Sajda Ahmed speaks on the need for more ATMs and banking facilities in her constituency

FULL TRANSCRIPT

I would like to thank you Sir, for letting me speak in the Zero Hour. I would like to draw the attention of the government to the crisis of banking service facilities in my constituency Uluberia in West Bengal. In my parliamentary constituency, the number of nationalised banks and their service is very poor. 

I had asked the Central Government last year to set up a nationalised bank in Bagnan 1 and 2, Uluberia and Amta 2 blocks. But, I regret to inform the House that till date the government has not taken any steps for this in my parliamentary constituency. Facilities of ATM services is also very poor. 

Rural constituents are suffering due to the lack of banking facilities. There is a need to install more ATMs in the entire constituency, namely Amta to Shyampur in the district of Howrah in West Bengal.

Sir, I urge the Government to take my appeal as a serious grievance for the larger interest of the people.

 

Satabdi Roy raises the demand for funds for amelioration of water crisis in her constituency

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I want to speak on the issue of water crisis. My constituency is Birbhum. There is a place called Mohammedbazar; the Hingla river flows there. There is Sal river near Khoirasol. There’s also Bakreshwar near Rajnagar. That apart there is Rajgram, where there is no river, and there is a demand for water.

Sir, you are not just the Speaker but an MP also. You know it very well that Rs 5 crore is not sufficient. It is difficult to supply water in just Rs 5 crore. A new ministry has been created for water resources. I would like to request the ministry to supply water to my constituency.

Sir, I have another request for you. Naya to aaye hain har jagah pe, purana piche chale jaate hain. Yahan pe please ghar ka murgi dal barabar na karey, sab ko ek jaisa chance de bolne ki. Do din subah se wait kar rahin hoon bolne ke liye. Naya ke saath purana ko bhi equally chance dijiye.

Thank you.  

 

Saugata Roy speaks on the death of children in a hospital in Muzaffarpur

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, we are concerned over the death of children in the SK Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur. The death toll has touched 150 so far. Although I saw that the Health Minister went there, he has not made any statement in this House on the reason of death of so many children.

Now, new facts have come to light about the Central Government run Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, a super-speciality hospital in Delhi. It is reported that in six years, over 6000 child deaths were reported at Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, which is a referral hospital for children from all over India. The most common causes of death at the hospital include premature birth, respiratory infections, septicemia and other infections. Fifty per cent of the deaths are reported in the first 48 hours of admission, which indicates a serious condition of the children. The infrastructure in Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital is inadequate to meet the demands of the patients.

In this case, Sir, I think the Government of India can take a lesson from West Bengal where the Government under Mamata Banerjee has set up large number of SNCUs. The government has brought down the number of child deaths drastically and also brought down the MMR, the Maternal Mortality Rate, drastically.

The Government should make efforts to improve the infrastructure of Central Government-run hospitals and take steps throughout the country to reduce the instances of child deaths due to inadequate facilities.

Thank you, Sir.

Derek O’Brien asks a Question on the new draft National Education Policy

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, the question is on RTE, so it is part of the issues discussed or put out in the public domain of the new draft National Education Policy. My question is very specific.

The Prime Minister and the Rashtrapati ji spoke in great detail about federalism, and Education is number 25 on the Concurrent List. I want to first welcome the new Education Minister. He said this is the first time he’s here. Sir, the question is also not complicated; the answer is a simple yes or no.

The draft National Education Policy was submitted and is in the public domain. There are only three days left for people to give their inquiries, so I am sure you will consider extending that.

While putting together this draft National Education Policy, it seems that zero meetings were held with the 29 State Governments – none were consulted. This is what I was told not only by the media but also by the chairperson of the drafting committee, Dr Kasturirangan. 

My question is, were there any meetings held or not with the State Governments before this National Education Policy was made?

 

Nusrat Jahan speaks on the demand for construction of Kendriya Vidyalaya in her constituency

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Good afternoon, Speaker Sir. This is my first speech in the Parliament. Sir, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to raise a matter of urgent public importance. There has been a long standing demand to construct and start a Kendriya Vidyalaya within my Basirhat Parliamentary Constituency. There is no doubt that the Kendriya Vidyalayas are playing a pivotal role in imparting quality education in the country with uniform curriculum. And the performance of these schools are really appreciable.

Sir, I would request the Government to kindly expedite the setting up of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in my Basirhat Parliamentary Constituency of West Bengal.

