Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien seeks clarification from Home Minister regarding media blackout during SAARC Summit

Posted on August 5, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, for the last 18 years Trinamool Congress has always been firmly behind the Government on international issues. It is no different today. We are completely on board and welcome this statement.

I have a specific clarification to make because there are two stories going around. It’s best once and for all the Home Minister clarify this, because it’ll be better for all of us here in the House. There is one view that Doordarshan and ANI, who went there, were not given an opportunity. Your speech, Sir, was deliberately blacked out; they were not allowed. Was that the case? Or, the second is, there are some people who are trying to spread some other rumours, saying that this was actually the precedence.

If it was the first, it is a matter of serious concern, Sir; obviously, we are completely behind you. But since there are two stories going around, it is better if you clarify once and for all that it is the first, because then, as the Leader of the Opposition said, we take strong exception to something like this done to the Home Minister of India.

Derek O’Brien speaks on the GST Bill | Full Transcript

Posted on August 3, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, I’m still often asked, is your party supporting the Constitutional Amendment on GST? I’m sad actually that I’ve been asked this question, because we should put this question to the Government and the principal Opposition party. We often get confused when they are supporting and when they are not; what their stand is depends on where they sit.

Trinamool consistent on GST

There are many of us in the middle who have been the most consistent on this issue, like my party, the Trinamool Congress. In our 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2016 manifestos we have promised GST – we promised it as an idea and also as an implementation. But we’ll come to that. But when people get up here to speak, especially when they are such articulate lawyers, I feel like a teenager in their presence.

Girgit Samjhauta Tax

I’m going to talk about the details of this Bill – I had great experience being on the Select Committee and I’m going to talk about that in great detail – but before we get into the nitty gritty of the Bill, Sir, there is the politics of the Bill. And sometimes, when it’s convenient, the Government or the principal opposition party do not want to discuss the politics of the Bill.

When you ask someone what is GST, they’ll probably tell you it’s Goods and Services Tax; but GST could also be interpreted as Girgit Samjhauta Tax, because the way these two parties have behaved, it has been ten years of ping-pong. The Olympics are coming, they would have won the us medals in ping pong, Sir.

Ping-pong politics

Now let me tell you about this ping-pong match between the treasury and the Opposition benches.

I would like to read from the election manifesto of 2009 of a party; page 19, point 6: “CST will be abolished and GST would be rationalised between 12% and 14%.”

Whose manifesto is this? The BJP. They haven’t taken it off, it’s still on their site.

My senior learned friend, now the Leader of the House once said: “We won’t be fairly treated. We wi’ll cut off our own hands, our constitutional authority and hand over all fiscal powers to the Centre.”

Mr Jaitley has said many things about FDI in retail also, when he was Leader of the Opposition. But as I said, they take their stand based on where they sit, Sir. And they are such great lawyers, you give them any brief, they’ll twist it to meet that only, with all due respect.

Sir, there’s a very interesting quote I found from 2011, Sir.

It says, “The new Constitution amendment draft proposed by the Government of India, is retrograde. It is completely against fiscal federalism.”

This was said by Saurabh Patel, Finance Minister of Gujarat in 2011. Now, I’ve forgotten who the Chief Minister of Gujarat was in 2011. but this was said, Sir. And, the now Honourable Prime Minister said in February 2014, “Without proper IT and infrastructure, GST is impossible to implement.”

Sir, this politics of GST is very very important because for two years, two Houses were stalled by two abbreviations by the BJP – one was GST and the other one was FDI. So, Sir, their memory is very very short.

Go Slow Tactics

Sir, we’re done with the BJP. Now we get to this side. My Chidambaram used a very nice phrase – GST, he said, was ‘Good Sense Triumphs’ – nice one, Sir. But our interpretation, or your interpretation when your colleagues came to the Select Committee, was not ‘Good Sense Triumphs,’ it was ‘Go Slow Tactics.’

