Tag: Saugata Roy

Trinamool stands beside IMA against NMC Bill

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Trinamool stands beside IMA against NMC Bill

All India Trinamool Congress MPs Sudip Banerjee and Saugata Roy on Sunday joined Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) movement against the National Medical Commission Bill, extending their moral support to the campaign.

IMA Bharat Yatra was flagged off at Kolkata on Sunday. IMA’s Bharat Yatra is a nationwide campaign against the implementation of the National Medical Commission Bill.

According to the IMA, once the NMC Bill is implemented, it would strengthen the hands of private companies in the health service industry. Medical aspirants will not be able to study medical courses on the basis of their merit and it would help those who can get their children admitted in MBBS course against a huge amount of money. They called the Bill anti-people and undemocratic.

 

এনএমসি বিলের বিরোধিতায় ইন্ডিয়ান মেডিক্যাল অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের পাশে তৃণমূল

রবিবার কলকাতা থেকে ইন্ডিয়ান মেডিক্যাল অ্যাসোসিয়েশন (আইএমএ) ন্যাশনাল মেডিকেল কাউন্সিল (এনএমসি) বিলের বিরোধিতায় ভারত যাত্রার সূচনা করে। এই যাত্রা এনএমসি বিলের বিরোধিতায় একটি দেশব্যাপী কর্মসূচী।

তৃণমূল সাংসদ সুদীপ বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় ও সৌগত রায় এই কর্মসূচিতে যোগ দিয়ে এনএমসি বিল বিরোধী এই আন্দোলনকে নৈতিক সমর্থন জানালেন।

ইন্ডিয়ান মেডিক্যাল অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের বক্তব্য অনুযায়ী, এই এনএমসি বিল একবার চালু হলে, স্বাস্থ্য পরিষেবায় বেসরকারি সংস্থার হাত শক্ত হবে। ডাক্তারি পড়তে ইচ্ছুক কোনও যোগ্য প্রার্থী তার মেধার ভিত্তিতে ডাক্তারি পড়তে পারবে না, শুধুমাত্র বিপুল টাকার পরিবর্তেই ডাক্তারি পড়ার আসন পাওয়া যাবে।

ইন্ডিয়ান মেডিক্যাল অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের মতে, এই বিল জনবিরোধী ও অগণতান্ত্রিক।

Winter Session Week 2: Trinamool speaks for people in Parliament

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Winter Session Week 2: Trinamool speaks for people in Parliament

In the second week of the Winter Session of Parliament, Trinamool gave voice to issues concerning the common people. From protests against lynchings to interest rate cuts, from rising pollution to data privacy, several issues were raised by the MPs.

On December 27, Trinamool Members of Parliament (MP) protested inside the Parliament premises against the silence of the Centre on the killing of innocents.

 

LOK SABHA

Saugata Roy spoke regarding the insult to Kulbhushan Jadhav’s family in Pakistan

 

Question Hour

Srimati Dev Verma (Moonmoon Sen) asked questions on economic growth

Saugata Roy asked a question on economic growth

 

Zero Hour

Sudip Bandyopadhyay spoke on decrease in the interest rates of small savings schemes

Idris Ali spoke on the need for the Indian Railways to be made supportive towards the poor

Pratima Mondal spoke on discrepancies in the recruitment of Railway staff during Zero Hour

Arpita Ghosh spoke on the issue of closure of GI Press units

Partha Pratim Roy spoke on the misplaced priorities of the Railway Ministry

Ratna De Nag spoke on the need to complete the work of Islampara halt station

 

RAJYA SABHA

Derek O’Brien made a statement on the Minister’s reply on the family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting him in Pakistan

 

Question Hour

Shanta Chhetri asked a Supplementary Question on unmanned level crossings

Derek O’Brien asked a Supplementary Question on Aadhaar, data protection and national security in the age of internet

Jogen Chowdhury asked a Supplementary Question on the improvement of compartments in Santiniketan Express

