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.
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
The CPI (M)’s Moinul Hassan and T N Seema participated in the Rajya Sabha discussion on the ministry of home affairs’ working. Hassan said naxalism is today a serious threat to the nation’s internal security and we all must face it unitedly. Allocation of fund for modernisation of the police forces and also for curbing infiltration and drug racketing in the border areas is not sufficient to tackle the present situation. Border management is inadequate and fencing work still incomplete. Plan allocation for it is very small. Hassan stressed that common people are being harassed in the name of border management. Border development is under two ministries while it should be under one ministry for proper management. He appealed to the home minister to tackle the Maoist killing spree in West Bengal. A comprehensive legislation must be brought for the refugees. There must also be plan allocation for the Narcotic Control Bureau to check drug trafficking and abuse.
Seema made her maiden speech on the day. Referring to the annual report of home ministry, she said the rate of crimes in the country has increased, particularly of those against women, children, SCs and STs. Sex ratio is declining. Communalism continues to be a matter of great concern. We have many laws but the enforcement is very ineffective. Victims do not get justice. The police, with colonial mindset, do not register complaints. The system is corrupt and incorrigible, demanding urgent police reforms. We have to go in for some innovative schemes to ensure people’s participation in the police functioning at local level. Seema described the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act as inadequate for handling different kinds of human trafficking in and outside India, urging the minister to strengthen the law and make coordinated efforts to put an end to the poor victims’ sufferings. The government must consider honour killing as a major crime and include it separately in the annual report of the ministry. She also demanded a minimum Indian identity for lakhs of Indians who are working abroad through their inclusion in the census.
Source: People’s Democracy dated 16-05-2010
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