Hon.
Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to raise a very serious issue pertaining to the
demand for reinstatement of operation of wide-bodied aircraft and also for restoration
of the Haj embarkation point at Calicut Airport. This is a burning issue and it
has affected the people, especially of Malabar region. Till the closure of the
airport for re-carpeting in May 2015, wide-bodied aircrafts were operating from
this airport. With these types of aircraft, people were travelling to the Gulf
at cheaper air fares. The ban has hit the 18-million strong Indian diaspora
from Malabar region of the State, who use this gateway in all spheres,
including air travel, commercial exports, health care, tourism, etc. Similarly,
85 per cent of Haj pilgrims use this airport for Haj pilgrimage. The Haj house
constructed at exorbitant cost is now lying locked and idle.140 The operations have been
shifted to the Kochi International Airport which has affected the people of
Malabar region very adversely.160
What I understand is that many of the air operators are willing to operate
these types of aircraft. The Airport Authority of India also has no objections.
But unfortunately, the DGCA has put its foot down. So, my humble request and my
humble submission to the hon. Minister, through you, is to direct the
authorities to accept the demand immediately.
Sir,
I am sorry to raise before this House the attack on my constituency office in
Thiruvananthapuram and the death threats that I received from members of the
ruling party in response to my criticism of far-right extremism. This is not
just an attack on constitutionally-sanctioned MP’s office but also a larger
attempt by incendiary elements and their digital equivalents280 to destroy the idea of
India as a pluralistic and accepting democracy. Their victims, in recent
months, have included intellectuals, minorities, and various citizens of the
country. Yesterday, even Swami Agvinesh was attacked. These are people who have
expressed dissent320
against rising intolerance in today’s India and they are being attacked
physically. In doing so, they are disregarding the singular principle of our
historic democratic consensus which is that in a diverse democracy like ours,
you do not need to agree all the time, so long as you will agree on the ground
rules of how you will disagree. That is what we have seen today with the No
Confidence Motion. But it is not what we are seeing in the streets where the
ground rules of our democracy are being betrayed by those who have been elected
by the420 people of India
as a ruling party and they are betraying this basic ground rule. I want to say,
Mr. Deputy-Speaker, that we cannot and should not stand by as communal
violence, mob-lynching and hooliganism replace rule of law and rights
guaranteed by our Constitution. I strongly urge the Prime Minister to break his
silence on the behaviour of his480
own party men and act against these anti-national elements and anti-Indian
elements who seek to abridge the freedom of speech in our democracy.
Deputy
Speaker, Sir, there are 10,000 Short Service Commissioned Officers in the Army,
and they do not receive medical benefits from the Government. These Officers are
commissioned to serve in the prime years of their life for 10 to 14 years and
then released without medical benefits. In 2008, the Armed Forces Tribunal,
Chandigarh had asked for560
the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme to be extended to these Officers,
and in 2009 the then Prime Minister had given an assurance in this very House
that this Scheme will be extended to them. However, nine years later, there has
been no constructive action in this regard, and in 2011 the Government of that
day filed an appeal int he Supreme Court against giving these medical benefits.
This reluctance to extend medical benefits is very demoralizing for our
Officers who640 spend the
prime years of their life in service to the nation. The most affected, as a result
of this, are our women Officers, since the armed forces rarely make permanent
recruitment of women, and 76 per cent of women in the Army are on Short Service
Commission. The Expert Committee on Defence in 2015, and the Standing Committee
on700 Defence in 2018
have both recommended that the Contributory Health Scheme should be extended to
the Short Service Commissioned Officers. I would request the Government to take
expedited cognizance of this matter and extend medical benefits to those
Officers with immediate effect. This will go a long way in boosting their
morale towards joining the service and staying in service for a longer number
of years.
Sir,
My State Kerala has been experiencing havoc due to the severe monsoon since May
29, 2018. All the 14 districts of the State of Kerala starting in the North
from Kasargod to the800
South to my district Thiruvanathapuram have been affected since 29th of May,
2018. As per the latest information that we have received on this occasion when
this august House has started this Monsoon Session today, more than 90 people
have840 died due to the
flood, severe rain and the havoc caused by the monsoon. More than 300 people
have suffered injuries. Many of the injuries are of grievous nature. About 329 pucca built houses are fully destroyed
in the floods and rains. More than 9000 houses have been partially destroyed
during the havoc caused by the severe monsoon. You very well know the sad
plight of our farmers. More than 12,000 hectares of the agricultural land have
been submerged in the rain water and nothing could be done during the last two
months. The Disaster Management Authority is trying its best to save the people
and to protect the life and property of the people. It is estimated that there960 has been a loss of more
than Rs. 2,000 crore. Buildings have been washed away; bridges have been washed
away;980 roads have been
washed away; and the pucca built dwelling houses have also been washed away. In
many of the districts, schools have been closed; people cannot move out; and
rail traffic has been affected. Many of the trains starting from Chennai cannot
come to the southern districts of Kerala. Even some of the temples have been
submerged in the rain water. This is a matter concerning the life and death of
the people of all the 14 districts of Kerala. Our hon. Parliamentary Affairs
Minister is here. I would request him to provide urgent help to the people who
are affected. This is not a part of any political game. I am a representative
of the people. I am speaking nothing but truth in this august House.
Hon.
Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to urge upon the Government1120 to release various
funds of Centrally aided schemes which are overdue to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu
Education Department has not received Rs.4,474 crore from the Centre under
various schemes in the last few years. Many education schemes, including
post-matric scholarship for SC/ST students had suffered as the State was denied
Central funds on the ground of exhausting the budgetary allocations. A sum of
Rs.1,547 crore has been pending towards the post-matric scholarship scheme for
Scheduled Castes and Rs. 27 crore for Scheduled Tribes for over a year. The
annual allocation is grossly inadequate. I would request that this amount may
at least be doubled this year. The Union Government has to pay arrears of Rs.
1,312 crore for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to Tamil Nadu. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
aims at providing basic education to children upto the age of 141260 and any delay in the
release of funds will hit basic education in spite of Tamil Nadu Government’s
best1280 efforts. Under
the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan scheme, which is implemented to provide
secondary education, an amount of Rs. 1,558 crore is due to be given to the
State. Funds under SSA and RMSA schemes have not been allotted to the State
though these projects have been approved by the Project Approval Board. As
education is pivotal to the task of nation building, I appeal to the Government
to release all the funds due for Tamil Nadu without further delay.
Hon.
Deputy Speaker, Sir, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are
the largest producers of silk with Karnataka contributing about 60 per cent.
Most of the silk is being exported. Because of the reduction in duty by the BJP1400 Government, farmers and
silk reelers are suffering. When the UPA Government was there, the duty was
increased from 10 to 15 per cent. I urge upon the Government to come forward to
protect the farmers and silk reelers by1440
way of MSP and incentive. Farmers and silk reelers are committing suicide. They
are facing serious problems, especially in south Karnataka. So, this is a very
important issue. Only three days ago, some farmers committed suicide. So, I
urge upon the Government to take necessary steps in this regard.1488
