during operative procedures, on the floor of the OT. I don’t know any other professional who sleeps on the floor of the office just for the sake of performance of duty. Doctors are nearly gods and accepted mortality rate is there in the statistics of medical science. But in India today, when a patient expires the family of the patient has the gall to beat up and hurt the healer. This is not unusual in this ‘Lynchistan’. This is highly condemnable.

Socrates once asked, “Tell me, is a doctor in the precise sense a money-maker or someone who treats the sick?” and Plato remarked, “Is the practise of medicine a science, an art, a trait, a craft, a business, a profession or a combination thereof?”

Well, a doctor, after nearly 10 years of back-breaking training, is indeed a godly figure, but to raise his family and himself he requires money too so he should not be blamed for earning a livelihood. Property and personal safety should be looked after by the state, by the government. Security funds should be increased and budgetary allocations for the medical curriculum should be increased. In this country, we have less than 2 per cent of the budgetary allocation for medicine and none other than Arvind Panagariya ji had commented that rural healthcare in India faces a crisis unmatched by any other sector. And instead of trying to enhance the budgetary allocations we are trying to rein in the doctors.

I agree that the MCI has been very corrupt; officers have been arrested. There was all-pervasive rampant corruption by the medical mafia. So, we have to be aware of this. But we should not overrun the State Government’s responsibility because health is a State subject; it should remain with the State.

Appointing medical administrators should not be through nomination. It is a rule that people in a nominated body or board will be medical educationists of proven administrative quality. Though I agree that administrators are required to run the back office, capable administrators may not necessarily know about cutting edge technology, about the science of the medical fraternity. So it should be medical people only; and it should be through the process of election in all the branches of the State.

Doctors should be allowed to elect their chosen members, who will in turn inform the central body. Bureaucrats do not have the qualities required to run the Medical Council because they have no idea of cutting-edge technology. So raising the number of members from 7 to 12 is ridiculous because unqualified people in huge numbers will not be able to take the decisions related to the medical curriculum and the examinations. There has to be inclusion of doctors.

This is a State subject and the doctors of the State should be allowed to elect from among themselves qualified doctors who will represent and run the whole country’s medical system so that the federal structure is not hampered.

Dr Santanu Sen speaks on the statutory resolution on The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019

Posted on July 2, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you very much Sir, for giving me the scope to speak on this Bill. Sir, I would have been very happy if our government would have given sufficient effort before to improve this age old system of medicine.

Sir, in my opinion this is nothing but another backdoor process of grabbing the power of another democratically elected autonomous body, which we have been witnessing since so many years. Sir, our present government has broken the previous record of bringing Ordinances. So far, as my knowledge goes, previously it was a maximum of 1 or 2 Ordinances per 10 Bills. Now, so far my information goes, it has crossed more than 4 per 10 Bills. It is really shocking.

Sir, I would like to put forward certain important points before this House. In the year 2018, the Central Council of Homeopathy was dissolved based on certain allegations of corruption against the then existing Central Council of Homeopathy; a Board of Governors consisting of seven members was formed at that time. Sir, the most unfortunate part of the story is till date one post is lying vacant out of the seven members of the Board of Governors.

Secondly, one year has passed that vacant post is still lying vacant. The charge was that of corruption against the Central Council of Homeopathy, but unfortunately no charge could be proved in last one year. Sir, it was ensured that a democratically-elected Central Council of Homeopathy will be formed within one year. Unfortunately that election could not be held in the last one year. So, I am becoming apprehensive whether in the coming year this government will be really able to hold the election or not.

Sir, in 2019 this Bill was brought in Lok Sabha on June 27 with a proposal of extension of the duration of Board of Governors for another one year. Sir, my certain observations and reservations are like this. First of all, the Central Council of Homeopathy used to be formed by the process of a democratic election. But whenever there is a provision of Board of Governors it was not known to all of us what was the criteria of being a member on that Board. I don’t know on what basis the government selected the Board of Governors. So, I once again believe that it is nothing but the effort of grabbing the powers and giving it to the hands of bureaucrats.

Sir, my question is why the election could not be held in the last one year?

Sir, my question is why the vacant post could not be filled in the last one year?

Sir, my question is – Homeopathy is an age old system of the country, and so far my state of West Bengal is concerned, it is the pioneer of this homeopathy system. But most unfortunately not a single representative from this State was given the opportunity of being a member of this Board of Directors. Sir it is very unfortunate to note.