Sir, Basirhat is in the border area where central employees are on vigil all through, 24X7. Moreover there are thousands of ex-servicemen and their families residing in and around Basirhat. Sir, within the 60 km radius there is no Kendriya Vidyalaya. The entire part of my constituency is backward with 86.81% of rural people and 13.19% of urban population. The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe ratio is 25.34% and 6.56% respectively and people residing here cannot afford to send their children to private schools because of their minimal income. 

Sir, I would really request the government to kindly expedite the setting up of a Kendriya Vidyalaya and start the session from the next academic year. It’s of utmost importance.

Thank you, Sir.

 

Mimi Chakraborty speaks on the demand for flyovers at railway level crossings in her constituency

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you so much Speaker Sir for  giving me an opportunity to speak. This is my first speech so I would like to seek all of your blessings. 

It has been a long demand of the people of my constituency Jadavpur for the construction of a flyover at Champahati railway station which is in Baruipur East. But in the past years no initiative has been taken on the project, for which over lakhs of people are still facing traffic congestion because of existing railway level crossing. It is more painful when a patient suffers and gets delayed in treatment and for students who reach their school late. 

There is also a similar problem in Sonarpur and in Bidyadharpur; both are under Sealdah division of Eastern Railway. I am sorry to inform the August House that there is no railway level crossing in Bidyadharpur as well, which is a prime demand to stop any accidents therein. I therefore urge upon the government to take immediate steps and start the projects urgently without any further delay. 

Thank you so much, Sir.

He promised ‘Achhey Din’, instead Modi has destroyed the country: Abhishek Banerjee at Kaliganj

All India Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee today addressed a public meeting at Kaliganj in the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha Constituency in Nadia district.

Highlights of his speech:

I welcome all present here today to this rally and showed their support for Trinamool Congress.

If woman power is behind you, no other power can harm you.

There is a huge difference between the elections that were held in 2009 and 2014, and the election being held in 2019.

Our fight is against a power that has been using government agencies like the CBI and ED to spread fear among people. Mamata Banerjee is the only leader who could not be subdued by such threats.

Mamata Banerjee has given the clarion call to drive out the BJP of Bangla.

Bangla is the land of renaissance. Bangla showed the way during the freedom struggle.

Bengal has been the force behind mass movements such as that of Ekushey July, Netai, Singur, Nandigram, Bantala, Dhantala and Keshpur.

Bangla has never tolerated divisive politics.

Bangla is the land of Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Matangini Hazra and Ram Mohan Roy. The people of today need to follow that glorious tradition.

Our fight is not only for Ranaghat or the district of Nadia, but for winning all the 42 seats in the State.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose once said, “Give me blood and I will give you freedom,” and Mamata Banerjee has now given the call to win all 42 out of 42 seats to ensure for you a progressive, peaceful, secular and developed India.

We have done a lot of developmental work.

If there is comparison made between Modi and Didi in terms of developmental work, the former will lose badly.

‘Achhey Din’ never came. GST and demonetisation destroyed the country. GDP has dropped by 2%.

The country has become financially bankrupt.

The prime minister of the country is asking for votes in the name of the army, in the name of religion.

They have taken away the savings of the poor during demonetisation. And on top of that, they have built a seven-star party head office in Delhi.

Should the youth vote for such a BJP?

In the name of ‘Acchey Din’, the prices of cooking gas, petrol, diesel and kerosene have been increased.

The prime minister used to call himself a tea-seller, now he calls himself a chowkidar. But nobody has seen him selling tea at any time. Our chief minister, on the other hand, is still her humble self – still living in a small, tile-roofed house, from where she governs the 10 crore people of the State, ensuring the wave of development reaches every one of them.

The BJP talks about ‘imam bhata’ (stipend for imams) and ‘moazeem bhata’ (stipend for moazzems) being given out of the money you pay as tax. But that’s a falsehood being spread by them.

That money is taken out of fund of the Waqf Board, as ordered by the Supreme Court of India, and the money you pay as tax, all of it is spent on the various developmental schemes that the Trinamool Government has undertaken.

Mamata Banerjee had decided to give Rs 10,000 as a grant to Durga Puja committees across the State. And what did we see? The BJP, CPI(M) and Congress ganged up the next day and filed a case against us, calling the move Muslim appeasement.

We have respect for all religions. The only religion we follow is humanism. Our job is to ensure that all people get the benefits of government schemes.

The candidates of the other parties are making a lot of promises too. But all of them will be vanquished in the coming days and will never be seen again. .

We have all seen the seasonal insects (‘shyama poka’) that come to our homes during the Diwali period, which fly away after a few days. The same is the case with the BJP leaders who are now promising you so many things.

