Tag: Lok Sabha

Aparupa Poddar speaks on punctuality of Indian Railways | Transcript

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Thank you Deputy Speaker, Sir, for permitting me to mention the following matter in the Zero Hour. With deep regret, I inform the House that the Indian Railway, the world’s largest public railway network, now has become the world’s biggest late-running network in the country.

During the last six months, few trains have reached their destination in due time though they departed at scheduled time. Number of trains has increased. Good. Fare has been hiked but the security, punctuality, cleanliness of the trains are being neglected.

In this context I like to inform that CAG states zones are reporting wrong data in order to show that the trains are punctual 95% of the time. In addition, CAG also reports that trains are late at least 54 per cent of the time while prestigious trains like Rajdhani were late at least 53 percent of the time. Thus there is a need to measure a report of punctuality from the passengers’ perspective.

I would therefore request you, and the Hon’ble Minister through you, to inform the House with the last three months’ statistics of Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains and the detailed cause of late running. The government must ensure the punctuality, cleanliness and security of the passengers.

Thank you.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay speaks on communal violence in the country | Transcript

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We are discussing today the need to evolve and effective mechanism to deal with the incidence of communal violence in the country. It is not the purpose of the debate to fight each other. The purpose is to evolve some mechanism. Mr Kherge ji initiated the discussion and Adityanath ji responded up to certain extent that we should all come to the sense that we are the firm believers of the principle of secularism, communal harmony and integrity of the country. We also feel that the main ethos of India is unity in diversity.

We sing the song “Nana bhasa nana mot nana poridhan, bibidher majhe dekho milon mohan”. That means despite many languages, many dresses and many opinions, we are the firm believers of unity in diversity.

Sir, our National Anthem says, “Punjab, Sindhu, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravid, Utkala, Banga, Vidhya, Himachal, Yamuna, Ganga, uchhala jaladhi taranga”. This is the spirit and we Indians owe our allegiance to the Parliamentary Democratic system where every religion, every person has his right to speak his own opinion, his own thought, his own philosophy. But during the discussion it appears like they are speaking for the Hindus and here some are sitting for the Muslims. But the picture is not that. The whole House stands for all – irrespective of the caste, creed and religion – and works for the betterment of the country.

Sir, this is a country where Iqbal sang “Sare Jahase Achha, Hindusthan Hamara”. We firmly feel that this is the sentiment and spirit we should try to spread. We should see that this love and sense of security among our country prevails very much.

Sir, somebody is minority here. They may be majority in some other places. If we consider the whole of the world, Christians and Muslims are the majority on a large scale. In some places in our country they are minorities. Minority doesn’t mean only Muslims but Sikhs, Jains, Parsis also. As the Government runs the country, the primary responsibility rests with them; they must see to it that communal violence does not take place in the country.

Rajnath Singh ji – a very responsible person – as the Home Minister of the country should always try to give assurances that communal violence should not be allowed to take place in any way. Provocations certainly create communal tension.

Sir, Bengal is known as a very secular state. But nowadays communal tensions are being incited in some corners. I would also request the hon. Home Minister to find out why communal incidents are being incited in States which are known to be peaceful States without any communal violence. Such incidents should be stopped at the very initial level.

Adityanath ji said some Imams are getting some benefits. He can make a claim that the priests too should get some wages. That can be done. Why they are getting it? That should not be the target of the discussion, by which a sense of insecurity will prevail. They can claim that priests should also be given some assistance, some financial support. This will send out a good sense and I think that would be the correct line.

Sir, if we are united, peace in India can never be challenged. We have seen how dangerous communal violence can be, how it can spread within a state, and it’s effect can also expand throughout the country. So we should be totally cautious from the very beginning. Sir, what I want to request, what I want to say to the hon. Rajnath ji, that the government of India must remain alert, cautious and vigilant to prevent communal tension, communal violence, otherwise safety and security of the common people will totally be under threat. And the secular fabric of this great country will be challenged. I hope no political party is asking for this situation and whoever is in power, as I was telling, they have major responsibility to look into it.