 

Bills

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy spoke on The Indian Forests (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Ahamed Hassan spoke on The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017

Nadimul Haque spoke on The National Capital Territory (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy spoke on The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2017

 

Point of Order

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy spoke on the insult to the Constitution by a Union Minister and attack on migrant labourers in many States

Short Duration Discussion

Derek O’Brien spoke on the rising levels of air pollution in Delhi

 

Special Mention

Derek O’Brien spoke on the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Bengal

Dola Sen spoke on the livelihood of workers of the Government of India Press in Santragachi, Howrah

 

All in all, it was a week during which Trinamool spoke up issues which touch ordinary people closely.

Saugata Roy opposes the introduction of The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy opposes the introduction of The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, Rule 74 states, when a Bill is introduced or on some subsequent occasion, the member in charge may make one of the following motions in regard to one’s own Bill, namely:—

(i) that it be taken into consideration; or
(ii) that it be referred to a Select Committee of the House; or
(iii) that it be referred to a Joint Committee of the Houses with the concurrence of the Council; or
(iv) that it be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon:

Provided that no such motion as is referred to in clause (iii) shall be made with reference to a Bill 4[if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (g) of clause (1) of article 110 of the Constitution]:

Provided further that no such motion shall be made until after copies of the Bill have been made available for the use of members, and that any member may object to any such motion being made unless copies of the Bill have been so made available for two days before the day on which the motion is made and such objection shall prevail, unless the Speaker allows the motion to be made.

Here the Minister is referring to a Joint Select Committee under Rule 74(iii). My colleague had explained in detail as to how the whole principal of Standing Committee’s is being circumvented, superseded, bypassed by the Government in its quest to get majority in both Houses.

The same thing actually happened in the case of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. I remember when that Bill was brought in Lok Sabha I objected saying that it should not be passed. Then the Government felt that it would not get a majority in the Rajya Sabha. So they sent it to a Joint Select Committee, the fear being that it will not be passed in Rajya sabha. If the Joint Select Committee presents a report, then both Houses get morally bound by it.

Now in the whole process we are weakening the foundation of the Standing Committee system. Normally the practice is that, any legislation concerning any ministry, any department is automatically referred to a Standing Committee, unless it is a small amendment or an inconsequential amendment. Any Bill of a substantial nature is referred to the Standing Committee. As my esteemed colleague Bhartruhari Mahtab has so eloquently stated, that process should not be given a go by.

We have no complaint about the personnel of the Bill because we ourselves are members of both the Committees. We are conscious of the power of the Standing Committee. We have a Finance Committee headed by Veerappa Moily who has given important reports on most of the matters. Why should that Standing Committee be bypassed, be insulted, be overridden by the Government’s desire to bring a Bill?

And then look out how the Bills are coming. On the last but one day, you are bringing a Bill and then a Motion without any scope of discussion. Like, in the earlier Bill, our esteemed colleague NK Premachandran spoke eloquently on how he had no time to study the Bill so that proper opposition to introduction can be made.

You are sitting in the Chair, Sir, and you have long parliamentary experience. Please see that the niceties of parliamentary behaviour are maintained by the Government. If the Chair does not protect us, who will protect the House? Who will protect the Constitution? Who will protect the Rules?

That is why, we seek refuge in your infinite powers from the Chair to support us.

Thank you.

Saugata Roy speaks during a Calling Attention Motion on the flood situation prevailing in different parts of India

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks during a Calling Attention Motion on the flood situation prevailing in different parts of India

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Madam. I thank the Home Minister for the detailed statement given by him. Although I am a little intrigued why the Home Minister should reply to a debate on floods during the Calling Attention Motion. This year, 24 States have been affected by floods, the most-affected being Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan and Bengal.

