Tag: Parliament

Trinamool speaks to Business Standard

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Trinamool Congress parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha and the party’s chief national spokesperson, Derek O’Brien, speaks to Business Standard. Edited excerpts:

 

BS: Analysts say that the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) overwhelming victory in the Bengal civic polls has been like a semi- final before the 2016 Assembly polls.

Derek: Politics is not about semi-finals and finals. Winning elections is a test of your track record. Since 2011, there has been a lot of development in Bengal. We inherited a state; which if it was put up for auction, would have found no buyers – a debt-stressed state, culturally in a shambles, the morale was low and many ‘man-days’ lost. The last change that happened in the state was way back in 1977.

Without sounding arrogant, the civic poll results that you see, we knew we had done very well. A perception was being created in a certain section of the media that no work was being done. But we know the changes that have taken place in the last few years. The change happened in Junglemahal, both peace and development have come to the area. In north Bengal, Mamata di has made 44 visits to the district administration. Work has happened.

Whether it is the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, or the 75 municipalities that we won or the panchayat elections some time back, it is good governance that has worked in the rural and urban areas. Also, the “gas balloon”, the hype that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had created, has burst. Even in the May 2014 polls, we won 34 of the 42 seats and then went on to win the by-polls with bigger margins. For the next 20 years, at least, I see Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister of Bengal.

 

BS: The Narendra Modi government has completed one year in office. How would you assess its performance?

Derek: For all the negatives about the National Democratic Alliance government, they made a smart move. They made the information & broadcasting minister the finance minister and vice versa. So, his (Modi’s) focus has moved from FM (fiscal management) to HM (headline management). Only headlines are being managed. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, for instance, has an advertising campaign of Rs 250 crore, but my state West Bengal’s Nadia district won a United Nations award for the best sanitation project; we had set up 350,000 toilets.

The best assessment for the Modi government would be the BJP’s performance in the state Assembly elections after May 2014. They’ve been given a gift of low oil prices but they’re floundering both on the social welfare and social fabric front. Their slogan is cooperative federalism, but it is of no use unless it becomes operative federalism. On one or two issues, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), they addressed the concerns of West Bengal, and again on the land boundary agreement. But there has been no improvement in the devolution to states. The Backward Region Grants Fund has been done away with. Even the railways has asked states to complete pending projects through special purpose vehicles. What happens to debt-stressed states such as Bengal?

 

BS: From May 2014 to May 2015, the TMC’s relationship with the BJP appears to have taken a complete about-turn.

Derek: There is a distinction between politics and governance. We are opposed to the BJP’s communal agenda; ideologically and politically, we’ll fight them. But when the prime minister met the chief minister of our state today, they discussed development for the state. It was not the BJP’s seniormost leader meeting the TMC supremo. There is no change in our stance. We have been consistent in our policies.

 

BS: Mamata Banerjee did not even attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony last year. And now, the TMC is backing the government, whether it is the coal Bill, the mining Bill or the GST.

Derek: We are not here to help the government. We are here to help India and Bengal get ahead. For us, it’s ‘ball by ball, Bill by Bill’. Overall, we have been consistent in our policies. On GST, it was in our manifesto in 2009, 2011 and 2014. During the last one year, we have put across our concerns to the government on petrol, tobacco, alcohol, on the central sales tax and so on. We need to protect the rights of the states and we made it clear (to the government) that if you address these issues, we will go with you on GST. On the mining Bill again, we raised three points, on tribal rights and environment, they brought it in; the government moved amendments. On policy issues, we are not closed to negotiations.

See, when Mamata di does not meet the prime minister, it is said that she’s acting difficult. When she does meet him, it is perceived to be the opposite. It is damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

 

BS: Critics attribute the perceived change to the TMC being on the back foot over the Saradha scam issue.

Derek: The TMC is not on the back foot, it is a transparent party. The TMC is a poor party. Chit-funds in Bengal are an evil right from the days of the Left Front rule. This so-called Saradha taint has been addressed. Eventually, the judge and the ultimate critics are the people. This charge of corruption on Mamata di doesn’t stick.

 

BS: Since you said that the TMC is not a closed party and is open-minded, is there room for manoeuvring on the land acquisition Bill?