Yesterday, I was listening to the speech of the UPA chairperson, the hon. Sonia Gandhi ji, at Thiruvananthapuram. She was giving a report that many communal incidents have happened; I would request Rajnath Singh ji to take this allegation against this present government seriously. If the number goes up to 400, 500, 600 and above, then why will the government not take responsibility and assure the House that they would investigate all the allegations which have been made. Adityanath ji was telling that a Supreme Court judge should be authorised to look into the matter. Nobody should oppose this if the main Opposition party be in favour of a Supreme Court judge investigating, and the government agrees.

. We are the lawmakers of this country. So we should take an all-out effort to see that our country is totally protected, that all sections of people belonging to different castes, creed and religion are living in peace, with harmony, with love for each other. When Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister, he spoke about international brotherhood and international solidarity; that was the ethos of our Indian culture, which we spread throughout the world. So when we are the believers of such type of international brotherhood and international solidarity, why should we lack that in our own country by which we can live together happily.

Sir, when Dussehra takes place, Hindus and Muslims embrace and greet each other. When Christmas takes place, we embrace Christians and say ‘Merry Christmas’. When Eid comes, Hindus and Muslims embrace each other and say ‘Eid Mubarak’. So this is the sentiment of this country, and we should try to protect it. And we are believers of the slogan Mera Bharat Mahan.

I will not allow the discussion to go in such a manner that the spirit of the House and the spirit of today’s discussion is diverted this way or that way, so that when we are trying to find out a solution, it becomes more complicated, and the situation is worsened from what is existing now. We have another speaker who will also speak, so I conclude now with the appeal that the lawmakers of this country should try to evolve such a mechanism by which we can ensure that India does not face any communal violence in the near future or in the coming days.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay raises the issue of bad condition of National Highways in Bengal | Transcript

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Sir, 34 MPs met the hon. Minister at his office and discussed about the deteriorating condition of National Highways in Bengal, specially the NH-6 and NH-34. Two days ago our CM was travelled via road approximately 400 km from Kolkata to Raiganj. It took more than nine hours to cover this distance via the National Highways. This was big news in the local media in West Bengal.

You gave a proposal that either CM can come to Delhi for discussion or you, along with all your officials, will go to Kolkata to discuss the matter with the District Magistrates of the districts involved. I discussed with the CM and she told me to write to you a letter conveying that she is prepared as per your convenience anytime between 25th and 29th of this month. I want to ask the hon. Minister whether you are willing to go to West Bengal in the scheduled period to discuss the wretched condition of the National Highways.

Kalyan Banerjee speaks on National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2014 | Transcript

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Hon. Chairman, I express my highest regards and my grateful thanks to the hon. Law Minister. Within a very short time, he has brought this Bill. It was needed for long years together.

During the UPA-II regime, one of the hon. Law Ministers wanted to bring a Bill, akin to this. I had a talk with him and at that time also I supported it. I had expressed our Party’s view at that time. My Party is having the highest respect for the judiciary. We believe that because of the Supreme Court’s functions during the last 64 years, by interpreting various constitutional provisions, the democracy of this country has been strengthened. I believe in that.

I can remember and I can recollect the first judgment of the Constitution Bench, in the A.K. Gopalan’s case, wherein the Supreme Court has interpreted Chapter-III of the Constitution of India. What are the Fundamental Rights of the citizens of the country? I feel proud, being a Member of the Calcutta Bar that in the first Constitution Bench, two Judges, one a great Judge Justice Biren Mookerjee and the other one, the great Judge, Justice S.R. Das were the Members of that Constitution Bench. I feel proud when the judgment of the second Constitution Bench has come for interpretation of extradition. The Bench had Justice Biren Mookerjee, Justice S.R. Das and Justice Vivien Bose.

Great judges have come and great judges have discharged their functions. It is this august institution’s preliminary duty and Constitutional obligation to legislate laws. That is the will of the people of the country. The Supreme Court is there to interpret the provisions of the statute and the Constitutional provisions. By reason of article 141, it is binding. But never was it the expectation of the makers of the Constitution that judiciary will, by the process of interpretation of the Constitution or other provisions, legislate laws. However, of late, in great number of matters, not only the Supreme Court but even the High Court judges have started doing that.

Collegium system was not introduced by this Parliament. Collegium system is an introduction of the Supreme Court. It is a law laid down by the Supreme Court, not by reason of its interpretation of Constitutional provisions but with an idea that there may be political influence in the appointment of judges pre-1993. Therefore, the collegium system was born. And collegium system has really usurped the entire set of functions of the political executive. With great respect to Supreme Court I would say that it has reduced the status of the political executive to that of a mere clerk. This system has been going on right from 1993.