This is exactly what your colleagues did in the Select Committee. And all of us here in the middle, who are not the Congress or the BJP – the SP, the BSP, the BJD, the DMK, the NCP, the CPI, all of us saw the go-slow tactics. Unfortunately the Select Committee is not telecast on prime-time television, these parliamentary debates are.

Implementation

Mr Chidambaram today made the point about his party supporting the idea of GST. Of course, we are also for the idea. But only having an idea is not good, we are for the IMPLEMENTATION of GST. And Mr Chidambaram made a nice point about the triangle. The triangle has to be decided between the Finance Minister and the States and the people. Yes, Sir, I want to tell the people, we also believe you have to find a solution. The difference between us and the Congress, we believe, the bottom of the triangle is the people.

GST cap

All of us are on the same page on this. Eighteen per cent cannot go into that constitutional amendment. You spend every minute of the Select Committee stopping it. The Empowered Committee of Finance Ministers, with 21-22, are unanimous that you cannot have the 18% either in the constitutional amendment or in the GST Bill.

But the language I was hearing today is the language of ‘hold on, we let you play the first innings, when it comes to the second innings, we’ll try and block you.’ I think if the tone is conciliatory, and the tone ought to be conciliatory, this Parliament must debate, must deliberate, must legislate, good – but we also need to implement, we must implement.

Role of Rajya Sabha

Sir, now let’s come to the role of the Select Committee. Thank heavens for the Rajya Sabha, because if there was no Rajya Sabha, there would have been no Select Committee, and then you would have not got the wisdom of the Rajya Sabha.

Let me give a quote to you, Sir. It was said in April 2016 (very recently, Sir) –

“To what extent the Upper House is going to be used to block economic decision-making? In Australia, the UK, Italy, the debate is on, because ultimately, the weight of a directly elected House will always have to be maintained”.

This was said by the Leader of the House. Mr Arun Jaitley, if you are being in a conciliatory mood this is not what the Leader of the House could have said. You used the Lok Sabha to bulldoze legislation. The Bill came to the Rajya Sabha, there were points made, everyone had points to make, and based on these points, Sir, there were lots of changes to the legislation.

Consensus among States and Centre

Yes, there was the exempted category on petroleum. States had a problem with that, and we appreciate that it was taken care of. So were tobacco products, so were inter-State transactions, so was the dispute redressal mechanism; we did not want a separate authority. All that is fine. We appreciate that the Government reached out to the States, worked with the States, worked with the Finance Ministers.

Compensation

Sir, but on the ground I want to flag one issue regarding implementation. It is the issue of compensation for CST; I am giving you one example because it concerns my State. I am trying to flag how difficult it is to implement this. Sir on CST, Centre owes my State dues worth Rs 6,500 crore. Not only my State, Odisha has about is also owed Rs 3000 crore. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Telangana all have a lot of outstanding dues, Sir, because of CST.

Sir, in Clause 19, we did make the point, the word MAY will become SHALL and the compensation will be taken care of (up to was dropped) for five years. We appreciate that, Sir. The word ‘full’ compensation was not used in the legislation. I would request the Finance Minister to please clarify that on the floor of this House.

Clause 10

Sir, I want to refer one point about The Constitution One Twenty-Second Amendment Bill as reported by the Select Committee of the Rajya sabha. Here if you look at Clause 10 it is not what was unanimously recommended at the Select Committee. I will read the Clause 10 which was Select Committee Recommendation – “The goods and services tax levied and collected by the Government of India, except the tax apportioned with the States under clause (1) of Article 169A, shall also be distributed between the Union and the States in the manner provided in clause (2).”

Dual control

Sir, small business with less than Rs. 1.5 crore turnover should be kept out of dual control and once that figure goes above Rs 1.5 crore then it should be done jointly between the Centre and the State. Sir, this is very crucial because we don’t want to go into November, and then hit a roadblock for rolling out GST in April, 2017. I need this clarification. I am very scared when I hear April, 2017. Because it is April Fools’ Day. And this ping pong match cannot continue any longer. We need to implement GST in April, 2017. That’s why I am being specific, Sir.