But Trinamool Congress has always stood beside the people – on all occasions, for every reason, at all times.

‘Acchey Din’’ has come only for the son of Amit Shah, whose company’s income increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 80 crore in one year. People are disgusted because they have lost all their money.

How much black money has been recovered through demonetisation? Nothing.

After the election, the BJP must be driven out – all of us here must take this oath today.

People like Vijay Mallya and Mehul Choksi have fled the country after stealing huge amounts of money from the people in spite of the Chowkidar being present.

Modi is talking about ‘Make in India’ when the car he is using is made in Germany,

The government has funds for a Rs 3,000-crore statue and the bullet train project but not for social schemes.

Should you vote for the people who have terrorised the people of Nadia? The BJP is creating communal tensions between Hindus and the Muslims.

Some people are saying, Hindus are in danger while some are saying, Muslims are in danger. But if one sees things after removing the spectacles of distortion, one will realise that the whole nation is in danger.

The BJP came to power in 2014 with Swami Vivekananda supposedly in their hearts and minds but has not had the intention of giving recognition to Belur Math.

Our current prime minister has taken the country 200 years back.

Therefore vote for Mahua Moitra and through that, ensure that Mamata Banerjee become stronger. Mamata Banerjee is the only solution to all the ills that have befallen the country.

 

Throw out divisiveness, bring in unity: Mamata Banerjee at Jangipur

At the second meeting in Murshidabad today, Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee spoke to a huge gathering at Jangipur. She stressed that there can be no division in voting on religious lines, like the BJP was doing. “We are human beings first,” she said.

HIghlights of her speech:

  • I have come to Jangipur many times before on several occasions, from Azimganj to Beldanga. I know these places very well.
  • Murshidabad is a historic region. British rule in Bengal started from here. History will continue to be created here.
  • You know why we walked out of the Congress. A section of the party was hand in gloves with the CPI(M). It has been proven now. Has it been proven or not? Why we walked out of the Congress? Had Trinamool not been formed, CPI(M) could not have been defeated in Bengal. Congress would not have been able to. Remember this.
  • CPM, Congress, BJP are all bhai bhai – jagai, madai, gadai. It is not a new situation.
    RSS is supporting BJP and even Congress in Baharampore. But what sort of Hinduism are they following? They are imposing more of it than being broad-minded and secular.
  • There are many faiths. I am born Hindu but I am first a human being, then I follow all other religions. I chant Hindu mantras every day and Muslim rituals as well. People should also follow this. There can be no division in voting on religious lines. Our basic thought is “Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Issai; hum sabh rahenge bhai bhai”.
  • Money being spent by the parties. The RSS is carrying cash and distributing to people. If you see anything like this, then immediately inform the police.
  • We have done many things for Murshidabad. We have built colleges, ITIs, hospitals – all work we will do and the babus will go to Delhi and claim that they have done it.
  • These babus and leaders come only during election, then go away and forget about the people here.
  • We will win 42 out of 42 and continue with development of Bangla.
  • In name of NRC, so many Hindus and Muslims are being chased out. Over 22 lakh names have been deleted.
  • All these are connivances to break the nation, break Bengal. But Trinamool will not allow this. How can you prevent this? By voting against them. That is the only way you can teach them a lesson.
  • UP and Bengal will decide the new government. BJP will not be coming to power. All the states one after the other will show that BJP is not the party that can show the way for the country’s progress.
  • Hence, we have to change. BJP govt has to change and be removed.
  • Please remember to vote for the Trinamool candidates and jora phool.

 

Darjeeling: Looking at a bright future

Darjeeling has witnessed phenomenal growth and development in the last seven and a half years. Despite few incidents of unrest in the Hills, efforts led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were decisive in re-establishing peace there.

Health: 4 fair-price medicine centres, 6 fair-price diagnostic centres, free beds, 8 SNSUs, 2 SNCUs, 3 CCUs, 3 HDUs

Schools: 131 schools established, 116 schools’ levels upgraded

Scholarships: 2.28 lakh students under Kanyashree, more than 1.07 lakh students under Sikshashree

Higher education: Darjeeling Hill University coming up in Mongpu; 2 government degree colleges, 2 ITIs coming up

Kisan Mandi: 3 Kisan Mandis set up

100 Days’ Work: More than 4.17 crore man-days created from FY 2013-14 to 2017-18

Housing: About 22,000 people benefitted from housing schemes, including rural housing

