THE last week of April was dedicated to financial business in both houses. In Lok Sabha increases in the prices of essential commodities, petroleum products and fertilisers were the issue on which the Left and other opposition parties walked out for three consecutive days. There was a division on cut motions moved by the Left and other parties when a large number of demands for grants were guillotined. In the voting on finance bill on April 29, the Left parties’ amendments were defeated by voice vote. The Left and other parties registered their protest over the price increases and walked out during the voting.
Brinda Karat, CPI (M), strongly raised the issue of revelations by agencies on bomb blasts in Ajmer dargah and Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad. She said according to investigations, groups acting in the name of Hindutva committed these blasts in these places of worship. Similar groups were involved in the Malegaon and Modasa blasts in 2008. But the government immediately linked the blasts to members of the Muslim community. Blaming Muslims has become an automatic reaction. It is gravest injustice to the community and it helps terror groups as the credibility of our investigation gets compromised. The arrest, torture and incarceration of 75 Muslim youth in Hyderabad in 2007 and later in Malegaon in 2008 were shameful. Demanding fresh probe into the Mecca Masjid blasts in the light of new evidence, she insisted on compensation for these youth and an inquiry into the network of groups committing acts of terror in the name of Hindutva in different parts of the country.
Earlier, opposing the introduction of the Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill 2010, Basudeb Acharia said allowing foreign direct investment in higher education and foreign teaching staff into the country will distort our already elitist educational structure. It will make education more commercial, without any regulation and control over such institutions. He said the government is seeking to centralise all powers in the sphere to the detriment of the states. One notes that this bill was sought to be introduced in Rajya Sabha in 2007, but the government could not do so because of stiff opposition from the Left.
On May 6, Lok Sabha discussed the need for specific parameters of conducting the census. Participating in the debate, the CPI (M)’s Ram Chandra Dome said our country is a democratic secular republic and we cannot support any division on the basis of caste, creed and religion. Our plans, policies and programmes are made on the basis of exact composition of the people. But reservation has the constitution’s sanction. We are for a casteless and classless society but are carrying the legacy of the past. It is unfortunate that the caste system is still continuing, needing enumeration on caste. So the government must formulate a mechanism to include OBCs in the enumeration process to make it meaningful.
On May 7, last day of the budget session, Lok Sabha witnessed a walkout by Left and BJP members opposing the introduction of Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010. Opposing the bill lock, stock and barrel, Basudeb Acharia and Ram Chandra Dome termed it as unconstitutional, saying it violates article 21 of the constitution. The bill violates the Supreme Court judgement which said the polluter pays the damage. The right to life is a fundamental right of a citizen but the bill compromises one’s right to claim adequate compensation.
Source: People’s Democracy dated 16-05-2010
No comments:
Post a Comment