Issues, including rising number of cases of cancer amongst children in India, threat to strategic interests of India after Nepal and China signed some critical treaties and demilitarisation of Siachen and paid news figured prominently in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
The entire House associated with the issue of cancer amongst children in the age group 1-14 raised by BJP MP Prabhat Jha during Zero Hour. He said nearly 18,000 children died every year due to this disease in the country according to a study conducted by the Tata Cancer Centre in collaboration with a Canadian organisation. Even Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien expressed concern and said his State Kerala also reported a high number of cases and urged the Government to take note.
On the issue of Nepal-China ties, JD(U) member Pawan Verma said the Indian Government had taken its “eyes off the strategic ball” and charged it with complacency. He said the recent agreements signed between the two countries allowed Nepal transit through China besides rail network in the land locked hill nation.
Verma said it meant this agreement will allow Nepal to bypass geographical dependence on India and urged the government for intense engagement with Nepal including better access to ports and road connectivity. The house backed his plea.
JD-U leader Sharad Yadav urged the Government to talk with Pakistan to find ways to demilitarise Siachen glacier as more than 880 Indian soldiers had died there since the Army was inducted there in 1984. Pakistan also suffered nearly the same number of casualties due to hostile weather and terrain, he said and gave the recent example of ten Indian army soldiers who were buried in an avalanche there two months back.
Forty one Indian soldiers have lost their lives at the world’s highest battlefield since 2013, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed the lok Sabha on Friday. In a written reply, he said 10 soldiers were killed in 2013, eight and nine in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Till March 31, 14 soldiers have died this year, he said.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy sought a discussion over ‘paid news’ and reports that money was allegedly paid to middlemen for managing the Indian media to produce favourable news on the AgustaWestland deal. He said the Parliamentary Standing Committee in its 47th report laid on May 7, 2013 had dealt with the issue of ‘paid news.’ He also termed this phenomenon as “cancer in our democracy.”
Congress member Pramod Tiwari referred to the issue of police lathi charge on students at NIT Srinagar and charged the ruling BJP of not allowing the students to hoist the national flag.