Industry: First Hill Business Summit held in 2018, at which investment proposals worth Rs 2,000 crore were received

Roads & bridges: 3,611 km of roads built/repaired/widened

Tourism: Bengal Safari Park near Siliguri; environment-friendly tourist lodge on Tiger Hill, renovation of Netaji Museum in Giddapahar; Roy Villa in Darjeeling, where Sister Nivedita died, acquired by the State Government and renovated

Development boards: 16 development boards created for 16 communities in the district for the communities’ social development and cultural well-being

Samajik Suraksha Yojana: 1.82 lakh unorganised labourers enlisted

Karmatirtha: 3 Karmatirthas built

Sports: Himal-Terai-Dooars Spots Festival being held every year with a lot of enthusiasm

 

2019 will see the end of the BJP Govt at the Centre: Abhishek Banerjee at Rajganj

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee today addressed a public meeting at Belakoba Public Club Ground at Rajganj in the Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha constituency.

Highlights of his speech:

I am warmly welcoming to all of you for coming here to attend our meeting.

Vote for Bijoy Chandra Barman, but remember that you are actually voting for Mamata Banerjee. I am confident when the counting will be done with on May 25, the people will see the BJP wiped out from Jalpaiguri.

Remember that there is a big difference between the 2014 election and this election. In 2014, we had asked you to vote against the corrupt Congress, communal BJP and violent CPI(M).

This time, the entire country has bowed down in fear to the BJP. However, Bangla has remained steadfast in its opposition to the communal-minded BJP.

Mamata Banerjee has proved again and again that Bangla is very strong and in fact, it has always been so – right from the days of the freedom movement, when the people of Bangla have showed their character. The people of the State cannot be swayed by false propaganda.

Since they cannot fight us politically, they have taken the refuge of religion.

I do not believe in dividing people on the basis of religion. I believe in real Hinduism, in the Hinduism preached by the likes of Swami Vivekananda, not in the fake Hinduism of Yogi Adityanath, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi.

I follow the tenets of Hinduism, worship Durga and at the same time, stand beside my Muslim brothers and sisters during Eid and ask for Allah’s blessings.

As a person, I can pray to any god I want, but a an elected representative of the people, my only religion is humanism, and therefore my duty is to see to it that every person receives the benefits of the developmental schemes that form the basis of our rule in the State.

They have been fooling the people over the last five years in the name of ‘Achhe Din’.

There has been no development done in the villages of Bangla by the Central Government. The BJP has only been indulging in communal politics.

Swami Vivekananda had said, “Bohurupe sammukhe tomar, chhari kotha khunjichho Ishwar,/ Jibe prem kore jei jon, sei jon sebichhe Ishwar” [translated as “Where are you looking for God – when he is in front of you in every living being, in many different forms? Those who serve mankind (and any other living being) are serving God”]

Five years ago, Narendra Modi had asked for votes in the name of Swami Vivekananda. If he was really a saviour of the Hindu religion, as he claims to be, why didn’t he give Belur Math the recognition it deserved?

All over the country there are no jobs and so people have no money, but in Bangla, because of Mamata Banerjee, you have everything.

I will say again and again, “Chowkidar chor hain”. I dare Modi to arrest me.

All criminals have only one address, and that is Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP candidate from Cooch Behar is involved in smuggling, for example.

The BJP has said that it will win 22 seats in Bangla but I can bet that we will win all 42 seats, and that will be revealed on May 25.

I am daring the BJP to win even a single seat here.

I have always worked for the good of the people by constantly being by their side, and not been like the BJP leaders, who are only interested air-conditioned comfort.

We have seen that the prime minister is neither a chaiwallah nor a chowkidar – but Mamata Banerjee has always remained genuine, still living in that humble house of hers while managing the welfare of 10 crore people of her State.

The BJP calls itself the saviour of Hindus, but what has it really done?

We used to say the Congress is corrupt from the sky to the ground – referring to the 2G Scam and the Coal Scam. The same can be said of the BJP – there is the Rafale Scam and the Namami Ganga Scam, and others in between.

You have always supported Mamata Banerjee and she has paid you back – Jalpaiguri circuit bench, engineering and medical colleges, ITIs and so many other benefits have come solely as a result of her efforts.
.
I can see 30,000 people here – can any of you say that you have received Rs 15 lakh in your bank accounts? Of course not.

But all of you can say that you have received the benefits of schemes like Kanyashree, Yuvashree, Sabooj Sathi, Rupashree, Sabujshree, Baitarani and others – this is what the government of Mamata Banerjee does.