Sir, in our state of West Bengal, when Madam Mamata Banerjee took charge as the Chief Minister cum Health Minister in 2011, the then health budget was Rs 682 crore. And now in 2019 it has become Rs 9700 crore, I repeat Rs 9700 crore. An increase of nearly 1400 times. Sir, unfortunately on the other side, in our country the health budget is meagrely 1.5% of the total GDP. And moreover we have seen that out of the total budget of Ayush department, homeopathy gets only 13% of the entire departmental budget. It is reflected in the name, as Ayush stands for A for Ayurveda, U for Unani, Y for yoga, S for Siddha and H for homeopathy. H comes last, so budgetary allocation for homeopathy also comes last. It is only 13% of the total Ayush departmental budget, Sir.

Sir, I would like to highlight certain important points of my own state. Status of medical officers of homeopathy in India – the total number of posts is 71 and the vacancy is 39, that is more than 50 per cent. The CGHS wellness clinic vacancy in West Bengal, total created post was 10 and the vacancy is 6; so 60% is vacant there. Specially in the clinics like Airport, 2 vacancies, in clinics like Shyambazar 2 vacancies, in clinics like Dover Lane. These clinics are very very important so far as their geographical distribution is concerned, but the posts are lying vacant, Sir.

Sir as per the need of the hour, few more posts should be created specially for places like Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Asansol and Durgapur. Sir, I would like to let you know regarding the outreach schemes camps status in West Bengal. It is only 10 where it should be at least 3 per district, that is for 23 districts it should be at least 69, Sir.

Finally, the junior research fellows and senior research fellows should be given due importance, Sir. If you go to our National Institute of Homeopathy, which is situated in Kolkata, you will start crying, I repeat you will start crying, the situation is so horrible. The faculties are not there, patients hardly like to go to that particular institute to get treatment. The same condition exists in the Shillong Institute which was supposed to be the best institute in north eastern India.

Sir, my humble submission is that our government should give due importance to improve this age old homeopathy system, instead of going for the bridge course, as mentioned by the previous speaker. Instead of improving this homeopathy system, they are trying to run a bridge course, by the process of which homeopaths, ayurveds are allowed to practise modern medicine. Then they neither become homeopaths nor allopaths. So, this points must be taken into consideration.

Thank you very much.

Pratima Mondal speaks on The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2019

Posted on July 1, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

India has emerged as a superpower, something that is alerting those involved in the hegemonistic balance of power. But the largest democracy is still tainted with caste-based discrimination. There has been a 37 per cent increase in atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the past decade. This is very alarming; not just for prohibiting crimes, it is an urgent requirement for establishing grounds so that the vulnerable groups can be at par with the groups having privilege.

This amendment Bill is yet another effort to bring equality by reviving the 200-point roster as against the 13-point one, as put forth by the Allahabad High Court. The aim of the Bill is to consider a central educational institution as a unit, in place of department, to ensure proper functioning of the reservation system in direct recruitment of teaching faculty.

I take the opportunity to explain this as the public might be in a dilemma as to how this is beneficial. Rather than direct reservation, department-wise reservation will yield more employment. But this is wrong because the number of vacancies in each department will not be enough to support the reservation. Thus I appreciate this Bill.

But I would like to seek clarification from the Hon’ble Minister, through you, Madam, on the necessity of promulgating the Ordinance dated March 7, 2019. Article 123 of the Indian Constitution, as interpreted by Pandit HN Kunzroo, says that “if you deal with a situation where Emergency in the country necessitated an urgent action”. The process of UGC guideline 2006 was quashed by the High Court of Allahabad on April 7, 2007. Why didn’t the government introduce the Bill in the following session of Parliament? The Supreme Court also gave a similar verdict on January 23, 2019. The Parliament was in Session from January 31 to February 13, during which a historic Bill was passed. Then why didn’t the government make the effort to legislate on this important national issue?

Instead, an Ordinance was promulgated dated March 7, 2019, which was just three days prior to the announcement of elections. This cannot be a mere coincidence; it held a clear intention of attracting vote bank. Promulgating Ordinances time and again goes against the very nature of parliamentary form of governance. This House is composed of eminent and learned representatives of people. By promulgating Ordinances on every matter, the government is exhibiting an absolutely authoritarian streak. It is disregarding the inputs and views of this House and in this case, it has failed to include economically weaker sections in the Ordinance. This House sits to give better laws to India, by going beyond the purview of party politics. Therefore it should be given the importance and respect it deserves.

