Cutting across party lines, members in the lok Sabha lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government for quick response to the Nepal earthquake and decided to donate a month’s salary for the relief work. Members in the Rajya Sabha also expressed their condolences to the families who lost their dear ones in the earthquake.
While giving details of India’s efforts to help out Nepal, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh took opportunity to laud the Prime Minister who he said was the first to inform him about the earthquake and told him that a meeting had been called at 3 pm. He conceded that he did not know about the tragedy until the Prime Minister informed him. Rajnath said the Prime Minister is himself monitoring the relief and rescue operations.
Earlier in the day Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expressed grief over deaths of people in Nepal and India due to the earthquake. The House also stood in silence briefly as a mark of respect for the departed.
During the debate, Mallikarjun Kharge (Cong) said it is a matter of pride that India is standing by its neighbour in this hour of crisis and noted that all parties should stand together as one person cannot provide all the help.
Many members maintained that unplanned development and at times “a blind imitation of the West” was causing incalculable harm “to the mother earth” leading to tragedies like the one witnessed in Nepal. Kharge wondered if the society is moving in the wrong direction in this era of technology and inviting the nature’s fury.
Mala Rajya laxmi Shah (BJP MP from Tehri Garhwal), who is of Nepalese origin, expressed concern over the death and devastation in the Himalayan nation saying she is yet not able to locate her brother living there.
BJP MP Yodi Adityanath and Bhartruhari Mahtab drew attention of the Government to damage caused by quake in Tibet and asked the Government to pay attention to harm done to the “sensitive Himalayas” and find details. Adityanath pointed out that China was digging tunnel under Everest to run a railway through Tibet which may again “invite trouble” in the youngest mountain range.
Sugata Roy said traditional housing construction had stood good the test of time while “modern RCC construction” has failed the test during earthquakes and caused heavy damages to life and property.