Registration and Compliance

Sir, there are other issues on the implementation. Through you, Sir, I want to flag these issues for the Finance Minister. One of these is not a legislative issue but concerns implementation – GST registration. People will be registering not once not twice but three times in a state.

GST compliance also cannot be 4 or 5 per cent. Sir there is ambiguity, and I don’t want to get technical in the discussion, of supply and value of taxable supply. I think in the implementations, Sir, we seriously need to look at this.

Empowered Committee

Sir, I would be failing in my duty if I did not put on record here the great job done by the Empowered Committee of Finance Ministers across the States. It is my pleasure and privilege that my colleague Dr Amit Mitra, the Hon’ble Finance Minister of Bengal, in 150 days led the team and developed a very broad consensus among the States.

Move over electoral politics

Sir, I was wondering if the politics of the GST will continue into November or from this being a ping-pong match it will become a cricket match where you will play the first innings and then in the 2nd innings it will stop because of rain or other reasons.

Sir, so I did a research on a few countries where GST was passed and in one or two years elections were held. To assure the BJP, after the GST was passed the ruling party won the elections in Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Argentina and Indonesia. That was the good news, now the bad news. There are also some countries where after GST was implemented, the elections were lost – Brazil, UK, Germany and South Africa. So, it’s a 50-50 toss. So my appeal to the BJP and the Congress is that don’t let those election results bother you because they could go either way; bring in this GST.

Bottomline

Sir, I will end with a little story. Sir, in 2005, there was a small boy in class X in a little-known school in Delhi – Saviour School. Sir, he was born around the time when the GST concept was first introduced. This boy is now winning us great victories in cricket matches. He is Virat Kohli.

There are millions of Virat Kohlis who are looking at us today. For their sake and for the sake of India tomorrow we need to deliberate, we need to debate, we need to legislate and we need to implement this GST. The faster we do it the better.

Trinamool supports GST Bill in RS, slams ping-pong politics of Congress-BJP

Posted on August 3, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Consistent with the party’s stand in favour of GST, leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien today reiterated the support for GST Bill in the Upper House.

He said that the issue of Goods and Services Tax feature in all the manifestos of the Trinamool Congress since 2009 while the current ruling party and the principal Opposition party have changed their stands based on where they sit.

Regional parties are consistent

The Government and Opposition party often change their stand based on where they sit. Parties in the middle are consistent on their stand on the GST.

Girgit Samjhauta Tax

GST has been pending from 2006 to 2016. GST could also be interpreted as Girgit Samjhauta Tax. GST has been 10 years of ping-pong politics between the ruling party and the principal Opposition party. They could win India a medal in Olympics in ping pong.

The ping pong on GST

In their election Manifesto in 2009 BJP said CST will be abolished and GST will be rationalised between 12 and 14 percent.

As the Leader of the Opposition, Jaitley ji in 2011 said, “We won’t be fairly treated. We will cut off our own hands, our Constitutional authority and hand over our fiscal powers to the Centre.”

Again in 2012, on FDI in retail he said, “Structured international retail chains would source the products internationally, to the detriment of India’s manufacturing sector.”

In 2011, the Gujarat Finance Minister Saurabh Patel said, “The new constitution amendment draft proposed by the Government of India is retrograde in nature and completely against the fiscal federalism.”

Who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2011?

Cap of 18% on GST rate

Only having an idea of GST is not enough. We are for the implementation of GST. All of us are on the same page. 18 percent cannot go into the Constitutional Amendment.

Role of a Select Committee

BJP uses the Lok Sabha to bulldoze legislation. Thanks to Rajya Sabha, many positive changes were made. Clause 10 in the Bill is not what was unanimously recommended by the Select Committee. The proceedings of the Select Committee are not televised or else the country would have seen how Congress used ‘Go Slow Tactics’ in the committee.

