Tuesday, October 21, 2008
CPM backs Maya as PM candidate
CPI-M resolution on the
Congress was of the view that BSP will be an “important factor” in
places like Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, which are going to polls next
month
New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Members of the Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)
staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha Tuesday over the house’s alleged
inability to protect its members’ privileges and the anti-Christian
violence in Orissa.
The house had earlier seen two adjournments in the
day on various issues including the attack on north Indians by the
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Tamil civilians caught in the
military conflict in Sri Lanka and the alleged discrimination against
Kerala by the central government.
When the house re-assembled after lunch, CPI-M leader Basudev
Acharya wanted the house to discuss the anti-Christian violence in
Orissa, but Speaker Somnath Chatterjee stopped him and said: ‘I asked
you (to speak) but your deputy leader (Mohammed Salim) did not allow
you to speak. I’ll allow you to talk later now.’
Chatterjee was forced to adjourn the house till 2 p.m. after BSP
member Brajesh Pathak alleged that he had been threatened by a Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official on instructions by the
government before the July 22 trust vote.
Pathak demanded a probe into his allegation, which the speaker
refused to entertain. The BSP leader then wanted the matter to be
forwarded to the privilege committee of parliament.
CPI-M’s Mohammed Salim had then supported the BSP MP on the issue.
It was at this time that Acharya had started speaking on the communal
violence in Orissa, but could not complete what he was saying due to
the uproar in the house.
The BSP members, meanwhile, took up Pathak’s complaint again and
started shouting anti-government slogans and marched to the speaker’s
podium. Soon after, they announced a walkout.
N.N. Krishnadas of the CPI-M then urged the speaker to allow them to
speak since they had maintained decorum. But Chatterjee asked Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) leader Ananth Kumar to speak instead.
CPI-M leaders disrupted proceedings, called for two adjournment
motions - on the Orissa violence and the alleged negligence of Kerala
by the central government, and finally staged a walkout.
The Lok Sabha was first adjourned following chaos in the house as
soon as it assembled in the morning. While Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)
MPs shouted slogans to protest the attacks in Maharashtra by activists
of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on north Indian job aspirants
at railway recruitment exam centres, DMK MPs wanted to raise the issue
of the protection of Tamil civilians affected in the military conflict
between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan government.
MPs from Kerala protested against the alleged negligence of the state by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) A day after Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad called for a ban on the Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the arrest of its leader, the Congress,
Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Monday joined in the
demand terming the MNS’ attacks on non Maharashtrians as ‘regional
terrorism’.
‘The activities of the MNS have
become a serious threat to the security and integrity of our country.
The activities of MNS can be termed as regional terrorism for which Raj
Thackeray along with his activists should be arrested,’ said Minister
of State for Home Shakeel Ahmad of the Congress.
Railways
Minister Lalu Prasad had Sunday condemned the attack by MNS activists
on northern Indian candidates appearing for railway board examinations
in Mumbai and the tearing up of their answer sheets.
Lalu Prasad had called MNS chief Raj Thackeray a ‘mental case’.
The
Samajwadi Party equated the activities of the MNS with terrorists in
Kashmir and demanded the immediate arrest of Raj Thackeray and a ban on
the Maharashtra party.
‘There
is no difference between the MNS and the terrorists in Kashmir. Both
are spreading terror. Both are challenging the constitution of this
country. The government should immediately ban the MNS and arrest Raj
Thackeray to uphold the rule of law,’ said Kamal Akhtar, Rajya Sabha MP
of the Samajwadi Party.
The BSP also joined the chorus in terming MNS a terrorist outfit and demanding a ban on it.
‘The
Shiv Sena was born out of a feeling of hatred, earlier its target was
South Indians, and after that the target were Muslims. Now it is
spitting venom against north Indians. Organisations playing divisive
politics need to be banned,’ said Shahid Siddiqui, senior BSP leader.
Many north Indian candidates were injured and some had to be admitted to hospital after the MNS attack Sunday.
The
MNS was founded on March 9, 2006, in Mumbai after splitting of the
parent party Shiv Sena. Its president and founder is Raj Thackeray. The
party has courted controversy for its anti-north Indian propaganda and
use of violent means to pursue its political agenda.
representation in government and in distribution of
tickets if they are committed to the party
Assures them representation in government and in distribution of tickets if they are committed to the party |
Upper castes should help form a BSP Govt. at the Centre
Job reservation for poor among upper castes
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday assured the
upper castes that they would be given adequate representation in the
distribution of tickets and in the government, but only after ensuring
their support to the party.
Ms. Mayawati made it clear that though the Bahujan Samaj Party’s
core ideology of social brotherhood would not change, certain aspects
of mobilisation were introduced to broadbase the party’s upper caste
base.
Population of the different upper castes would not be the basis for
giving them representation. Instead, their commitment to the BSP’s
ideology and support for the party would be the deciding factor, Ms.
Mayawati said.
Addressing the convention on upper castes here, she said adequate
representation was given to the Brahmins before the 2007 U.P. Assembly
elections only after she was assured that the Brahmin ‘samaj’ would
vote for the party. Stating that poverty and unemployment stared in the
face of about 80 per cent of the upper castes in the country, Ms.
Mayawati said they should contribute in the formation of a BSP
government at the Centre, which was the safest bet for improving their
condition.
The poor among the upper castes would be given reservation in government jobs, she said.
She said several decisions had been taken by the BSP government for
the welfare of the upper castes. Ms. Mayawati attacked the Congress-led
UPA government on its silence on the Rs.80,000-crore package, which,
she said, would have enabled her to take more decisions in the interest
of the upper castes. Ms. Mayawati exhorted them to join forces with the
deprived sections of the Bahujan Samaj for getting political power at
the Centre.
“Strengthen foundation”
The Chairman of UP Advisory Council, Satish Chandra Mishra, called
upon the gathering to strengthen the foundation of social revolution
fostered by Ms. Mayawati.
He said the social engineering formula was a success as the
non-Brahmin and non-Thakur upper castes like the Vaishyas were moving
towards the BSP.