Derek: In three words, no, no, no. There is this whole history of Singur, Nandigram, Tapasi Malik and Mamata di’s 26-day hunger strike in 2006. Right up to 2013, when people laughed at us, when the Congress and the BJP got together to pass the land Bill, we opposed it. We asked for a division and got only 12 votes. But Mamata di had so rightly said that it must be put on record, it’s a bad Bill. They don’t know what they are doing because they don’t understand the complex issue of land.

 

BS: In Bengal, the minority population being a considerable 27 per cent, their vote was considered to be significant to the TMC.

Derek: It is not that the minority vote matters, peoples’ vote matters. Whether it is the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, minority areas or Hindu majority, we’ve won across the state because the development that has taken place is all-over. We won 80 per cent of the seats in Bengal and 80 per cent of the seats in urban Kolkata. It is only “unnayan,” that is, development that matters.

 

BS: Who would you say is your principal adversary in Bengal in the run-up to the Assembly polls next year?

Derek: We have no adversaries, we have political opponents. We have fought a four-way contest with the Left, the BJP and the Congress, and won 80 per cent of the seats and 50 per cent of the votes. The BJP, despite all its hype, is no serious political competition. In 92 municipalities, the BJP got a big zero. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) came a distant second. The Congress, which many feel is on a ventilator, got five municipalities.

 

BS: Is there any possibility of early Assembly polls in 2016?

Derek: As of now, our government has been elected for a five-year term till May 2016. Anything else is media speculation.

 

The interview was originally published in Business Standard on May 9, 2015

TMC opposes anti-farmer Land Bill in Lok Sabha

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Trinamool Congress today strongly opposed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 – Land Bill in common parlance – in Lok Sabha.

Speaking on behalf of the party, the leader of AITC Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay questioned the need for another Bill when one was already existing.

“In 2013, a Bill was passed in Parliament which was supported by both Congress and BJP. Trinamool was the only party to vote against the Land Bill of UPA,” he said.

Making a strong case for 100% consent for acquisition, he maintained that the government must not play the mediator in such cases.

“We should concentrate on barren land and mono-crop land. We are against acquisition of multi-crop land. Our stand is the same as that of 2013,” he added.

 

Click here for the full transcript of his speech

No compromise on land bill: Mamata Banerjee

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There would be no compromise on the Centre’s land acquisition bill, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee said, reiterating her stand of not supporting the bill.

“Why should we support the land bill? Land bill, no compromise,” Ms Banerjee told reporters in Purulia.

“It is linked with soil. It is linked with our struggle,” she said. She was in Purulia for attending an administrative review meeting to take stock of the developmental projects in the district.

“We have made our stand clear in Parliament. I sat on a hunger strike for 26 days against forcible land acquisition,” Mamata Banerjee had said.

“It was our movement against forcible land acquisition which had sparked the demand for abolition of the draconian Land Acquisition Act of 1894,” she stated.

TMC opposes the introduction of Land Bill in Lok Sabha

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Trinamool Congress today vociferously opposed the introduction of the Land Bill in Lok Sabha. Speaking on behalf of the party, Saugata Roy said Trinamool was always opposed to anti-farmer legislation.

Citing the party’s role in Singur land agitation, Saugata Roy said this Land Bill is favourable for big businesses and was against the interest of farmers. “The Bill does not have provisions for social security assessment. It has no provision for food security,” he said.

He accused the government of ruling through Ordinance Raj.

Speaking after him, leader of the party in Lok Sabha, Sudip bandyopadhyay said that in 2013 Trinamool was the only party to vote against the UPA’s land bill. He said the current Bill does not have any provision for taking consent of farmers.

Derek O’Brien calls attention of the IT Minister at Rajya Sabha on Net Neutrality | Full Transcript

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Full Transcript

I thank the Minister for sharing the optimism which we have always had. I want to make a few specific points on this note and then I have got some specific queries.

It is a four-page note, Sir. The first two pages, with all the enthusiasm shared by the Minister sounded like a Wikipedia entry on the internet, if you key-in the word ‘internet’ or if you key- in the word ‘Digital India’, all very nice, all very highfalutin, all very poetic, but on today’s discussion, I want to keep on the fact, so I am not going to comment on the first two pages. But that doesn’t matter. Let’s move on to the meat of the matter.

The meat of the matter is, let us try and explain to people who don’t know and think that this internet is one complicated thing from outer space.