Now, coming to section 4 of the Bill, to clause (b) of sub-section (i), it is a valid point and is according to the fundamental rights of the minority communities. But sub-clause (a) provides certain institutions will be kept out of the provisions of the Bill. I would request the minister to explain the basis for selection of the institutions. As much as I could interpret, all of them have one thing in common – that all the institutes fall under the category of science and technology. By doing so, is the government again repeating the mistake of doubting the capabilities of the concerned category? When these universities have reservations for the student community, then why not for the teachers as well?

Sir, I would like to put forth a couple of suggestions. Firstly reservations should be allowed to universities that are excluded because if the criteria put by them is maybe by any candidate of the concerned section, then why not the opportunity be given to him or her? After all it is our fundamental duty to promote scientific temper in the society and what better by promoting the people who have been neglected throughout.

Secondly, a regulatory board should be constituted to ensure proper functioning of the provisions of the Bill and in case of any dispute it can discharge quick verdict. This is necessary because even after the Ordinance, four Universities, namely Central University of Punjab, Karnataka University, Tamil Nadu University, and Indira Gandhi National Tribal University did not comply with the provisions.

This would have gone unnoticed had it not been brought up by Shree Javed Ali Khan during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha. Now the resolution of the matter, as asked upon to do so by the Hon’ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, will take a lot of time, delaying the whole recruitment process, depriving the eligible. This is why a responsible body, to handle the affairs, is necessary. The body should also be entrusted with the duty of looking into the redressal matter arising after employment. This is because every other day we come across cases involving hatred towards vulnerable sections, concerning the Bill, namely Scheduled Caste, Schedule Tribe, Socially and Educationally Backward Communities and Economically Weaker Sections, doubting and questioning their capabilities.

There is a high change that the teachers will also face similar problems. A Hindi poet has put it in this manner. “Dafter main sab theek thak chal rahe tha phir Dalit hoon main bata diya sab ko”. In other cases like that which involves suicide of Rohith Vemula.

This is a very important step that the government can take steps and action. And it cannot be done until serious steps are taken.

Another young girl Payal Tadvi lost her life; Sukdev Tharav, a professor of JNU and former UGC chairman who headed the committee to investigate the allegation of discriminatory treatment against scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students at AIIMS had found that lower caste students faced disclination in everyday life at the primer Institution.

About the measures that should be taken to check the discrimatory behaviour, he said there has to be an act by the government to make caste discrimination at the university campuses a punishable offence. Apart from this a set of guidelines should be formulated for the upper caste students on how to behave in the presence of students who are from the marginalised sections.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that in order to ensure the compliance of Constitutional provision under Article 14, 15 and 16, the government must consider the suggestion and not just discard it.

Last I would conclude by quoting Sheetal Sathe, a young Ambedkarite – Nausea served on the plate:

The nausea is served in the plate , the untouchable nausea

The disgust is growing in the belly, the untouchable disgust

it’s there even in buds of flowers, it’s there even in sweet songs

that man should drink man’s blood ,

which is the land where this happens

which is the land of this hellish nausea.

Thank you, Madam.

Derek O’Brien speaks on The Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Posted on July 1, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, today is a sad day. This morning, again in bus accident in Jammu & Kashmir in a gauge, 33 people lost their lives. Last week approximately 21 people lost their lives. These accidents keep happening and all of us, we tweet our condolences. The government of the day offers a package and then we get ready for the next accident and then life goes on. All of us need to work towards reducing these kinds of accidents, so that families don’t have to grieve like they are grieving today.

Sir, two quick pints before I get into the resolution and the Bill; whenever I go to Jammu & Kashmir I am always requested that whenever you speak about Jammu & Kashmir, charcha jab hota hai, Ladakh aur Leh ka naam aap please lijiye Parliament mein. So that is what we will all do.

Sir, another quick point before we get to the meat of the debate. Sir, as Opposition members we always feel that when senior ministers come and respond to us, some of the points we raise maybe responded to because then we feel its a two-way debate. So, that is my request to the Home Minister today as well; because we raised, as an Opposition, some important points in the Motion of Thanks. One was on the Women’s Reservation Bill. Sir we didn’t get an answer. On the breakdown of institutions we didn’t get an answer. On electoral reforms, I’m a little more hopeful because the Prime Minister discussed it in his speech and now I am told that the Rajya Sabha is taking it up as a discussion on at least electoral reforms, especially the state funding of elections and the collegiums which must be set up for the EC. And, of course, federalism.