One thing that has been pointed out by the CAG is that India’s flood forecast capability is a washout. We have not been able to forecast floods at all. Now I go to the statement in detail. Before that I may mention that in the whole country, the maximum number of people killed is in Gujarat – 229. Bengal is second at 149, Maharashtra, third at 105, and Assam, fourth at 84. About crops washed away, Gujarat is at the top, over an area of 8.91 lakh acres; Rajasthan is second at 8.34 and Bengal is third at 4.23.

I want to bring to the notice of the House that there has been rainfall in all parts of the country but in Bengal it is totally a man-made flood. It has happened in six districts of Bengal due to the release of water from the barrages of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), which is under the Central Government. The State Government has repeatedly appealed to the DVC to desilt its reservoirs in Tilaiya, Maithon and Panchet, but it has done nothing about the matter.

When the heavy rainfall started, Bengal had repeatedly appealed to the DVC to not to release water. The Chief Minister herself spoke to the DVC authorities and requested them not to release all the water at one go; but they still released the water. As a result, six districts of Bengal are badly flooded. And as I told you 129 people have died and 4.23 lakh acres of crops have been washed away. You would be surprised, Madam, that the maximum number of houses destroyed is in Bengal – 1,43,000 – as compared to 26,000 in Assam.

The Prime Minister visited Gujarat, which is all right; it is his home State which is badly affected. He also visited Assam, which is run by the ruling party. It is a good thing. The Ministers of State visited Assam and Arunachal Pradesh but none of the big honchos from the Central Government visited our unfortunate State of Bengal. While the Prime Minister announced a rehabilitation package for Gujarat, Assam and the north-eastern States, no package has been announced for Bengal till date. We feel unfortunate, left out, and we wonder in our minds whether we have been the victims of political discrimination.

My question to the Honourable Minister is direct:

A. Will the Union Government take proper steps for desilting the dams of Damodar Valley Corporation and also control the release of water from dams and barrages which are controlled by the Central Government’s Damodar Valley Corporation?

B. Will the Union Government announce any package for Bengal for relief and rehabilitation, and for recovery and restoration of embankments that are being washed away?

Our Chief Minister met Rajnath Singh ji the other day; she wanted to meet the Prime Minister but that day the Prime Minister was visiting Gujarat. I hope that Bengal will get relief from the Central Government and not feel politically discriminated against.

Thank you, Madam.

 

 

Saugata Roy speaks on The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks on The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I rise to support the The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017. Before I speak on the Bill, I have two questions for the Minister. One is why the Government increased the price of subsidised LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder and why it will be done every month? This is an anti-people decision. Sudip Bandyopadhyay has spoken earlier on this issue. I also say that, this anti people decision should be withdrawn.

My second question. This Bill was cleared in the Cabinet on April 12, 2017 and this Bill has now come to Lok Sabha. Why did the Minister go and lay the foundation stone of the campus even before it was cleared by the Cabinet? He should not have done that. Laying a foundation stone before even the Bill has been passed by the Cabinet should not have been done by him.

So, having said this, I say that this institute is very essential. It is being set up in Vizag which already had a petroleum refinery. It is close to the Krishna-Godavari Basin where oil has been found. It is also close to Kankinara where HPCL is setting up a new petrochemical complex. So, it is ideally situated. Government of Andhra Pradesh has given 200 acres of land at Sabbavaram, where the Minister went to lay the foundation stone.

IIT Kharagpur has a course on petroleum and teach a subject called Exploration Geophysics. They are mentoring the institute and already four professors are working there and more professors will be appointed after consultation with the IIT professors. The student intake is 50 for petroleum engineering and 50 for chemical engineering. Already 96 students are studying in the institute and the courses are very important.

This Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy is being set up as a follow-up of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, where it was promised that Andhra will have a new Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy and in fulfillment of that objective this has been done.

Now, Sir, I want to say that it is very essential not only to develop petroleum sector but also to develop alternative sources of fuel. India is already deficient; we are importing 70 per cent of our petroleum products. That is why research on non-conventional hydrocarbons as well as new sources like liquefied natural gas, biofuels and renewables should be conducted in India; we need to reduce our dependence on imported fuel which is causing a huge outflow in foreign exchange.