What is the issue? The issue is, like, electricity is supplied to your home and you are paying Rs 15 hundred. Now the electricity supplier is telling you, I suggested, is that, if you use your fridge and microwave, and if it is Samsung, you will have to pay a little more, if you use your fan and tube light, you will pay a little less, if you are using a washing machine which is of a particular brand, you will have to pay a little less. This is the basic concept as explained to a layman. I wish the Government in the last two months had taken some trouble or just stay in this jargon of . And, they have continued with the jargon through this statement.

My specific questions –

1. TRAI was constituted a consultation paper on March 27. The tone of the consultation paper, if anyone has read it in this House, it sounds like a consultation paper dictated by a telecom major. Now, I don’t want to guess which telecom major, but it sounded like that.

2. The consultation paper of TRAI is blatantly in favour, not of the consumer, you have given us the thing about the youth of the country etcetera etcetera, but, it is not in favour of the youth or the internet user, it is in favour of telecom.

3. What woke you up? BJP are very good in their ‘trolls’. You know… vote for this … do for that, but this time it is the Net that woke you up. Because, there was a hashtag running there called #netneutrality. Emails were, sent, and this is the danger. Emails were sent to TRAI. How many emails? 10 lakh emails. One million emails. Now, that is a small number you may say because there are so many people in the country. One lakh emails, the whole internet was very very angry, your youth etcetera, so much so, I won’t reveal the gentleman’s name, but a senior BJP leader told me, we created this twitter and social media army, very good, but now we cannot control the social media army. So it has come back like the Australian boomerang.

Now what happened was very dangerous, Sir, and this is a cause of serious concern, beyond even net neutrality and I say this with all responsibility. Those 10 lakh people – young people, executives, working people, professionals – their 10 lakh emails were leaked. They were put up on the TRAI website for one and a half days. My specific question to the Minister, why have you compromised the privacy of the 10 lakh individuals? It is a very serious issue, by putting it up for 36 hours and then quietly putting it down. Sir, this is a very dangerous trend because you are going to target these people after this.

I have got there specific questions to you, Sir. One, I think you have answered. I have asked you, what is the Government’s stand on net neutrality? On page three, you have written three bold lines there. If I take that as the answer, that would be acceptable if this is your stand. Make it clear Sir, on the floor of the House.

Two, which is the larger question, is the Government considering amending the IT Act? If yes, yes, if no, why not. Whether the Government is considering regulating the internet in a good way, because, like electricity, are you considering internet being for public good. I have three suggestion, Sir. We need to create rules, but I am sure you will agree, we also agree, we need to create rules. Do you intend to make internet into a ‘License Raj’? My last two Sir, you said you would listen to all the stake holders, I am happy that the Chairman brought this subject up and I am even happier that he brought this up before Agrarian Crisis came before this, otherwise, we intend to get carried away and we think net neutrality is the end of the world, no.

Agrarian Crisis is hundred times more important than net neutrality.

So, on this Sir, on this Freedom of Speech debate, you have said it in your reply, I will accept in the spirit, talk to everybody, Sir, you have got a strong message on this on the users of the social media. Those are the people you talk to.

The last point Sir, will the Minister give an assurance to Parliament that no action will be taken, TRAI or otherwise, without taking Parliament into confidence.

Thank you, Sir.

earthquake

Our prayers are with the people of Nepal: Trinamool in Parliament

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Trinamool Congress today expressed grief and sorrow at the immense loss of life and property in Nepal and parts of India due to the earthquake on 25 April, 2015.

During a discussion in both Houses of the Parliament, Derek O’Brien and Saugata Roy extended solidarity with the people of Nepal in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively.

“The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was dissolved. Out of a board of 12 odd members, only three members have been appointed so far. My humble suggestion to the government is not to keep those seats vacant,” Derek O’Brien said.

He added that the formula to handle such situations was PIC – Preparedness, Infrastructure and Communication. While the communication on government’s part was satisfactory, a lot was needed to be done in preparedness, he opined.

Click here to read the full transcript of his speech

 

In Lok Sabha, Saugata Roy said that huge loss of life and properties has happened in Nepal. It is good Indian govt has sent relief material to Nepal. He appreciated the central government’s role in relief operations but said a lot more could be done.

He also wanted to know from the government how much funds have been released from the National Disaster Relief Fund.