CST compensation

My State is still owed Rs 6500 Cr as CST compensation. Even Odisha is owed Rs 3000 Cr. I want the Finance Minister to clarify on full compensation.

Dual control

Small business with less than Rs. 1.5 crore turnover should be kept out of dual control. The government must assure the House they will pass a Bill in November and not let the ping-pong match turn the GST Bill into an April Fools’ joke in 2017.

Implementation

Under the three level tax structure proposed under GST (Central, State, interstate), people selling their products or supplying them, across the country will have to get three different registrations in every state.

How does the Government propose to ensure that compliance in GST will not be as low as it is in income tax collections?

Empowered Committee

We appreciate the fact that the Government reached out to the States and worked with the Finance Ministers. I want to put on record the great job done by Empowered Committee of Finance Ministers. Dr Amit Mitra, the Finance Minister of Bengal, who headed the Empowered Committee for 150 days also deserves credit.

Rise above electoral politics

Governments lost elections in Brazil, UK, Germany and South Africa after passing GST Bill. In Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Argentina and Indonesia, they came back to power. Don’t let the election results bother you, bring about the GST Bill legislation.

Bottomline

A boy who was in Class X in 2005 when GST Bill was first introduced, is winning us cricket matches now. He is Virat Kohli. For the sake of many more Virat Kohlis,the young generation of tomorrow, we must debate, deliberate and legislate and take the country forward.

The image is representative

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien makes a Point of Order on the GST Bill

Posted on August 2, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, I have a serious Point of Order. Sir, the GST Bill which is circulating today is not the Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha.

The amendments which the Hon’ble Finance Minister has moved are based on that as passed in Lok Sabha. My limited point is, the Bill which we now have with us is actually the Bill which is the one as recommended by the Select Committee.

In Clause 19, Sir, everybody has had an informal agreement that the State will be compensated for five years. But the amendments which are being circulated by the Finance Minister does not contain that amendment. So it may be an oversight. If it is so, let it be known.

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien speaks during Calling Attention Motion on diversion of funds from EPFO to stock market

Posted on August 2, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, I’m very hopeful that this Calling Attention Motion today will actually get the response of the Labour Minister. I’m hopeful because I don’t think, in the first place, that the Labour Minister himself wants to go ahead with the proposed diversion of funds to stock market. This may have been concocted in two places, Sir. One is in a room very close by where a very senior parliamentarian sits. Or, as I notice today, Sir, in the third row of the treasury benches, where there is another gentleman who has flown away to another Department. He may also enlighten us.

Sir, I heard the speech of the Labour Minister on the Child Labour Bill – you have told us your beautiful life story, you are a practical person, you are a man of the grassroots. We are all behind you and you must do this for us together. Because we know internally, Sir, you may be under certain compulsions.Not only will we be happy, I think a lot of labourers in the country will also be very very happy.

Sir, my colleagues who have spoken before me have quite clearly explained what the problem is, so I’m not going to dwell on the problem. But the root of the problem is that I suspect that you’ve tried to use the American model. The American model has nothing wrong with it if you look at it. But the difference is, Sir, the American model has an independent retirement account which we don’t have. The American model has a social security account which we don’t have and the American model has retirement funds which we don’t have.

All we have is our provident fund. So, this is why I want to use this very serious Calling Attention Motion to alert you that some of the things that Americans do are good for their system but this doesn’t work for us. In the American model, they, invest their funds in low-risk bonds, they have municipal bonds; where do we have municipal bonds? Our stock market is a shallow stock market, our bonds are very, very shallow bonds. Someone was mentioning the casino – today it’s the casino, tomorrow it’s the stock market, next it’ll become something else.

Sir, these four or five banks who’ve been authorised to take this provident fund money (please also check out when it goes up from 5 to 15%. I am sure the Labour Minister will not allow this to happen because in his heart he does not want this to happen) – we’ll need to see where they are putting their funds. My question here is, are they putting their money into their own funds? This is another question.