Now as far as the institute is concerned, which is being structured like the IITs, the minister has to bring another Bill so that it can be declared as an Institute of National Importance because that has to be included in Entry 64 of the Schedule 7 under Union List. I request the minister to examine if a separate Bill needs to be introduced for this purpose.

The first ordinance of the institutes will be set up by the Central Government. The first statute and ordinance will be made by the Central Government and thereafter the power will go to the board. Central Government also provide for the General Council of the institute and also provide for the Board of Governors.

In this connection I want to invite the minister’s attention to the Indian Institute Of Management Bill which was passed in this House recently. There the government has withdrawn from the IIMs altogether. They said all decisions will be taken by the Board of Governors and the president will not be a visitor on the IIMs. I want the Minister to follow this path; free this new institute from the apron strings of the Government. Let all these things be decided by the Governing Council of the institute itself.

Sir, as I said that it is of great importance to find more petroleum sources. I request the Minister, since he is here, that it is said that the Bay of Bengal basin is floating on oil. Oil [exportation] had started in the Sunderbans area of Bengal. But that was given up. I think Schlumberger or some American company was doing it. Now it has been given up. I would urge him, so that [exportation] for petroleum can take place in the Bay of Bengal basin.

Sir, the Cabinet has approved Rs 65.46 crore as capital expenditure and given Rs 400 crore as endowment fund. As the Bill states clearly that this will be slowly reduced. In coming days, slowly the central government grant would be reduced and expenditure or shortfall will be made from the endowment fund for which only Rs 400 crore has been allocated. The idea is that ultimately the institute will be raising some of the finances for its own sources and I hope that the Minister would do the needful in this matter so that the institute is not short (of funds).

About Rs 1000 crore is being given for the development of the institute, and so, as I said, it is good that the Government of India is investing so much money in energy research. By 2020-23 capital expenditure would come down to Rs 4.16 crore. The initial capital expenditure is for constructing the buildings, the laboratories etc. So, slowly it will taper down. Then the institute will run from its own income and its endowment fund.

There is already an Indian Institute of Petroleum at Dehradun where ONGC is headquartered. This new institute will provide courses for undergraduate studies. I request the Minister to also initiate the postgraduate courses immediately, and also the courses which are already being offered at IIT Kharagpur. Start doctoral research also.

This is a good step. It fulfills the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh. It is in keeping of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and it meets the challenge of India’s energy needs in the future.

With these words, I support this Bill.

 

 

Saugata Roy speaks on The Punjab Municipal Corporation Law (Extension to Chandigarh) Amendment Bill, 2017

Posted on | by aitc | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks on The Punjab Municipal Corporation Law (Extension to Chandigarh) Amendment Bill, 2017

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I will be very brief.

Earlier, in the city of Chandigarh, which is a Union Territory under the Government of India, entertainment tax and entertainment duty was collected by the Centre. Now, the Centre has decided that the collection of entertainment tax and entertainment duty will be passed on to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. This will mean a gain of Rs 17 Crore to the Corporation which will be necessary because Chandigarh is a beautiful city; it needs money for its upliftment.

Having said that, let me also state that our party has always been in favor of introducing GST. We had some reservation about introducing it in a hurry on the July 1, 2017, which is why we did not attend the midnight session of Parliament.

All I want to say is that now one month has elapsed since July 1; there are some hiccups, there have been complaints. I hope that all the decisions will be taken in the GST Council – which has been taking decisions unanimously – and there will be moderation in the tax rate. These five tax rates of 0, 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent should not remain and especially regarding those matters on which there is contention. For example, women have demanded reduction of tax on sanitary napkins. Mr Jaitley explained that, on the issue of GST on cloth, etc., the consensus reached in Parliament will be looked into.