Click here to read the full transcript of his speech

 

The image is a representative one (courtesy: qz.com)

Trinamool supports GST in principle: Derek O’Brien

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Trinamool supports GST “in principle” and made a commitment in the election manifesto to introduce it, said the party’s Chief National Spokesperson Derek O’Brien.

However, certain tax-related issues on which the state enjoys autonomy, will have to be sorted out before the GST Bill sees a safe passage, he said.

“There are certain tax-related issues that need to be sorted out. Some have been addressed, some are pending discussion. States have to be compensated adequately. Things are moving in the right direction so far,” said Mr O’Brien.

 

The image is representative

Derek O’Brien speaks during discussion on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 | Transcript

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Full transcript:

Sir, there are two ways of looking at this Mines and Minerals Bill after it has come from the Select Committee. One way of looking at it Sir, there is a glass of water which is half full and the other way of looking at it is that the glass of water is half empty.

My party believes in looking at this Bill in a positive way and has given some suggestions which have been incorporated. So let us be optimistic and say the glass is half full, let us not be negative.

Sir, there are five specific points I will make in three minutes as these are five parameters according to which we should judge this Bill.

First, local communities as partners of development. Here we gave the Government last week a specific suggestion on the floor of the House to allow the District Mineral Foundation set up by the State Government to include tribals because then the tribals will also feel they are part of the whole system. Tribals have been historically neglected. This is not the ideal solution but it is close, as I said the glass is half full.

The states have also been empowered to set up special courts for quick settlement for mining disputes and I am also glad that the entire composition of the DMF has been given to the state governments. Thank you for including that in the Bill.

The second point Sir, is to capture the windfall of profit within the nation, the state and the people. Here again in our own experience in West Bengal we have seen through e-governance we have actually increased revenues by 87% in the last three years. So we welcome the concept of e-auction, it is a transparent process. These are the good things.

On the other issues Sir, there is no regulatory mechanism for mining as yet. Now for environment friendly mines, I want to make a point which you have not included in the Bill but please think about including it and updating the 2011 rules because 80% of the mines today are not environment friendly. If you look at the rules, the environment Minister is here. Those rules call for 20 years and 30 years but now it has gone up to 50 years. Please look at those rules very carefully.

The other one Sir, is the scientific mining procedures for the future. That is the other reason why again the National Mineral Exploration Trust needs to do this.

Overall Sir we are going with this Bill, we are supporting this Bill. However at this stage I also want to say please pass the Mining and Mineral and subsequently the Coal Bill, but do not touch the Land Bill, the land is a different kind of mine, that is a land mine, it will explode. Stay away from the land mine of the Land Bill, you have some support from us now, very good, do the job but please do not touch the Land Bill.

Thank you Sir.

Arpita Ghosh speaks during discussion on the agrarian situation in the Country | Transcript

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Full transcript:

Sir, mein aapko dhanyavad deti hun. Bharat Varsh kisano ki desh hain. Abhi bhi yahan pe 60% – 70% log yahan khetibari karte hain. Hum jis sansadiya kshetra se aye hain, Balurghat, who North Bengal mein hain, woh bhi agriculture-based hain. Isi liye yeh hamare liye bahut hi ehem aur khas mudda hain.

Sir, aap ko yaad hoga hamare ek film ke gaane- Iss desh ki dharti sona ugle, ugle hire moti. Yeh filmi gaane hum is liye bol rahe hain kyun ki desh ki parichaye uske sanskriti mein aati hai, ke gaane – Is desh ke dharti sona ugle, ugle hire moti. Yeh filmi gaane hum is liye bol rahe hain kyun ki desh ki parichaye in, filmo mein ate hain, natako mein aate hain. Iske sidhe prabhav usmein parte hain. Ab sochnewali baat yeh hain ki jis desh ki dharti mein sona, hire, moti ugalti thi, aaj aisa kya hua, kyun hua jo usi desh ke kisan kheti chorne pe tule hui hain.

Bahut saare survey reports ke mutabik Bharat Varsh sesh saat-aath saalon mein, 3 Crore se zyaada kisaano ne kheti bari chod di, bahuto ne chodne ki iradey rakhi hain, bahut kisaan bhaiyo ne atmahatya ki hain. Is badlav ka karan bahut kuchh bataya ja sakte hain, yeha pe bahut kuchh batai gayi hain, bahut sare datas samne aye hain. Mujhe yeh baat lagti hai, ki asli karan hai ki hamara mind setting change ho gaya hai.