We were greatly shocked when a judge like Chittatosh Mookerjee was superseded and was not brought to the Supreme Court. We are greatly shocked when Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharjee, who is the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court, has not been brought to Supreme Court. The reason is that when the then CJI was visiting an institution in Gujarat, being the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court Justice Bhattacharjee did not attend that function. Therefore, the collegiums had rejected his case. But Justice Bhattacharjee’s argument was, how could he go when he was dealing with a case relating to that institution?

A judge who never met any lawyers after he became a judge, who never attended a social function after he became a judge, a judge who was all the time in Kolkata was the most impartial, one of the most honest judges of the country, has been superseded because of the whims of the collegium.

This collegium system should go. The time is ripe for this. We have to substitute it. We have to substitute it under compulsion. Our experience shows that this is needed to be done. Not only that, there is not a single area where you will find that the law would be laid down by me for my appointment or my colleagues’ appointment. But the Supreme Court has laid down the law as to which way their appointments would be made. It is very unfortunate.

Sir, I have seen a judge who was appointed to Calcutta High Court, Mr. Moily was talking about briefless lawyers becoming judges. I am talking about a judge who never delivered a judgment in open court, not at all during his tenure as judge. Whenever a big matter is being heard, a lawyer used to sit all the time and used to take notes. That judge used to deliver judgment after preparing for it at home. He never delivered a single judgement in open court. This is a product of the collegium system.

Sir, I wanted to know earlier also what the system for appointment of Supreme Court judges was. Is it by seniority? Is it by merit? Is it by quota? What is that, I could not understand at any point in time. What is the Supreme Court trying to say regarding their appointment, I never understood that. …

I do not mind if a Judge from Guwahati High Court is appointed; I do not mind if a Judge from Punjab and Haryana High Court is appointed but I am asking a question. If a 2001 Judge of Guwahati High Court is appointed to the Supreme Court, why is a 1996 Judge of the Calcutta High Court being superseded? What is the basis? Is it all-India seniority? Is it all-India merit? Why would one High Court have four or five Judges in the Supreme Court when another High Court would have even a single Judge in the Supreme Court? It depends who is the CJI. If I am the CJI, I will bring Judges from my State; if you are CJI, you will bring Judges from your State. This is not the idea and concept ever dreamt by the Constitution of India. Courts criticise the appointments every day and strike down appointments every day. Why is there a non-transparent system for appointments of the High Court Judges? Why is it that sometimes a Judge or advocate who is most junior – maybe able, maybe sincere, maybe educated – is appointed first and other seniors are not given appointment? Those seniors are accepting the appointment of that Judge. That is the practical position in our country. I have a great respect for Shri Moily. He was asking why these persons are appointed. There is no transparent system. If I know the senior Judges and if I enjoy the blessings of the Chief Justice and senior Judges, my name will be recommended. If someone does not enjoy those blessings but is a good lawyer, his name will not be recommended. One has to run and one has to keep a good relationship with the Judges; then his name will be recommended. This system has to be changed and the change has been brought in.

I am really happy. Today is a historical day in this country when this Bill is being introduced. It is a historical day. I am appreciating the way the things have been taken up so urgently. It has been felt urgent by the hon. Law Minister and I felt it.

I spoke about Bhaskar Bhatttacharya. Do you know, hon. Law Minister, that when he was superseded the Gujarat High Court Bar Association went on strike? He belonged to our institution but after going to Gujarat, within one year, he earned that much of respect from the Bar that the Gujarat High Court Bar Association went on strike. Why was Justice M.B. Shah of Bombay High Court who belonged to the Gujarat superseded? Can anybody tell the reason? Has anybody even known why competent judges have been superseded? Nobody knows whose case will be considered; nobody knows whose case will be rejected. Nobody knows about it. I talked about Bhaskar Bhattacharya whose reputation is very high. Nobody can say why he was superseded. That is the reason I am asking this. Is there a quota? Do you have any quota for Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat and so on? Is there any quota that when a Judge is being superseded another Judge from that very State is being appointed to fill that position in the Supreme Court? Is there any quota? What is your idea to fill up the post of Supreme Court Judges? Is it on the basis of all-India seniority? Is it on the basis of merit? If merit, how will you consider merit? We have to understand that. I have read in the newspaper that the hon. CJI was in great shock regarding the attack on the collegium but I must humbly put a question here. Why has the CJI not risen to the occasion when there are large numbers of complaints against judges. Why has the CJI not risen to the occasion when lawyers have said that judges are not discharging their functions? The CJI is not only for discharging his functions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Judiciary. If he is the custodian of Indian Judiciary, his obligation is to see whether all the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are functioning properly or not. Today what is happening?