On Apr 18, when you go out to vote, remember to vote for the right person, vote for the respect and culture of Bangla.

In Gujarat, which is Modi’s State, the BJP won all 26 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, but in the 2017 Assembly elections, they lost so many seats. Therefore, if Gujarat can do it, so can you.

Netaji had once said – give me blood and I will give you freedom; now Mamata Banerjee has given the call for Bangla – give me 42 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats, and I’ll give you a progressive and secular India.

Remember that voting for the CPI(M) or the Congress would be a waste of your money, because the fight this time is between Agnikanya Didi and the communal Modi.

All the surveys are saying that Modi is not coming back to power.

The prices of cooking gas, kerosene, petrol and diesel had gone up by several times a few months back, but over the last two months, as the BJP started losing in State elections, the prices have come down. The price of platform ticket has also gone up – from Rs 2 to Rs 20.

From June 1, after the new government is formed in May, the prices of all these items would come down further and become affordable for the common man once again.

The prime minister is shamelessly using the Army for getting votes. A few days back, he asked the people to vote for his party so that he could protect the army. This is just shamelessly using the soldiers’ deaths as a result of the Pulwama massacre for one’s own advantage.

Do you know the name of any of the people who have stood against Modi in his constituency? You haven’t, because the media is scared to report.

I will say again and again, chowkidar chor hain. I dare Modi to arrest me.

Let me tell you who has stood against Modi. It is the same person, then a BSF jawan, who had released a video that had gone viral, showing the pathetic quality of the food being served to them. He was sacked as a result. He is the person who is fighting Modi.

The prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has said that he wants Modi. And Pakistan is supposed to be our enemy. Therefore our enemy wants Modi as the prime minister. The ISI, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya, rioters and smugglers – all want Modi as the prime minister.

And all the hard-working people want Mamata Banerjee as the prime minister. This is the difference between them.

I exhort all the first-time voters of Jalpaiguri to vote for a better Bangla, a better Jalpaiguri, and for the unity and culture of Bangla.

Mamata Banerjee has not imposed a single rupee of extra tax because she can feel for the poor.

Modi doesn’t really feel for the poor. At his rallies, he just repeats word ‘garib’ like some chant, just like he chants the word ‘sena’ without really thinking of their good.

We want air and water as basic elements for survival. The BJP, on the other hand, thrives on creating divisions, and on instigating riots and communal troubles.

The BJP has realised that chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is no longer working in their favour.

By calling themselves Ram bhakts, the BJP people are actually insulting Ram. The real Ram did a lot of sacrifice, including spending 14 years in exile.

Last year, our government had decided to give Rs 10,000 each to 28,000 Durga Puja committees in the State. Instead of supporting this decision, the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress went to court the next day, terming the move as Hindu appeasement. This is the kind of care and concern they have for the people of the State.

We give ‘imam bhata’ (stipend for imams) and ‘moazzem bhata’ (stipend for moazzems) taking from the Waqf board, as per the directions of the Supreme Court, and not from the tax you pay us.

The money you give as tax we spend for your own welfare, in the form of various development schemes that have changed your lives for the better so much.

The BJP has not sent greetings even once to the people of the State on the occasion of Durga Puja, the biggest festival in the lives of Bengalis.

If you have your Ram, we have our Durga. But your Ram is now all alone, with only the CBI and ED by his side, while by our Durga stands the entire country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Your Ram is on his way out, being chased by our Durga.

2019 will see the end of the BJP Government at the Centre.

The two Lok Sabha seats that the BJP had won in Bangla in 2014, they will lose even those two this time.

Darjeeling and Asansol will reject the BJP. True to its form, the BJP has created unrest in both Darjeeling and Asansol.

Prove your true credentials of standing for a united Bangla, by voting out the BJP. Don’t leave even a square inch of space to the opposition.

Like the BJP, I too say ‘Bharat mata ki jay’, but I say it because of my pride for my country, not for achieving narrow communal ends.

Vote for Bijoy Chandra Barman, but remember that you are actually voting for Mamata Banerjee, and therefore for the development of Jalpaiguri and of Bangla in general.

I request everyone to go out early in the morning of April 18 to the polling booths and vote for Trinamool Congress.

I end my speech by paying my respect to everyone – the elderly, the youth, the party workers, the mothers and the sisters.

Jai Hind, Vande Mataram, Trinamool Zindabad, Mamata Banerjee Zindabad, victory to Jalpaiguri, victory to Bangla