MATTERS RAISED WITH PERMISSION 1. On the 8th December, 2003, Shri S.S. Ahluwalia raised a matter regarding reported attempts by the caretaker Chief Minister of Chhattishgarh to subvert the democratic mandate through unfair and unethical means. 2. On the 12th December, 2003, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition raised a matter regarding certain remarks made by Shri , Minister of State of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting against top leadership of the Congress Party. 3. On the 12th December, 2003, Shri Harendra Singh Malik raised a matter regarding plight of sugarcane growers in the country in general and in the State of in particular. 4. On the 12th December, 2003, Shrimati N.P. Durga raised a matter regarding abduction of two innocent Indians by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan on the charges of being intelligence agents. Shri O. Rajagopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 5. On the 15th December, 2003, Shri Rama Shanker Kaushik raised a matter regarding non-fixation of minimum support price for sugarcane during the current financial year. Shrimati , Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 6. On the 16th December, 2003, Shri Jibon Roy raised a matter regarding judgement of the Supreme Court of abrogating thereby the right to strike by employees and workers. Shri Sahib Singh Verma, Minister of Labour responded. 7. On the 16th December, 2003, Shri Suresh Pachouri raised a matter regarding one day national strike by the workers of petroleum PSUs on the 16th December, 2003 against the Government policy to disinvest and privatise the PSUs in the petroleum sector. Some Members and Leader of the Opposition also spoke. 8. On the 16th December, 2003, Shri Shankar Roy Chowdhury raised a matter regarding observance of 16th December, Vijaya Diwas, as a day of National Importance.

9. On the 17th December, 2003, Shri P.G. Narayanan raised a matter regarding a proposal to allow Hindi among the Indian languages for conducting the Defence Services Officers’ examination. Shri George Fernandes, Minister of Defence responded. 10.On the 17th December, 2003, Shri C. Ramachandraiah raised a matter regarding loss of life and property by the severe cyclone in the State of Andhra Pradesh. 11.On the 17th December, 2003, Shri S. S. Ahluwalia raised a matter regarding need for providing security to Shri Sukhbir Singh and Shri Pramod Mahajan, Members of Rajya Sabha. Shri I.D. Swami, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs responded.

12.On the 18th December, 2003, Shri Kapil Sibal raised a matter regarding situation in some parts of especially South Delhi over implementation of CAS. 13.On the 19th December, 2003, Shrimati Hema Malini raised a matter regarding need for setting up of a Film Studio-Museum in Mumbai. 14.On the 22nd December, 2003, Shri A. Vijayaraghavan raised a matter regarding deferring of Christmas Holidays of Kendriya Vidyalayas to the month of January. Some Members also spoke. Shri O. Rajagopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 15.On the 23rd December, 2003, Shri P.G. Narayanan raised a matter regarding Cauvery Water issue. 16.On the 23rd December, 2003, Shri Lalu Prasad and some other Members raised a matter regarding Aligarh Muslim University. Dr. Vallabhbhai Ramjibhai Kathiria, Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development responded. 17.On the 30th January, 2004, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and others raised a matter relating to the extension of the Winter Session of Parliament after its adjournment sine die on the 23rd December, 2003. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 18.On the 3rd February, 2004, Shri Suresh Pachouri and others raised a matter regarding advertisements published in the print media highlighting achievements of the Union Government to influence the electorate at the cost of exchequer. 19.On the 3rd February, 2004, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and others raised a matter regarding Address made by the Governor of Bihar on the Republic Day criticizing therein the Government of Bihar. 20.On the 4th February, 2004, Shri Nilotpal Basu and others raised a matter regarding autonomy in the functioning of the Aligarh Muslim University and other reputed institutions. 21.On the 4th February, 2004, Shrimati Sarla Maheshwari and others raised a matter regarding suspension of the Secretary, Sahitya Akademy by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. 22.On the 4th February, 2004, Shri Lalu Prasad raised a matter regarding Address made by the Governor of Bihar on the Republic Day. Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Law and Justice and Minister of Commerce and Industry responded. 23.On the 5th February, 2004, Shri Arjun Singh and others raised a matter regarding exoneration of late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister, by the Delhi High Court in the Bofors case.

(Total time taken: 3 Hrs. 55 Mts.)