This institution is being attacked by the Judiciary every day, without any rhyme or reason. I do not mind, if an MP with a criminal background is proceeded against, according to the Cr.P.C. I have no objection to that. If there is no issue and if a judge goes on commenting that the MPs should discharge their functions in one way or the other, what should be the role of an MP and what should be the conduct of an MP, then I am shocked. I am not to be treated like that; I am not to be said what I have to do. Whatever I have to do, I have to do as per the Constitution and as per the rules; and I am not to do as per the diktat of any Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court.

My experience is this. It has become a fashion of the day, from the High Court to the Supreme Court, without any rhyme or reason, to attack this institution, as if we have committed lot of crimes by coming into politics, as if we have committed crime by becoming a Member of Parliament. Black sheep is everywhere; a few black sheep is there in the Judiciary and a few black sheep is there in the politics too; black sheep is not only in politics; black sheep is in Judiciary also; but the number may differ. If one institution does not give respect to another institution, then that institution should also not command respect from the other institution. Respect should be mutual; respect should be given respect and taken. It is based on reciprocity; one has to reciprocate it.

So far as the legislation of a law is concerned, supremacy and primacy is there with the Parliament and it is not with others; they should not travel beyond their jurisdiction. It has become a fashion now. All are going on the basis of imagination. For example, I am saying this. If an MP or an MLA of the Ruling Party commits any crime, then the assumption is that the Prime Minister is involved or the Chief Minister is involved. Everything is imagination. If that is so, why the people at large will not think that if someone who has worked with me as a junior and if I argue before him, then the Judge is also influenced, because of my appearance. Dr. Thambidurai was speaking on this.

Mr. Minister, you have brought a very historical Bill. If you really want to improve the performance of the Judiciary and if you really want to strengthen theJudiciary, please do not keep any Judge who are appointed to the High Court in that State, and make a transfer. Transfer should be not for name-sake. Transfer would be there, after every 3-4 years. Today, kindly give mesome more time. Kindly allow me to speak.

Nobody is there in a sensitive post for more than 3-4 years; then, why in a sensitive post in a High Court, a judge would be there for 10-12-14 years together? Is this an analogy? If highly responsible IPS and IAS officers are being transferred, if they remain in a sensitive post, after every three years, why a judge will not be transferred? He should be transferred. In the name of Public Interest Litigation, what is going on? Today, the judges do not discharge their original function of disposing of the civil and criminal matters. If there is a PIL, they are very happy because their names would appear in the first page of the newspapers, with photographs. I will request the Law Minister to bring a law to regulate the PILs. I am not against PIL. But he should bring a law having a provision which should state that in the case of PIL, neither the name of the party, nor the name of lawyer nor the name of the judge would be published and none of their photos would be given; then you see how the PILs are responded to. I am shocked when this institution is attacked by the Judiciary without any reason.

The hon. Law Minister in his speech has given an idea. Our hon. Chief Minister, the Leader of our Party, has communicated and appreciated your will in a letter. She has given a small rider. Kindly consider that rider. Under the Constitution of India a Governor cannot function independently except under Article 356 of the Constitution where it has been provided that the Governor would submit a report to the President of India. Except under Article 356, the Governor has to act with the aid of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister. You have made a provision here. A Governor cannot function independently. It will be ultra vires. You are going beyond the Constitution. You cannot touch the Constitution like this. The Governor has to act with the aid of the Council of Ministers. You have come across cases where the Governor has acted without the advice of the Council of Ministers.

I am not on Telangana Bill. I am on a very larger issue. Kindly do not try to mislead me today. I have said that today is really a historic day for this country when the total system of the judiciary, which was required to be changed by passage of time, by decades of our experience, is going to be changed. The time has come to change and you are coming up with that. I am very happy today. I have so many things to say but I have a little time at my disposal.

