The Lok Sabha, which has been unable to transact any serious business since the start of the Monsoon Session Saturday, cleared three bills that ranged from raising the emoluments, allowances and privileges of governors, to amending states’ list of scheduled castes for inclusion and exclusion of certain castes in five states and a bill for modifying the list of scheduled tribes in the states of Kerala and Chattisgarh.
Proceedings couldn’t be carried on in the Lower House till Friday due to the agitation resorted to by the votaries of a united Andhra Pradesh, who were protesting against the decision to create a separate Telangana state by dividing Andhra Pradesh.
Finally, on Friday Speaker Meira Kumar suspended the 12 MPs for a period of 5 sitting days under rule 374 (A) that was used for the first time.
Winding up the discussion on the bill seeking to modify the list of SCs in four states, including Orissa, and omit one entry from the list of Sikkim, Union minister for social justice Kumari Selja said that the government is in the midst of talks with the private sector over providing reservation in jobs but prefers to do it an “amicable way.” She said: “We are in talks with the private sector on the issue and don’t want to take any stringent step. We want to do this in an amicable way.”
However, later during the course of her speech she struck a defiant posture saying: “We want that they (private sector) should realise the importance of the issue. If they don’t take it seriously there will be consequences.”
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Politicians ‘humiliate’ IPS officer
age correspondent
Guwahati, Aug. 24
The ongoing political battle in Assam has created serious embarrassment for a lady IPS officer, who has been targeted with personal derogatory remarks by prominent Congress leadersin local media, for her attempt to arrest a Congress legislator who allegedly slapped a police driver.
The IPS officer Sanjuk-ta Parashar is in the line of fire for her remarks that Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi who assaulted a police driver was absconding. She made this remark in presence of parliamentary secretary and in-charge of home department Etwa Munda who was sent by the CM to take stock of situation after an FIR was filed against Mr Kurmi. DGP Jayanta Narayan Choudhury said there was no evidence against Mr Kurmi assaulting the driver.