1 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 DPK-RK/2M/12.00 SHRI PRASANNA ACHARYA (CONTD.): And preached throughout the world, Buddha’s theory of peace, non-violence, tranquility, brotherhood and humanity, that is my land, Odisha and from that land, Shri Naveen Patnaik has given the call of peace and non-violence. Sir, the Leader of the Opposition was mentioning in detail; what happened on 26th January at Red Fort is most unfortunate, no Indian can appreciate this. In fact, everybody has condemned it. But, Sir, putting the entire blame squarely on a few farmer organizations or a few farmer leaders is not going to solve the problem. My suggestion to the Government is that a proper impartial inquiry should be instituted into this incident. Let the inquiry be headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge. Let us all know about the truth of that incident. Who was behind all these things? How thousands and thousands of people were allowed to enter the Red Fort? Who has opened the gates of Red Fort? What was the role of the police? What was the role of the local administration? What was the role of the farmer leaders? What was the role of the farmer organizations that were spearheading the agitation and what was the role of the Government as a whole? Let the country know about this. We cannot sit silent by putting blame on certain people or certain 2 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 farmer leaders. Sir, this is one of the most unfortunate incidents that has happened after Independence in this country. Nobody can appreciate this. So, my suggestion to the Government is to institute a proper impartial inquiry into this incident, if possible, headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge. सच 啍या है, यह देश के सामने आना चािहए - हर भारतीय को जानने का अिधकार है िक सच 啍या है। Sir, the incident which took place on 26th January, it was not a simple incident, it was an unprecedented incident. One of the main demands of farmers was about the MSP. I do not want to enter into a detailed discussion on this; we will have enough opportunity to discuss it during the Budget discussion. Sir, MSP is one of the major demands of the farmers and Government is verbally assuring the farmers that MSP will be there. There is no question of removing MSP. If Government is prepared to give verbal assurance to the farmers, why can’t the Government add one line in the three laws which were brought to this House? Sir, this House has passed three farm laws. So, I do not understand what is the problem? If you can assure the farmers about MSP verbally, why don’t you write two lines in the law itself and give a legal assurance to the farmers of this country that yes, MSP was there and MSP will be there? But, yes, this is a different question as to how the Government defines MSP. My party has always been 3 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations so far as MSP is concerned, in true sense. The Government says, they have implemented Swaminathan Commission recommendation, we dispute it. Sir, the Government is yet to implement Swaminathan Commission recommendation in true sense, so far as MSP is concerned. So, my appeal to the Government would be to implement Swaminathan Commission recommendation so far as MSP is concerned. The Government has been assuring since 2014-15 that farmer’s income will be doubled. I would like to know from the Government, this is year 2021, by how many fold you have been able to increase the farmer’s income. What was the farmer’s income in the year 2014-15? What is the farmer’s income in the year 2020-21? Has it been doubled? If it has not been doubled, why? Can I not say that this is a failure of the Government in this respect? So, Sir, this is not the occasion and there is no time to enter into a detailed discussion on this. Hon. Leader of the Opposition was mentioning about the Champaran Satyagraha. I belong to Odisha. He was right. At that time, there was Bihar Orissa Assembly; Bihar and Orissa was one State. Mahatma Gandhi spearheaded the Champaran agitation against the forceful cultivation of indigo (Neel) by the British planters, because the cultivation of indigo was 4 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 spoiling the land. If you go for cultivation of indigo, you cannot cultivate other crops for four to five years; that was the complaint of the farmers. (CONTD. BY KLS/2N) KLS/DS/2N-12.05 SHRI PRASANNA ACHARYA (CONTD): As he was mentioning, I don’t want to reiterate it, a law was brought in the Bihar-Orissa Assembly. It was referred to a Select Committee on the demand of the Members. I don’t understand heaven wouldn’t have fallen if it had been referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha because that was the demand. Therefore, I think, the demand of the Opposition at that time has been vindicated by the Supreme Court. It is not the Select Committee but the Supreme Court has appointed a Committee. Of course, there are thousand questions marks about the constitution and nature of the Committee. Sir, you also know Odisha better. You have several times visited Odisha. We are reeling under natural calamities. You will be astonished to know that during the last century, Odisha was hit by natural calamities for 129 times. Can you imagine it? We were hit by natural calamities like cyclone, super cyclone, floods, drought, etc., for 129 times. We have bravely faced it. That has severely affected our economy. The last super cyclone in 1999 devastated Odisha. 5 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 Therefore, Sir, the Odisha has been demanding for a Special Status, a Special Category State. This has been our demand for many decades. We have been appealing to the Central Government to accord Special Status, and, if not, at least, accord a special package for Odisha so that we are able to deal with the situation and to confront whatever obstacles are coming in the way of development of Odisha. But that has not been done. Sir, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s greatest contribution was amalgamation of all Princely States in the Union of India which thereby brought about political integration of the country. Patelji brought political integration after Independence. We got Independence and due to the efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel all the Princely States were amalgamated with India. Sir, the political integration was done. But I think the task of economic integration seems to be halfway as yet because economic disparity between the States and regions still remains in this country. Yes, we have to admit that there is economic disparity from region to region and State to State in this country. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes are the most poorly served by the Indian States and they are vulnerable to chronic poverty. Uttar Pradesh, for example, and Eastern Coastal States like Odisha have a high concentration of SC/ST population. These States are economically less 6 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 developed than States like Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is the reality; there is no denying the fact. But what is your Special Package for such States that is my question. For that reason, Sir, Odisha has been demanding for a Special Package from the Central Government. We are a State all the time reeling under, as I said, natural calamities. That is one of the reasons that we are demanding for a Special Category State. Sir, during Zero Hour, you were kind enough to allow Dr. Sasmit Patra to raise a topic about the strengthening of women forces in this country. Sir, this House, this Rajya Sabha, in 2010 had already passed the Women Reservation Bill. You are very much aware of it. I think you were also a Member of Rajya Sabha at that time, Sir. But it has not yet been passed in the Lok Sabha for various reasons. The Bill has lapsed in Lok Sabha but the Bill has been passed in Rajya Sabha. Sir, this country is a great country. As you know, Sir, women constitute 48.5 per cent of our population; almost half of our population is women in this country. But, what is their representation in our parliamentary system? Even in this Lok Sabha, what is their percentage in last election; it is only 14 per cent. Half of the population is women but their representation in the highest forum of our democracy is only 14 per cent. (Contd by 2O/KGG) 7 Uncorrected/Not for Publication-03.02.2021 KGG-MZ/2O/12.10 SHRI PRASANNA ACHARYA (contd.): What is the global average of women's representation in Parliamentary forums of different countries? It is 24 per cent. Sir, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union report, even in countries like Afghanistan, they have in their Parliament 27 per cent women's representation. Saudi Arabia, a Muslim country, has 20 per cent women's representation! Nepal is a small country, but has 32 per cent women's representation. Bangladesh has 27 per cent women's representation. India, which is the largest democracy of the world with the second largest population in the world, has only 14 per cent women's representation in our Lok Sabha, the Parliamentary forum.