My institution is being criticized by the Indian judiciary every moment simply because we are politicians, we are Members of Parliament or Members of the Legislative Assemblies. I have hundred reasons to criticize the judiciary but I am not doing that. I have respect for the system. I want the Indian judiciary to be strengthened. I want the Indian judiciary to maintain its dignity. I want Indian judiciary to get respect from 130 crore people of this country because our democracy is based on that. Therefore, I would request you to go into the details as to how the appointment of Supreme Court judges would be made. What is the merit? Is it inter-State seniority, All India seniority or State-wise seniority that would be considered? If it is State-wise seniority, the system will be broken. I do not mind All India seniority but you will have to strike it somewhere. I do not mind if advocates are appointed directly to the Supreme Court. It is a great product. I am very candid in saying that Justice Nariman is one of the best constitutional interpreters of our country. I do not know whether justice Lalit has become a judge or not but he is one of the best criminal lawyers that we have produced. I would like to know how many posts you are keeping for direct appointment. Does it depend on the CJI? One CJI will say that six posts may be filled directly. The other may say there will be no appointment made from the Bar Council. I would like to know the guidelines in this regard. You can specify the number of appointments to be made from the Bar Council. Let it be 4, 10 or all. I do not mind but people must know how many judges will come from the High Court or how many will be recruited directly from the Supreme Court Bar.

I have another small request to make. You come from Patna, the State of Bihar. I know you are having the same pain that I have. The Supreme Court of India at Delhi has become a very costly affair for the litigants. The fee of the Supreme Court lawyers varies from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.15 lakh. What is this? Kindly destroy their monopoly. Please set up Circuit Benches in different regions. If you do it, you will be achieving two objects. One of the objects is that justice has to be delivered at the door-step of the litigant. You will achieve this objective. You will be achieving another object that the litigation is not expensive for the litigants. I will not be minding it if you bring a law for regulating the fees of the lawyers. I have not made a research in this regard but I need it. In my State what I have to do is that with the blessings of my leader, Kumari Mamata Banerjee, I had fought cases for my Political Party and for my litigants. In one year, I had to do 2000 cases in criminal courts. I know the pain of the litigants better than anybody else here. I know what the real problem is when they have to go to judiciary. Therefore, you bring a law for regulating the fees of the lawyers.

With this, I am grateful to you. At the end, I will say that I have the highest regard for the judiciary. I pay my respect to the judiciary and I hope our judiciary would be respected more in the near future.

Aparupa Poddar speaks on the Railway (Amendment) Bill, 2014 | Transcript

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Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to speak in this august House. I thank my hon. Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee and the people of Bengal, who have voted and sent 34 MPs from Bengal.

I rise to speak on the Railway Amendment Bill. The Bill adds a new section 124 (b) to the Railway Act, 1989 to empower the Railways to deny compensation claims if it feels that the victim has fallen down from the train due to his/her own fault. The Ministry has also sought to make the Zonal Railways, in whose jurisdiction an accident takes place, a party to claim so that the authenticity of the claim can be ascertained.

Now, Sir, I would like to say accidental deaths due to falling from trains are not only due to the negligence of passengers. Most of the passengers who die due to accidental falling from trains are economically poor people who cannot avail reservation in upper class facilities and travel in ordinary second class compartments where number of passengers exceeds the number of seats. Hence passengers near the gates accidentally fall from the train. Thus, compensation in such cases of accidental falling should be considered, I urge the Railway Minister.

It would be practically impossible to prove that accidental falling is due to negligence of the passenger and not the Railway. Hence, I propose such cases should be considered sympathetically and the propose Amendment should include this part of the compensation process. The proposed amendment should include the time frame within which claims of compensation will be settled by Railways. Generally the enquiry to determine the cause of negligence is made by Railways. I propose that the ‘Enquiry Committee’ to determine the case of negligence should include representatives from the passengers’/Railway Users’ body. This will ensure transparency and timely compensation, Sir.

The rationale behind the Amendment is that the Railway finds that 98% of the accidents that reach the Claim Tribunal are due to accidental falling. The number has risen from 136 in 1995 to 8175 in 2011 as mentioned by the Minister. The average annual payment of such claims has been above Rs 134 crore, rising from Rs 26 lakh in 1994-95. The Railway feels that there is an organized racket and they have brought the Bill to prevent malpractice.