And, Sir, I want to end. This is serious money, hard-earned money. After six months we don’t want to hear that they’ve come up with another new idea – now they want to go to Bombay Race Course and Chennai Race Course and Kolkata Race Course to invest this money.

Thank you, Sir.

State Government to harness solar power for irrigation

Posted on August 2, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

As part of a pilot project, the Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal government has decided to harness solar power for irrigation in the seven districts of North Bengal.

During the day, solar power will be tapped to lift water through shallow tube-wells and at night it will be used to light up people’s homes. The project will begin after the rainy season, North Bengal Development Minister Rabindra Nath Ghosh said.

The districts are Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda and Alipurduar.

This project will be introduced mainly in the tribal areas. The government carried out a test run in Balarampur under Natabari Assembly constituency and after it was successful, a decision was taken to do it on a large scale.

The article was first published in Hindustan Times on 1 August, 2016

সেচের কাজে সৌর শক্তিকে ব্যবহার করার পরিকল্পনা রাজ্য সরকারের

মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের নেতৃত্বাধীন পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকার উত্তরবঙ্গের সাতটি জেলায় সেচের জন্য সৌর শক্তি ব্যবহার করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে। নিঃসন্দেহে এটি একটি পাইলট প্রজেক্ট।

দিনের বেলায়, সৌর শক্তির সাহায্যে অগভীর নলকূপ দিয়ে জল তোলা হবে এবং রাতে মানুষের ঘরবাড়িতে আলো জ্বালানোর জন্য ব্যবহার করা হবে। উত্তরবঙ্গ উন্নয়ন মন্ত্রী রবীন্দ্র নাথ ঘোষ বলেন, বর্ষার পর প্রকল্পের কাজ শুরু হবে।

জেলাগুলি হল দার্জিলিং, জলপাইগুড়ি, কোচবিহার, উত্তর দিনাজপুর, দক্ষিণ দিনাজপুর, মালদহ ও আলিপুরদুয়ার।

এই প্রকল্পটি মূলত উপজাতি এলাকাগুলোতে চালু করা হবে। নাটাবাড়ির অন্তর্গত বলরামপুরে একটি পরীক্ষামূলক কাজ চালানো হচ্ছে এবং এটি সফল হওয়ার পর এই নিয়ে আরও বৃহৎ পরিকল্পনা রয়েছে।

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien raises a Point of Order on amendments to the GST Bill leaking on to TV channels

Posted on August 1, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, the GST Bill is the property of this House. For the last 20 minutes, every television channel is showing what amendments have been made to the Bill. As members of this House, it is our privilege to see the Bill first. None of us know, we have not got the Bill. There are some meetings happening. All the television channels are talking about some amendments. Protect us, Sir. It is a serious issue. We are waiting.

Parliament: Trinamool raises the issue of growing religious fundamentalism in the country

Posted on August 1, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Congress Monday raised the issue of growing religious fundamentalism in the country and demanded that the Prime Minister must assure the country that “we can live in the India we know – unity in diversity.”

Speaking during the Zero Hour, the leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien said, “the first time it happens; we can call it a mistake. Second time it happens, we can call it a bigger mistake. Third time it happens, we can call it a blunder, but if it happens time and again, I have to say Sir, it is a decision.”

“This is not the country we are used to living in. I have said this once and will keep saying again that the smaller you are in this country, the smaller your caste, the smaller the minority, the more oppressed you are, the more this country gives you the opportunity to express,” he added.

Click here to read the full transcript of his speech

In Lok Sabha, leader of the party, Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, “we Indians are firm believers of secularism and communal harmony. We are also believers that unity and diversity should be our integral national philosophy.”

“India as a country must ensure that every section of the society has the the right to live with prestige and dignity. We also demand that the people who are carrying out violence in the name of gau raksha must be dealt with harshly as per the laws,” added.