With that Sir, I support the Bill. It is good for the country.

 

Saugata Roy speaks on The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks on The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017

FULL TRANSCRIPT 

Sir, I rise to speak on the Banking Regulation Amendment. I have given a notice opposing the introduction of this Bill and I had also given a Statutory Regulation against the Ordinance. Why had I opposed the introduction? I had said that this is not a necessary Bill. Nor was there any hurry in issuing an Ordinance. I shall substantiate my points with what I had said at that time.

Per se, the Bill may not be bad. But I will show that this Bill is unnecessary under existing laws. The Government could have taken steps against NPAs. There is no doubt that the problem of NPA has reached heights from which Government will find it very difficult to extricate itself. The total assets of the State in terms of gross NPAs and restructured standard advances of scheduled commercial banks was Rs 9.64 lakh crore on December 31, 2016. Share Rs 9 lakh crore se zyada hain. And if you really look at the total NPAs during financial year 2016 for public sector banks, which was 9.83 per cent of gross advances, or almost 10 per cent of advances to the public sector banks, measures seem to have been taken.

But, as a Member correctly pointed out, what was the Government doing for three years as the NPA rose? And we will talk about Vijay Mallya. I will give you the names of 12 top NPA people, the total ‘toxic’ 12. The total NPA amount is Rs 7.7 lakh crore. Which are the big companies? Bhushan Steel has NPAs of Rs 44,000 crore, then there are Lanco Infratech, Essar Steel, Bhushan Power and Steel, Alok Industries, Amtek Auto, Monnet Ispat, Electrosteel Steel, Era Infra Engineering, Jaypee Infratech, ABG Shipyard and Jyoti Structures. The total NPAs of just 12 companies amounts to Rs 2,53,729 crore. It is these 12 companies against whom action has been taken under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. But unfortunately this has the possibility of getting stuck in court because there is already one case in Ahmedabad High Court. So whether this will really sort out the problem, I am not too sure. That’s why I am saying that the Government had several instruments in its hand for three years, even before this law was enacted. It had both legal and non-legislative loan recovery options. It could have done loan restructuring, corporate debt restructuring, joint lenders’ forum, five-is-to-twenty-five scheme, strategic debt restructuring or sustainable structuring of State assets. These are the non-legislative ways open to the banks.

The other thing is, there is already DRT – for recovery of debts due to banks and financial institutions. There was a surface act under which asset reconstruction companies could have taken over assets. And then in 2016, we had the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is a good law.

Now, this Ordinance or the Bill – what new thing do they bring? That the Reserve Bank may issue directions to a bank to go for insolvency proceedings. Now what does the Insolvency Law say? You first appoint an insolvency professional, then he forms a lenders/creditors’ committee, and then the creditors’ committee gets together and takes a decision on the bank. The ultimate arbiter is the National Company Law Tribunal. So this is the procedure; and the advantage of the Insolvency Code is that you have to settle the matter within 180 days. So it is a time-bound resolution of the problem of insolvency. But the Government hurried with this law for these 12 companies whose name the Reserve Bank did not disclose. I have got it from the internet.

However, the main question remains – is the Reserve Bank an appropriate authority? I am totally against the Reserve Bank of recent times, post-Raghuram Rajan, because this is the Reserve Bank which, till date, has not been able to count the notes which were deposited during demonetisation. So why should we have confidence in such a Reserve Bank? Our Standing Committee has repeatedly asked the Reserve Bank Governor – why don’t you say how much money has come in? My information is that they are still counting; they say they have to bring in machines from abroad. This Reserve Bank is totally inefficient and incapable. Nobody knows how much money has been deposited. And abiut the story of demonetisation – the balloon will be punctured when it will become known.

Now, the whole banking system, as our Chairman of the Standing Committee, Veerappa Moily says, is facing a collapse. The Government is trying to clutch at straws, and one straw is this Ordinance.