I am very hopeful that the Hon’ble Home Minister will answer some of these questions, because I remember on the May 17, 2019, he did have a historic press conference where he answered some questions on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Sir, the Prime Minister talks to us about ‘One Nation, One Election’, one of the electoral reforms and many speakers before this have also brought it up. If you are having the parliament election, why didn’t you have the state election? Same booth, same time of the year, everything is the same. In fact, Rajnath Ji assured this House in January, “if the EC wants to have, we will have it”. Hon’ble Home Minister in the Lok Sabha said again, “if the EC wants to have it, we will have it”. On March 10, 2019 the elections were announced. On March 11, 2019 the EC appointed three observers. The House must know this, Sir, for Jammu & Kashmir. On April 15, 2019 these three observers of the EC submitted a report and in that report which was submitted by the EC it was said that it was conducive to polls.

My party will support this resolution to have elections because we do believe that if this spirit of April 15, their observation, is taken, then in six months along with the other States, we should have polls. Let us not pass the buck to the EC because I don’t want to discuss the EC because there iss Rule 238 and we can discuss that matter.

Sir, the second one, in the Other House, the Home Minister mentioned that three families have run the state of Jammu & Kashmir for the last 60 years. Yes, may be the HM would like to clarify in his reply that in the next 10 years, or 20 years, given an opportunity that his party will not touch any of the parties which are run by these three families. Let him give us an assurance on the floor of the House. Because his critics then might say, yes that for 60/70 years three families have run one state of Jammu & Kashmir but currently the nation is run by two families.

My fourth point is regarding the Governor. This is another very important issue which I seek clarification on. Just after Pulwama, the Governor of the State of Jammu & Kashmir said, “Laparwahi huyi hain.” Kisne kiya yeh laparwahi? Who was responsible for this failure?

Sir even though I have to repeat that point again, in the last two years, out of 10 Bills passed, four were Ordinances. That number has to come down. Another Minister came and said last week, that we have to pass these Ordinances because the House was not running. You can not imply that the opposition is disrupting the House. The Government has to run the House with the Opposition.

Now, Sir, come to the next point, which is Article 1 of the Constitution. “India that is Bharat is a Union of States”. Sir, now, on federalism, because the extension President’s Rule, affects the power of the State. Sir, with your permission I would speak for the next few minutes in Bangla.

এই যাকে আমরা বলি Federalism, যুক্তরাষ্ট্রীয় কাঠামো, এটাই সংবিধানের Spirit. জম্মু ও কাশ্মীর হোক, This is the core of federalism and since we have the Home Minister here, Sir, আম্বেদকরজী বলেছেন, আমি বলিনি, কংগ্রেস বলেনি, বিজেপি বলেনি, আম্বেদকর যেটা বুঝিয়েছেন, যখন যুদ্ধ হচ্ছে না, তখন সংবিধান হচ্ছে unitary. That means, only in times of war, the Constitution is unitary. Otherwise, Sir, it is federal in nature rest of the time. Centre must have hands off the State. কিন্তু, Sir, আজকে আমি স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীকে জানাতে চাই, এই Federal spirit কাশ্মীর হোক, বাংলা হোক, উত্তর প্রদেশ হোক, কেরল হোক, বিহার হোক, মধ্যপ্রদেশ হোক, আপনি সাতদিনে বাংলায় দুটো অ্যাডভাইসরি পাঠিয়েছেন, আপনি কিন্তু উত্তর প্রদেশে কোনও অ্যাডভাইসরি পাঠাননি ওখানে ২৫ জন মারা যায়, বিহারে ১৩০ জন মারা যায়, আপনি কোনও অ্যাডভাইসরি পাঠাননি। Sir, the essence of Kashmir is exactly this. To leave the states alone.

Sir, this is a council of States so allow me to use examples of my State to make my point.