Click here to read the full transcript of his speech

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien speaks in RS on the widespread religious fundamentalism prevailing in the country | Full Transcript

Posted on August 1, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Sir, it is impossible to speak on the subject in three minutes but I will because it is zero hour, thank you.

There is an urgent need to curb religious fundamentalism Sir, this has been a dangerous situation over the last one week, the last few days, the last few months and months; two years in fact. Sir, the first time it happens; we can call it a mistake. Second time it happens, we can call it a bigger mistake. Third time it happens, we can call it a blunder, but if it happens time and again, I have to say Sir, it is a decision.

I believe this is not happening because of a mistake, this is a decision of this Government, Sir. Otherwise, the Defense Minister of the country would not have said what he said yesterday. The Dalits are suffering; so many of us went and saw what happened there. Sir, for just 15 rupees people are killed, just because they are Dalits. In Haryana, Sir, people are being forced to eat cow dung. There are people dying in different parts of the country, Sir. This is not just an aberration, this is a decision of this government.

Sir, let me tell you. I am a gau sevak, we are all gau sevaks but in the name of gau sevaks don’t cross the line and become gau rakshaks, Sir. This is a situation which has gone beyond the borders of the country. And the government must be aware because this is not a fluke or an aberration. Sir, they must listen to what the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Report on Minority Rights had to say about our country. They have called this “caste-affected discrimination happening in India with minority like characteristics.” The government must listen to the US Commission on International Freedom.

Yesterday an MP from the ruling party goes and calls someone ‘an idiot’. Why? Just because I disagreed with you. So what if we disagree with you? Be open hearted, I would say you read Article 48 of the Constitution. Sir, this is not the country we are used to living in. I have said this once and will keep saying again that the smaller you are in this country, the smaller your caste, the smaller the minority, the more oppressed you are, the more this country gives you the opportunity to express.

But this government, the ministers in the government, the people associated with the ruling party, are shooting their mouths off every day. I want to challenge this government and say that the Prime Minister needs to come and say that these are not mistakes, this is not the thinking of the government.

The Prime Minister must come here and assure us that we can live in the India we know – ‘unity in diversity’.

Thank you Sir.

Monsoon Session Week Two: A purposive week for Trinamool in Parliament

Posted on July 30, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Trinamool Congress raised various issues in both the Houses of the Parliament during the week and urged the Government to take appropriate steps.

In the Upper House, the Trinamool Congress utilised the Zero Hour, the Question Hour, the Calling Attention Motions to the fullest and took part in several discussions.

Question Hour

Trinamool Leader of the Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien urged Centre to set up a committee to address concerns of debt-stressed States during Question Hour (http://goo.gl/3fds2m). Later in the week he again the Government what steps it was taking to make medicines affordable prices, and ensure that prices are not affected by FDI (http://goo.gl/q1rvwx)

MP KD Singh also questioned the Government on allowing of taxis in private airports (http://goo.gl/4G8Qsr).

Saugata Roy questioned the Centre on its stand on small tea gardens during Question Hour in LS (http://goo.gl/tTWlJN) and also the shift of Tea Board HQ from Kolkata to Assam (http://goo.gl/ljJOm2).

Ratna De Nag raised a question in LS regarding the mechanism of preventing banned drugs from being sold in the country (http://goo.gl/TPE8tn).

Prasun Banerjee’s question to the Central Government was on popularising football in India by strengthening the federation (http://goo.gl/4sHqmB).

Mumtaz Sanghamita, during Question Hour in Lok Sabha raised the issue of investment in development of airport/airstrips and also questioned the government on the withdrawal of the Air India flight from Durgapur where it is much needed (http://goo.gl/PMCrGU).

Zero Hour

MP Dola Sen, during the Zero Hour spoke regarding the demand for elimination of unmanned level crossings in the country (http://goo.gl/UPOHjq).