Now, I want to ask various questions. Currently, under Section 35A, the Reserve Bank may issue directions to banks on grounds of public interest and in the interest of banking policy. This ordinance gives the RBI additional power to direct banks to initiate recovery proceedings. So when already the RBI has the power to issue directions, why do you need the Ordinance?

The second question is, the majority of NPAs, 88 per cent of the NPAs, are in public sector banks. Mind you, the private sector banks like HDFC, ICICI, do not have such large NPAs. So the Government could have itself issued directions instead of asking the useless RBI to issue directions, since the Government owns all these.

My next question. As a banking regulator, the RBI is supposed to look after the macro-economic picture. It, as a regulator, is responsible for maintaining the financial stability while banks have the flexibility to make business decisions. Say, you have to settle a loan, and so, you have to take a haircut. Now the banks will not take the decision. They will say that let the RBI tell you then you have to take a haircut and settle the matter; so the whole thing will be delayed.

The appropriateness of the RBI directing Banks on the issue of default, which is a business decision, needs to be examined. Why not leave the banks to their own things?

Currently, banks face certain challenges as part of the recovery proceedings, such as the lack of incentives among public sector bankers to recognise losses, the fear of investigation in the case of low recoveries, insufficient capital to absorb the losses.

Everybody has mentioned that banks do not have the capital according to banking norms.

I have already said that I have given a statutory resolution, have opposed the introduction of the Bill and have called this an unnecessary Bill. With that I would rather say that I would expect the Bill, but if you accept Supriya Sule’s Amendment. She has said that this decision about going for insolvency and bankruptcy procedures should be left to the banks themselves. Please accept that, and then I will support the Bill.

 

Saugata Roy speaks on the recent attempts by ruling party at Centre to destabilise Opposition

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks on the recent attempts by ruling party at Centre to destabilise Opposition

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Sir, I shall be brief. The ruling party at the Centre had earlier acquired majority in Goa and Manipur through dubious means. The Central Government is using the power of the Government and money power to destabilise the Opposition parties and Opposition Governments.

In Bihar, the Deputy Chief Minister was raided by the CBI which led to the Chief Minister’s resignation and formation of the Government with the central ruling party as its partner.

In Gujarat, six Congress MLAs resigned from the party on the eve of Rajya Sabha elections from the state. There are complaints of money power being used. The Election Commission has asked the Chief Secretary of Gujarat to probe the matter.

In UP, two SP and one BSP MLC resigned from the Legislative Council to pave the way for the Chief Minister’s election. The misuse of power and money by the ruling party bodes badly for democracy and needs to be registered by all right thinking democratic people.

In Bengal they have been unsuccessful and six members of the Opposition (non-BJP parties: TMC and Congress) have been elected to Rajya Sabha.

Thank you sir.

 

Saugata Roy speaks during Short Duration Discussion on lynching and other atrocities in mob violence

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy speaks during Short Duration Discussion on lynching and other atrocities in mob violence

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I rise to speak on the (point) 193 discussion in the name of Khargeji and myself. Let me state at the outset that I shall not be dealing with mob violence in general but I shall deal with mob violence related to bovine issue, that is cow-related mob violence.

Sir, main yeh debate ko, us aur them, BJP and opposition, yeh debate nahi banana chahta hoon, nahi main yeh debate ko Hindu vs Muslim debate banana chahta hoon. Mera yaad hai, Nazrul Islam ka ek kavita jahan unhone bola, “Hindu na ora Muslim, oi jiggashe kon jon, kandari bolo dubiche manush santan mormar”.(Bengali) Kaun poochta hai woh Hindu ya Muslim hai? Woh naiyya bolo ki doob raha hai insaan jo humare maa ki bete hain. Main navik/naiyya, toh main yeh kehna chahta hoon ki yeh jo violence ho raha hai, iske barein mein log keh sakte hai kitna hua, kitne log mare, kaun mare, yeh sawaal uthana nahi hai. I am reminded of a poem by John Dunn quoted in Hemingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’. It says, “Every man’s death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. Therefore ask me not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee”. Har insaan marta hai toh main chota hota hoon, aur aaj isi spirit mein yeh charcha hona chahiye, main yeh samajhta hoon. Lekin, lekin, jab hum charcha mein bhaag le rahein hai, kuch tattha, kuch facts aapke samne lana chahta hoon.
(Interjection: Bangal ke bare mein boliye…)
Bangal ke barein mein bhi bolenge, Dilli ke barein mein bhi bolenge, kaise aap log har gaye the dilli mein, Kejriwal ke paas.

