Elders on Tuesday expressed concern over incidents of mob lynching with specific reference to a recent case of alleged cow vigilantism in Rajasthan and girls allegedly subjected to sexual abuse in shelter home in Bihar. Other issues to figure prominently in the Rajya Sabha included plight of students who take loan from banks and then unable to repay it, floods and drought in some parts of UP and Bihar and agitation in Manipur.
Raising the issue in the Zero Hour of a man lynched on the suspicion of cow smuggling in Alwar, the Rajya Sabha, Shanta Chhetri (TMC) also demanded a law to prevent vigilantism. Citing media reports, she also claimed 88 lives were lost in lynching incidents since the NDA Government came to power.
Noting that the Supreme Court had last week asked for a law banning mob lynching, she sought a reply from the Government on the steps taken to prevent such incidents. Chhetri also asked the Government to spell out action taken on framing the anti-lynching law. Several MPs from opposition parties backed her contention by raising their hands to associate themselves with it. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu hoped the Government will take note of the issue raised as it was important.
Expressing anguish over the alleged rape and murder of a girl at a Government-funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) said violence against women was a serious matter and the Chair termed the incident serious. Jha alleged the shelter was being run by a person, while the contract was in the name of another person. Many other girls in the shelter home were also sexually abused, Jha alleged.
On education loan students, members of arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK came together. The issue was raised by T Siva (DMK) as he demanded that the interest on such loans should either by waived off by the banks or borne by the Government. AIADMK members also associated themselves with the issue.
Rewati Raman Singh (SP) highlighted the problems faced by states like UP and Bihar due to floods and drought. He asked the government to explain about lack of a permanent solution to deal with floods and drought which affect various states almost every year. CPI leader D Raja raised the issue of the ongoing agitation by the students of Manipur University demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor.
Among other issues, Sanjay Singh (AAP) wanted the Government to hold talks with 86-year old G D Agarwal, who has been on an indefinite fast demanding cleaning of the Ganga River. Kanimozmi (DMK) raised the issue of killing of 13 persons in police firing while they were demanding closure of the Sterlite Copper’s smelter plant in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. She alleged normalcy has not returned to the city and people continue to be harassed by midnight searches by the police. Sambhaji Chhatrapati (Nominated) raised the issue of reservation to Marathas, saying the government should hold consultations with all stakeholders to defuse a situation trying volatile. Satyanarayan Jatiya (BJP)called for setting up more storage facilities to prevent damage to food grain.