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy raised the issue of scholarships for minority students being during Zero Hour (http://goo.gl/cGA8gL) and Ratna De Nag raised the demand of expanding the subway at Bhadreswar station (http://goo.gl/xOmMDM).

Aparupa Poddar demanded allocation of funds for pilgrimage to Tarakeswar during Zero Hour and also introduction of special trains during the annual pilgrimage to Tarakeswar (http://goo.gl/lYvQqf). Whereas Pratima Mandal spoke on the need of a level crossing at Piyali railway station to ensure easier movement of vehicles and students across the Piyali River (http://goo.gl/8JDnDd).

Nadimul Haque in the week, during Zero Hour he raised the demand for release of scholarships to minority students (http://goo.gl/STr8ID) later in the week.

Special mention

Trinamool MP Md Nadimul Haque during a Special Mention urged the Government on the need for a law against spitting in public places (http://goo.gl/92m0FN).

Trinamool MP Ahamed Hassan Imran, during a Special Mention raised the issue of reduced Central funding of schemes (http://goo.gl/Gfbxf4) which is against the spirit of cooperative federalism. He later spoke on drug pricing during a Calling Attention Motion.

In a Special Mention Dola Sen spoke on the need to replicate successful models in combating Left Wing Extremism (http://goo.gl/2UEbM6).

Discussion

During a Short Duration Discussion on the situation arising out of the rise in prices in the country (http://goo.gl/k9nsWa), Derek O’Brien pointed out that Government is very good at communicating on social media sites. But when it comes to basic issues like price rise, they have forgotten the people that gave them this historic mandate in 2014 people that brought them to power.

The Trinamool Leader of the Party in Rajya Sabha also raised the issue of Aadhaar card being made mandatory for receiving Government benefits and pointed out that there are a lot of people who are suffering and not getting pension and several other benefits (http://goo.gl/VqpX6e).

Trinamool Chief Whip at Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy took part in a short duration discussion on Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 (http://goo.gl/cB9KIs) where he demanded that assurances made by the then Prime Minister on the floor of the House must be fulfilled.

In Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress Trinamool Chief Whip Kalyan Banerjee took part in several discussions including The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 (http://goo.gl/OTGrfx), on The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill (http://goo.gl/HZpoba), on The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015 (http://goo.gl/9d7qHI) and protested the issue of Aadhaar card being made mandatory, during a short discussion (http://goo.gl/ThrEhX).

Trinamool MP Dr Sugata Bose took part in several discussion including the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill (http://goo.gl/iugFHh).

Sugata Bose, while speaking in LS regarding an enabling regulatory architecture in higher education institutions stated that Jadavpur University from West Bengal is in the 500-600 range of the world rankings of the TIME’s higher education supplement. On the subject of education (http://goo.gl/1nz5Df) Saugata Roy also spoke in Lok Sabha on The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and stated that IIT Kharagpur was a pioneer in the field and for the first time it started courses in naval architecture. Aeronautical engineering and agricultural engineering which were not taught anywhere else in the country (http://goo.gl/ENKkWp).

Saugata Roy raised the issue of Chinese incursion in Uttarakhand (http://goo.gl/4w9Lau). While speaking on The Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015 Saugata Roy mentioned that the Bill should not become another cursive instrument in the hands of revenue department to forcibly collect taxes (http://goo.gl/QZj9NP).

During a discussion on price rise in Lok Sabha, Saugata Roy criticized the central government stating their motto seems to be imposing cess on everything under the Sun (http://goo.gl/k9ITy5).

Ratna De Nag spoke on The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 during which she stated that even after 69 years of independence; we are unable to stop child labour in our country (http://goo.gl/HDsRVU) whereas Aparupa Poddar mentioned that child labour is a highly social evil and the root cause of child labour is poverty (http://goo.gl/l5xuvV).

Nadimul Haque took part on a discussion on The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016, and stressed on the Trinamool Congress’ view on the ‘Rights of the Forest’ (http://goo.gl/uuhZGP)