Sir, one database, one magazine prepared a database from 2010 to 2017, how many bovine issue related incidents there were. They calculated that from 2010-2017, there were 63 incidents. Sir, I don’t want to bring Hindu and Muslims, but 97 per cent of these incidents between 2010 and 2017 came after Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, 97 percent of these incidents. Sir, of the 28 people who were killed in this bovine issue related incident, 86 per cent were Muslims. Now I want to ask the members of the ruling party, woh har dum kehte hain, unke Sabhapati kehte hain hum birodhi mukt Bharat karenge, Congress mukt Bharat karenge… Main puchna chahata hu kya aap log Muslim mukt Bharat karne chahate hain? Toh aap kya chahate hain, aap batao. Main pooch raha hoon. Sir, main poochna chahata hoon yeh Muslim ko rahene ki adhikar kya nahin hai? There are death of 28 people in this related incidents, out of them 24 were Muslims. Now, as I told you earlier, I don’t want to relate to general mob violence. Kabhi traffic accident hota hain, wohan bhi mob violence hota hai. It takes place. Sir, 24 were Muslims. Now I want to ask and 52 per cent of these attacks were in BJP related States. 2010-17, 97 per cent attacks were after BJP came to power and 52 per cent attacks were in BJP-ruled States. Main kise ka naam nahi le raha hoon. I want to say that this cow related killings are all targeted killings. Professor Saugato Bose reminded me in the morning the USA, after the civil war, there was an organization called Ku Klux Klan. They used to make targeted killings of black people, of coloured people. Yeha jo ho raha hai targeted Muslim killing hota hai, bolta hai ki tum bhago, desh chod ke jao. Aur kaun kar raha hain yeh? Yeh kar raha hai, this is also from the statistics.

Sir, again I’m giving the statistics. In 23 attacks, the mobs are groups of people who belong to Hindu groups, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and local Gau Raksha Samiti. Yeh log kaun hai. Yeh log ruling party ka bandar hai, jo Bharat mein ladai chala raha hai. Ruling party ke bandar hai yeh log. Yehi log saara desh mein yeh kar raha … bandar hai. Achha mein bandar nahin boloonga. Bandar ko bandar nahin boloonga. Mein promise kar diya. Mein nahin boloonga. Mein hanuman ko hanuman nahin boloonga. Yeh bajrangbalee hai. Sir, yeh ruling party ke bajrangbalee hai.

Sir, the Honourable Minister (S.S. Ahluwalia) intervened. I only want to inform you that a missing diary has been lodged in Darjeeling police station against their missing MP. He is not to be seen in the Darjeeling Hills. So, let him not speak. Let him go to Darjeeling from where he is elected.

Sir, Mr Kharge has given in detail all the various incidents. He has mentioned 24th June, when a 15 year old poor boy, Junaid Khan, was murdered on a train in Ballabgarh, Haryana. He has mentioned the incident which took place on 1st April, 2017, when a man called Pehlu Khan, was murdered on the National Highway in Alwar district in Rajasthan. He has mentioned the incident in September 2015, when a man, Akhlaq, was beaten to death in UP’s Dadri village. Sir, somebody was mentioning about Bengal. Sir, I want to mention that very few cases of bovine related violence happened in Eastern States, including Bengal and Odisha.