I feel the bill is anti-poor people. The Railways officers have been trying to bring the Bill since 2008, but in 2009 former Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee, felt the Bill was against poor people. So the Amendment will make it more difficult for the poor people who are genuine victims of the accidental falling from trains. Presently a victim or surviving relatives can register a claim’s case at the place where tickets were purchased as well as at final destination. This should not be changed. The final compensation amount should be determined keeping in view the economic condition, asset liabilities and earning capacity of the affected passenger. The corruption is in railway bureaucracy and law will only change it. Railway should ensure that all those poor people suffering from Railway accidents are compensated adequately.

Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar demands a new rail link from Arambagh to Bardhaman | Transcript

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There has been constant demand for rail link for commuters and vendors from all the areas of my Parliamentary Constituency of Arambagh, district Hooghly, regarding a new railway line from Arambagh to Bardhaman covering two districts of Hooghly and Bardhaman.

Presently the commuters take a huge detour and go to Sheoraphuli station in Howrah-Bardhaman main line section, about a distance of 60-65 km) or have to change from Kamarkundu station of Howrah- Bardhaman chord line section (about a distance 40-50 km).

The link stations in the chord section are too high and pose a problem to elderly persons and vendors to change from Bardhaman route. The people of my constituency are wholly dependent on the agricultural products and need easy marketing access along with hazardless road journey. I would therefore urge to Railway Minister immediately undertake the survey of the construction of Arambagh-Bardhaman new link line which would be a great help to the people of my constituency.

Thank you.

Ratna De Nag speaks on atrocities on women in India | Transcript

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Sir, the issue of violence against women has been receiving increasing concern in recent years. There is a growing recognition that nations cannot achieve their full potential as long as women’s right to participate fully in their society is denied. Gender based violence not only violates human rights but also restricts economic growth and undermines development. It can only be eliminated by addressing discrimination and promoting women’s equality and empowerment. Here, I would like to mention something about my State, West Bengal. My Chief Minister Kumari Mamata Banerjee is trying to empower women with limited resources. For example, she has introduced Kanyashree scheme to help the girl child to study. She has taken steps for establishment of women police stations in different districts, set up hostels for girl children and taken steps for 30 per cent reservation for women candidates in Lok Sabha. After consultation with banks, she was able to increase the loans for self-help groups. The principle of gender equality and women’s rights are enshrined in our Constitution. The Constitution not only grants equality to women but also advocates positive discrimination in their favour.

310 Women constitute nearly half of the country’s total population as per the 2011 census. The Delhi gang rape of December 2012 outraged the nation. What irks me most is the people behind this heinous crime are yet to get punishment. Justice delayed is justice denied. We have to see that fast track courts are really fast in dispensing justice. There is a need to plug all loopholes so that we punish the culprits as early as possible.

Since then, unfortunately, more and more atrocities against women were reported from different parts of the country, recent being the Meerut gang rape. What is stopping the Central Government from setting up more special courts or fast track courts to try these atrocities against women? It is of interest to know that the fast track courts were first thought of by the 11th Finance Commission for 2000-05, as an ad hoc institution to address the urgent problem of backlog of atrocities. We cannot take the issue of growing incidents of atrocities against women as a global phenomenon. There is an urgent need to address the problems being faced by women and girls, who are subject to physical and sexual abuse, psychological and economic abuse, and all sorts of assaults also. Widespread and harmful traditional practices including early and forced marriages within the community-setting, feticide and trafficking in women are receiving interesting attention. I say so because these unsavoury developments in their lives at such an early stage would leave an indelible impact as they grow and their attitudes towards life it changes. It is disturbing to any right-thinking person to know that in India, every 26 minutes a woman is molested; every 34 minutes, a rape takes place; every 42 minutes, a sexual harassment incident occurs; every 43 minutes, a woman is kidnapped; every 93 minutes, a woman is burnt to death over dowry, but last not least, one-quarter of the reported rapes involve girls under the age of 16 years. India has the largest young population – 42 per cent are below the age of 18 years. Of late, sexual harassment of school children has come as a great shock.

311 Bangalore school children plight is gruesome. But this is not an isolated incident. We often come across the exploitation of children in juvenile homes and orphanages. These orphanages and juvenile homes should be monitored with the intention of ensuring safety and security of children. These homes should not become a den for sexual harassment of children. There are no dearth of laws, Acts, procedures, rules and regulations.