After liberal economic policy, jab se Bharat Barsh mein ayi hai, globalization ki baar aap dekhiyega, 

 Industrialisation ke liye itne baate a rahi hai par is krishi pradhan desh me agro based industry mein alag soch ana jaroori hai mujhe lagta hai. Aaj Bharat Varsh me aise stithi hain ki aage chalke hume bade chunauti ka samna karna hoga. Apne jad se hum ukhad rahe hain aur shayad aisa din dur nehi jahan hume dane dane ka mohtaj hona parega.

Sir, humare Bangal me naye Sarkar ane ki baad  kuch aise projects aye hain jo bahut hi ehem sabit hue, jaisa ki rain water harvesting project ‘Jol Dharo Jol Bhoro’ and ‘Kisan Mandi’ jo ki Bengal ke har block me ho rahi hain. Abhi humlogon ne vaha par kisano ke liye kuch khas projects laye hai. Agar Central Government bhi aisa kuch soche, kuch specific policies soche jaye toh behtar hogi. 

Sir, mai aapke madhyam se Mantri ji ka dhyan is taraf lana chahta hu ki krishi kshetra me Bengal ko, khaskar mere sansadiyo kshetra Balurghat jaise agro based jagah ko zyada badhawa dena chahiye. Bankura , Purulia jaise sukhe jagah ke liye dedicated research institute for dry land area, uske sub-centre kholna bahut hi jaroori hain.

Aur akhir me, bahut suggestions aye hain par phirbhi mera ek hi request hain, sabse pehle hamare mind set ke bare me phirse sochna padega taki yeh digitisation, corporatization ke beech humare dharti sona na ugalna bandh kar de. 

Thank you. 

 

Translation:

 

Deputy Speaker Sir,

I thank you Sir, for allowing me to speak. India is a country of farmers, 60% to 70% of the population here are engaged with agricultural activities. I am elected from the Parliamentary Constituency of Balurghat in North Bengal. It is also an agricultural constituency. Sir, this is an important issue for us.

Sir, you would probably remember a song, is desh ke dharti sona ugle, ugle hire mot. I am referring to this song, because the nation is often reflected in movies and plays. There is a need to introspect, why the farmers are compelled to leave farming.

According to many surveys, in the last 7-8 years, almost 3 Crore farmers have left farming, many are contemplating to leave farming and many farmers have committed suicide. There could be many reasons stated for this. Many Members have said many reasons and data in this House.

I feel one of the reason is the change in our mind set. After liberal economic policy and globalisation our mind set has changed. Agriculture is no more the priority.

The new Government has not taken up any new policy. There is no sign of a deep thinking. The Government is focussing on corporatisation, but not on the agricultural sector. There are so many talks about industrialisation, but in an agricultural country like ours, it is very important to think of agro-based industry.

In the coming days, India will face a lot of challenging times. India has shifted from its roots, and that day is not far when we will depend on other for our basic needs. In West Bengal, after the new Government has come into power, new projects has been introduced like Rain Harvest project, Jol Dharo Jol Bharo, Kisan Mandi, which is at each block. The policies, which we have followed in Bengal, if similar policies are followed by the Centre that will be better for the country.

In West Bengal, agriculture is given prime importance, especially agro-based areas like my Constituency, Balurghat should be encouraged primarily. Arid areas like Bankura and Puruliya should have a dedicated research institutes.

The Centre has received several suggestions, but firstly it needs to change it mind set, so that agriculture is not ignored amid corporatisation and digitisation of the country.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Centre needs to address plight of potato farmers in Bengal: Trinamool in RS

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AITC Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray raised the issue of plight of potato farmers of Bengal in the Parliament and urged the Central Government for some financial assistance to be given to the State so that some more steps can be taken for the rehabilitation of these farmers.

He said in the House that the Government of West Bengal has taken special measures to arrest the situation after the potato farmers were not getting remunerative prices of potato.

He also raised the issue of the irreparable losses of the farmers due to untimely incessant rain and hail storms in different part of the country, including the districts of South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Purba Medinipur in West Bengal. This affected vast agricultural lands and huge quantity of crops like wheat, pulses, potato, paddy and fruits which were destroyed.

He urged the Government to announce a financial package towards relief and rehabilitation of the affected farmers without further loss of time.