কিছুক্ষণ আগে এখানে বিজেপির থেকে যিনি বললেন যে আমি কোনও রাজনীতি করব না, তারপরে কংগ্রেসকে ঠুকে দিলেন ৫০ বছরের জন্য। কংগ্রেস কংগ্রেস করলেন। আমি এখানে রাজনীতি করছি না, বাস্তব বলছি। দুদিন আগে বিজেপির বড় বড় বাংলার নেতা কি বললেন? “আপনার জন্য অনেক কিছু অপেক্ষা করছে। সংসদ চলছে বলে এখন নখ দাঁতগুলো দেখতে পাচ্ছেন না।”

I urge The Home Minister that he is not only BJP’s Home Minister, he is the Home Minister of all the States in India. Sir, what you say in an election campaign

স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী যেই হোন, তাঁকে শ্রদ্ধা করি, করতেই হবে। প্রধানমন্ত্রীকেও করতেই হবে। এটা আমাদের পরম্পরা। উনি বাংলায় এসে বলেছেন বাংলায় নাকি দুর্গাপুজো করতে দেওয়া হয়না। সরস্বতী পুজো করতে দেওয়া হয় না। বাংলায় ২৭ হাজার দুর্গাপুজো হয়, বড় করে বিসর্জন হয়, বাংলায় অনেক কিছু হয়। গঙ্গাসাগর মেলাও হয়।

Sir, you are asking me why. I also don’t want to do Hindu and Muslim; they are all Indian citizens. Now, let me tell you about the second Bill you all bringing for the international border. There also we from the Trinamool Congress are supporting the Government, because we believe Indian citizens must be given all the benefits and rights. In UP, support the 125 families who were forced to leave because of harassment; a BJP leader has only complained about this. So I ask this government, through you, to support them. Why do you want to leave them out just because they are Hindus or Muslims?

Sir, the NRC affects 23 lakh Bengali Hindus. Bengali Hindus are committing suicide in the Assam detention camps; support them also.

Sir, if people want to look at Kashmir through the prism of Kashmir and not through the prism of Constitution of India and try and heckle me in the middle of my speech, I won’t stop.

Five Hindu Bengalis were shot in Dibrugarh; a delegation of Trinamool lawmakers went to see them. Sir, why is the government targeting Indian citizens through NRC, be them a large number of Hindus and Bengalis?

Sir, my last two points before I finish. Sir, this is called the Council of States, if we as representatives of different states, are going to be told every 90 seconds ‘why are you discussing your state’ then tell us; we will start discussing the Union of India. Ambedkar Ji said, it’s only in times of war do we look at this Constitution as unitary. Rest of the time, it is federal.

Sir, Amit Shah Ji spent two days in Jammu and Kashmir as the Home Minister of India. I have got the diary, as reported in the Media. On the first day whatever he did and the first two hours of the second day whatever he did. It was all development package; everything which the Home Minister of India needed to do. Eighty thousand crore is a good figure but Rs 80,000 crore or even Rs 180,000 crore, Sir, can’t heal hearts. That’s a different kind of healing which is needed.

Our Hon’ Home Minister on the first one and a half days played the role of a Home Minster but on that second day when those cheques were distributed, those were given to BJP workers who were killed. PDP workers were killed, NC workers were also killed. As I said, he is not the Home Minister, but the BJP President as well. But at times like this, Sir and no talks with any political parties <interruptions>

Sir, let me then end with a true story. When I was in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of the Parliamentary Committee, we went to buy some kurtis. There we met a tailor and his son was there. So, I was asking him and trying to understand. I said what is the problem (this was one year ago) and how can we solve it. He said, “Jab tak Jammu and Kashmir tanav main rehega, uska faida ek political party ko baki 28 rajya main milta rehega.

Very interesting point he said, Sir.

Marketing a gesture of courtesy is not conducive in democracy: Mamata Banerjee at Suri

Posted on April 25, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today addressed a public meeting at Suri in Birbhum district. In her speech she attacked the Prime Minister and said marketing a gesture of courtesy is not conducive in democracy.

Highlights of her speech:

Modi babu has said I send him kurtas. Where is the problem? We send gifts to all during Durga Puja. We have opened the Biswa Bangla brand. We are empowering our artisans. We send these products not just to Modi babu but everyone. We don’t publicise it like Modi babu. Courtesy and politics are different. I send letters on birthdays to everyone.
Marketing a gesture of courtesy is not conducive in democracy.
I heard that yesterday the Prime Minister said we raise ‘goons’ here. He also said that Bangla did not witness any development. Another ‘signboard’ leader said Birbhum is Rabindranath Tagore’s birthplace. They don’t have any knowledge. They don’t do any homework
They say that nothing has been done in Birbhum. I challenge them to prove me wrong. After Trinamool came to power, 99% families in this district have got some benefit from the government.
In Birbhum the largest coal mine in the country is coming up. I want to know from Narendra Modi he delayed the process for three years by not signing an MOU. I want an answer for that.
This is a project worth Rs 12,000 crore and thousands of locals will get employment. Your government hasn’t done anything about it under your instruction, as you don’t want to give Bangla anything.
Just for the lack of an MoU, work cannot be started. I have called and enquired several times and the only answer I got is that the Prime Minister has said no. So, don’t you feel any shame?
You want to know what Mamata Banerjee has done? First you answer me, give an explanation. Then point your finger at me. First you answer, then ask for votes.
We worship with flowers. Their worship involves armed rallies with mace and swords. This is not the culture of Bengal
Bengal does not tolerate riots. Like a human body is incomplete without all organs, the society is incomplete without all communities
I belong to a simple family. They are calling me goon. If I am a goon, what are you? I have never orchestrated riots. We don’t do politics of violence. Do you remember 2002 Godhra riots?
They are controlling the media. Journalists are afraid to speak out or else they will be killed
I cannot be intimidated. I have fought against the Left. I have been beaten up but I never gave up. I am not afraid of Narendra Modi
They are suffering from the fear of defeat. That is why they are coming to Bengal so often to campaign. They can never be seen during disasters or accidents. They come here as seasonal birds
The more you abuse us, they higher the mandate will be in our favour
They are bringing boxes full of money. This is the money of people. This money was looted during demonetisation
Do not allow anyone to buy your votes for money. Cast your vote without fear
Earlier he used to call himself a chaiwallah. Then he gave up his kettle for Jaitley. Now he pretends to be a chowkidar
Teach these rioters a lesson. Bring about a change in government at Centre. Give them a democratic burial

After Mantra Challenge, Mamata Banerjee challenges Modi to an open debate

Posted on March 31, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today kicked-off her campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, by addressing a public meeting organised by N. Chandrababu Naidu at Visakhapatnam.

In her speech, she challenged the Prime Minister to an open debate. Slamming Narendra Modi for not addressing a single press conference in the last five years, she said, in the open debate they will pose questions to each other and there would be no teleprompters.

Highlights of her speech:

This election is significant. You must vote wisely. We have to fight for the country
It is unfortunate that Narendra Modi has become the Prime Minister. He and his party president are targeting and intimidating all Opposition leaders
In the previous election, they won people’s trust on the plank of ‘chaiwallah’. Now they have become ‘chowkidar’
They are not people’s chowkidar. They are chowkidar of demonetisation, chowkidar of loot and chowkidar of lies
So many jawans have lost their lives. Terrorism has increased in his tenure. Farmers are committing suicide. Unemployment is at 45 year high
The PM has not addressed a single press conference in the last five years. They are afraid to face the media
Even while giving speeches, the PM needs teleprompters. And he always tells lies
The leader of the country must be like Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Ambedkar, Netaji, Rajendra Prasad and other stalwarts
He cannot even become block leader and he aspires to become the leader of the nation
BJP party headquarter resembles a shopping mall
After the Pulwama attack, why did the PM not address any all-party meeting?
The country is burning. They are killing people in the name of gau-raksha
We do not want Modi because we do not want unemployment.
We do not want Modi because we do not want riots.
We do not want Modi because we want communal harmony
Who will become the Prime Minister, will be decided after the elections.
We serve the people 365 days a year
I challenge Modi to an open debate. I am ready to fight against him politically. Let him pose question for me, I will reply. I will ask him questions and he has to reply. There will be no teleprompters
Modi cannot come back to power with the help of select-few media channels
If we have to save the country, Modi must be defeated
They are not allowing State Governments to function.
They are destroying the Constitution. The independence of the institutions is under attack
If Modi and Amit Shah come back to power, the country will not remain the same anymore. We will lose all our freedom
We will work together to form a people’s government at Centre

BJP will be shown the Red Card in 2019: Abhishek Banerjee

Posted on June 6, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Like every year, National President of Trinamool Youth Congress, and Diamond Harbour MP, Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday released a booklet containing details of all the work done by him his constituency for the last four years. The book-release ceremony was held at Sarisha school grounds in South 24 Parganas.

Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Banerjee said that the people of the country showed the yellow card to BJP in bypolls. They will show the red card in 2019. He claimed that Trinamool will win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal.

He also said, “BJP is trying to blame Trinamool for the death of its workers. Five doctors said that the death was due to suicide. But BJP is still blaming us. They want to blame Trinamool and Mamata Banerjee for everything under the sun. But in reality, they have blood on their hands. The BJP practices communalism.”

He also advised the BJP to look after their party’s condition in Uttar Pradesh first, before turning their attention to Bengal.