But the problem is about its implementation. Proper measures should be put in place to see that all the laws and Acts related to women and children should be implemented in letter and spirit and justice is delivered to them in time. With 62 MPs in this 16th Lok Sabha and with the 73rd and the 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India, women have reservation of seats in the local bodies in Panchayats and Municipalities; and we have been demanding 33 per cent reservation for women. India is surging ahead in every conceivable field and we come across incidents of atrocities against women.

This is really a tragedy of the worst kind. Violence against women and children requires a comprehensive and systemic response by all the stakeholders.

Men have a role, especially in preventing violence and this role needs to be further explored and strengthened. Work to end violence against women requires not only a clear demonstration of political commitment but also systemic and sustained action backed by strong, dedicated and permanent institutional mechanism. The Government should take the responsibility for the systemic collection and publication of data, supporting NGOs, academics or others engaged in such activities. Only legislations and law-enforcement agencies cannot prevent the incidence of violence against women. There is an urgent need for social awakening and changing attitude of the society to give due respect and equal status to women.

In this regard, all stakeholders should come forward to forge an alliance to defend the rights of women and children. At last, I live with the hope of seeing a day and time when women will lead a life of dignity and honour in this great country of ours without having to face any type of atrocity whatsoever and every child enjoys life to the fullest by playing, learning and living with all the love and affection showered on him. This is not going to be a dream. It would become a reality provided we all strive together and everyone in the society contribute to these cherished goals towards our women and children. Thank you.

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar speaks on the atrocities on women | Transcript

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Thank you Chairman Sir. As I stand in this citadel of democracy and justice today, I make an appeal to the collective consciousness of our nation to respect womanhood. Women when they are in utero – stop feticide. Women who are less than one year of age – stop infanticide, women when they are in their youth – prevent maternal mortality, prevent rape on them, prevent domestic violence on them, prevent harassment, sexual harassment on them in their workplaces, harassment on them on the road, harassment everywhere. I appeal to the collective consciousness of this nation also Sir, to respect women at every aspect of their lives. Had Agatha Christie been around she would have written a book ‘Mystery of the missing girls’.

It is really shocking sometimes – in dismay and disbelieve I pinch myself – do I breath the same air as men do, and do I tread the glades as men do in this country because I am still alive. Women are not allowed to be born in this country. The United Nations have sounded an alarm, they have declared emergency on India. The Assistant Secretary General of United Nations has said that “the sharply declining the child sex ratio in India has reached an emergency proportion and urgent action has to be taken”. The deteriorating ratio of 977 girls to 1000 boys in 1961 stands today at 918 only in the country and Delhi is no better; it is only in the 800s. In Punjab today it is 846 per 1000 men, and also 834 in Haryana. It is really shocking that a little child, a little girl sleeping peacefully in her mother’s womb, is murdered by doctors. These erring doctors should be sent to the jail and if found to be guilty they should really be hanged, I agree completely with my sister here who was speaking about it.

The sex ratio and the gender-biased sex selection has really reached such an extent, the falling numbers can be attributed to many reasons which include dowry as already discussed and it is tragically ironic that the one who creates life – that is the mother – is not allowed to be born, or not allowed to live, because even after being born, out of the 12 million girl children born every year in the country, one million don’t reach their first birthday. They are killed even before they reach one year of their age.

Our State Government has taken positive steps towards this. Our hon. Chief Minister Smt Mamata Banerjee has respected the reservation for women in the highest body of Lok Sabha by fielding nearly 30% candidates and here we are nearly 32% of our elected Lok Sabha Members are women. I am proud of her, I am proud of my party. She has also started the Kanyashree scheme; she is helping the girl children to study. The Kanyashree II scheme says at the age of 18 if she remains unmarried and studying she is getting Rs 25000. It not only addresses the issue of education, it not only addresses the issue of empowerment because at the age of 18, if she is unmarried, that clause, she remains to become a healthy mother and a healthy child is born and that addresses the issue of millennium development goal fine, where she is not killed during child birth.