Sir, things have happened there. Now, why this is not being controlled, you may wonder. It is not being controlled because the BJP top leaders were very shy of condemning these incidents. Sir, you would know that it took Haryana Chief Minister three days to condemn the killing of Junaid in Ballabgarh. It took the central leadership of BJP Ravi Shankar Prasad four days. Sir I did not relate what all Hukumdev Narayan Yadavji said because he is a confused man, a mixture of Ram Manohar Lohia and Deendayal Upadhyay. What will I talk about him. It took about six days for the Jharkhand CM to own up lapses for innocent young men being beaten to death. In his own state, 10 men are beaten to death. It took him six days to condemn that. It took Rajasthan Chief Minister one month to condemn the Alwal lynching, and the Prime Minister himself has so far only made two statements condemning Gau Rakshak. One in 2016 and recently on June 29, he made a statement in Sabarmati Ashram, where he condemned (violence in the name of) Gau Rakshak. It’s a good thing, but why did it take him so long? And you know, nobody trusts him when he condemns this, because on the same day when he condemned the killings in Sabarmati, the same day in Jharkhand, Alimuddin alias Asgar Ansari was beaten to death in Jharkhand’s Ramgar, suspected of carrying beef.

So the ruling party has always erred in not condemning this enough. And now the ruling party president is involved in saying so many lynchings have taken place during the UPA time. The question is not that of who’s time it is carried out, the question is whether the Governments are performing their duties, Sir, you know in UP, 10 such incidents have taken place. Six incidents in Gujarat and Rajasthan, all BJP ruled states. Sir, I have some concrete suggestions. Under CrPC and IPC, lynching is not defined. Under 223A of CrPC, you can say in mob killings people should be judged differently. I demand that a separate law, Sir, I suggest that just as after the Nirbhaya incident, just as a fresh law modifying the IPC was brought in this Parliament, I demand that a Manab Suraksha Kanoon for preventing lynching should be brought by the Government. Because lynchings are primitive, lynchings are feudal, just to think that a man is crying for mercy and he is beaten mercilessly by some people who are either accusing of smuggling cows or accusing of being child lifters. This cannot go on. Sir, the country is ashamed. Today people from all over the country have come out in demonstration in the big cities with the Not In My Name protest. Today, 114 Generals of the Army, they have issued a statement condemning this lynching. Sir, the country is changing. I do not know who will be in power tomorrow? But people in whose time human beings are beaten to death will not be pardoned in the annals of history.

With that Sir, I end my speech.

 

Saugata Roy makes a Zero Hour Mention regarding the flood situation in Bengal

Posted on | by admin2 | Leave a Comment on Saugata Roy makes a Zero Hour Mention regarding the flood situation in Bengal

FULL TRANSCRIPT

I want to raise the following matter in Zero Hour.

Our State of Bengal is facing the threat of floods in six districts, namely, Birbhum, Bankura, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly and Purba Midnapur. Already three people have died in three districts. A large number of villages are facing water-logging. This flood situation is man-made. The flood situation has come due to release of water from the dams of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).

Since Bengal is on the lower reaches of the river Damodar, our suffering is more. The water level in Tenughat Reservoir of Jharkhand is already high and the dam is likely to release more water. DVC has released 2 lakh cusecs of water in three days from Mythan and Panchet dams, both of which are situated in Bengal. The State Government has been repeatedly requesting for desilting of the reservoirs in above dams for a long time. But, the DVC, which is under the Central Government, has taken no steps. Nor has the Centre given approval to the lower-Damodar Drainage Scheme.

Madam, the flood in Bengal is man-made. The Prime Minister went for an aerial survey of floods in Gujarat and sanctioned Rs 500 crore for flood relief, which is all right. But, he did not come to visit Assam, which is badly flood-affected or Rajasthan, let alone Bengal. We want the Prime Minister to deal with all the flood-affected states on equal footing and take adequate steps for the man-made floods in Bengal.

Thank you.