The hon. Chief Minister started girls’ hostel in the state, she has recruited women police, and she started courts to treat women’s issues. So I would again request that we have enough laws, today’s motion was the need to have stringent legislation to check increasing atrocities against women and children in the country. But we have laws, we have laws against domestic violence, we have laws against sexual harassment; we have the Vishakha judgment and guidelines. It is not stopping the happenings that are taking place here. I would like to request this august House that we have to sensitize our citizens, men and women equally. Women are equally to blame; they should have enough courage to stand on their feet and fight the world and then live and let live. Though there are stringent laws, implementation has to be stricter, vigilance has to be kept, rape rehabilitation has to be given a very strict thought and the awareness created. I am sorry to say this Government has only Rs 100 crore in the budget for awareness, it is not enough. The citizens have to be made aware, that women should be respected. They are half our total population. Though they are doing 85% of the work in the country, they hold only 15% of the assets in the country.

We are three sisters, Mr Chairman Sir. When someone would ask my father aren’t you sad you have only three daughters, he would say, they are my sun, they are my moon, they are my words, they are my tune, they are my future, they are my assets. I know of another lady member of the house who is a single child whose father feels the same way. We need more fathers this way. Fathers who will be proud of their girl child, bring them up properly, give them education so that they are empowered.

Our scriptures do not have contradictory vision otherwise we would not have seen Draupadi in such an empowered position. Our country has had many women who have led the nation to war. This is the best of time because we have the legislation and this is also the worst of times because we have the Nirbhaya cases. It is also an era of regression because we have the khap panchayats, because we have honour killings; a girl cannot love on her own and she is killed because of the decision taken by elders. This has to be done away with. Hon. Minister is here, I would request the honour killings must stop. This is an age of resilience because we have women here who are speaking against this social evil.

I would request an awareness be created in the homes because we know more than 97% of the cases are inside the house; it is either the father, very sadly, it is the uncle, it is the cousin, it is the brother, it is somebody in the house who is raping the girl and when the girl is really ashamed to talk about it in the public this gentleman gets so much of encouragement that he goes out and does it to other people. So the domestic violence and what is happening inside the house should be looked at. It is not possible to have surveillance cameras inside the homes; we need a change of mindset.

I would request that proper implementation of the legislation be done and also everywhere advertisement should be put; Doordarshan reaches far and wide, the radio reaches far and wide, talks should be given on this issue so that people can hear and start respecting women as they should be.

Thank you.

Dinesh Trivedi speaks on the poor condition of the jute industry | Transcript

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Sir, I would like to draw your kind attention of the Government through you towards the deteriorating conditions of Jute Industry in West Bengal.  Importance of Jute Industry in my state cannot be stressed enough Sir as it employs two lakh fifteen thousand people and accounts for nearly 79.57% of production in the country.

The Ministry of Textiles states that it provides MSP to encourage jute farming. However the fact is, for the last 12 years beginning 2001 to 2012-13, the production of jute in West Bengal has gone down nearly 7%, Sir.

The present price system does not support the jute farmers.  The jute mills in West Bengal are in dire state. 5 units of National Jute Corporation Ltd and others had been declared sick during the last 10 years though three of them are now part of the revival scheme.  They continue to function with a lot of losses.

Under the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use of Packing Commodities) Act 1987, the Government of India has consistently reduced the mandatory provisions from 100% for food grains and sugar in 2011-12 to 90% and 20% respectively in 2013-14 citing inadequate supply. 10 mills have shut down in West Bengal beginning 2010-11 to 2012-13 and newspapers report that six more mills have shut in the last two months.

I request the Government to urgently look into this matter in order to support jute farmers, jute mills and prevent large scale unemployment.  For this I request you to change the provisions under JPM Act, 1987 for mandatory jute packaging for food grains and sugar to 100%

Pratima Mandal speaks on the need to protect Sunderbans | Transcript

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The Sundarbans is the largest Mangrove forest ecosystem in the world. Annually 2.4 billion tonnes of sediments is transported by the major rivers of Bangladesh. Silt deposition in the northern part of the forest poses a threat to the existence and vigorous growth of mangrove vegetation. Salinity levels have increased in the Sundarbans since the Hathabhanga, Kobadak and other rivers bringing fresh water from the Ganges to the South have silted up excessively thereby losing their connection with the Ganges. The Sunderbans is on the verge of disintegrating and disappearing. I would urge the Minister concerned to take remedial steps to protect the Sundarbans and especially preserve the mangroves.