MATTERS RAISED WITH PERMISSION 1. On the 18th February 2003, Shri C. Ramachandraiah raised a matter regarding severe drought condition in the State of Andhra Pradesh. 2. On the 18th February, 2003, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and some Members raised a matter regarding volatile situation prevailing in the West Asia with particular reference to Iraq. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 3. On the 18th February, 2003, Shri Suresh Kalmadi raised a matter regarding India’s participation in SAF Games in Islamabad. 4. On the 20th February, 2003, Shri Suresh Pachouri raised a matter regarding the potability of the bottled mineral water. 5. On the 21st February, 2003, Shri N.K. Premachandran raised a matter regarding brutal police atrocities against the Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) at Muthanga in Kerala. 6. On the 25th February, 2003, Shri Kapil Sibal raised a matter regarding inordinate delay in the prosecution of accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Law and Justice and Minister of Commerce and Industry responded. 7. On the 3rd March, 2003, Dr. Abrar Ahmed raised a matter regarding threat to the lives of his own self and that of his family members. Shri O. Rajagopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 8. On the 3rd March, 2003, Shri Rajeev Shukla raised a matter regarding felicitations to the Indian Cricket Team on its victories over England and Pakistan in the World Cup. 9. On the 4th March, 2003,Shri S. Viduthalai Virumbi and some other members raised a matter regarding reported attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy in Indian territorial waters. Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of Finance and Company Affairs and Leader of the House responded. 10.On the 6th March, 2003, Shri Motilal Vora raised a matter regarding recent developments in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Shri Janeshwar Mishra, Shri Gandhi Azad, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Shrimati Sarla Maheshwari and Shri Sanjay Nirupam also spoke. 11.On the 7th March, 2003, Dr. (Shrimati) Najma Heptulla, Deputy Chairman raised a matter regarding need to pass the Women Reservation Bill expeditiously. 12.On the 11th March, 2003, Shri Pranab Mukherjee raised a matter regarding need for a statement from the Prime Minister on the latest situation on Iraq. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 13.On the 11th March, 2003, Shrimati Sarla Maheshwari raised a matter regarding erosion of the banks of river Ganges. 14.On the 13th March, 2003, Shri N.K. Premachandran raised a matter regarding police atrocities on Adivasi/Tribal people of Kerala. 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 13th March, 2003, Shri Harendra Singh Malik raised a matter regarding plight of sugar cane growers of Uttar Pradesh. 16.On the 7th April, 2003, Shri K. Natwar Singh and other Members demanded suspension of the Question Hour and adoption of a unanimous Resolution on Iraq. Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of Finance and Company Affairs and Leader of the House responded. 17.On the 8th April, 2003, Shri Sanjay Nirupam raised a matter regarding the need to take adequate measures at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai to contain the spread of deadly disease called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). 18.On the 21st April, 2003, Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav raised a matter regarding alleged victimization of political opponents in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition and some Members also spoke. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 19.On the 21st April, 2003, Shri Pranab Mukherjee raised a matter regarding a statement reportedly made by the Prime Minister during his speech in Srinagar for improvement of relationship between India and Pakistan. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs informed that Prime Minister will make a statement on Thursday, the 24th April, 2003. 20.On the 24th April, 2003, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition and others raised a matter regarding devastation caused by cyclone and thunderstorm in Assam on the 22nd April, 2003. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister responded. 21.On the 24th April, 2003, Shrimati Sarla Maheshwari raised matters regarding the agitation by women for the strengthening of Public Distribution System and early passing of the Women Reservation Bill. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister responded. 22.On the 25th April, 2003, Shri Manoj Bhattacharya raised a matter regarding non- responding by Union Ministers to letters of Members of Parliament. 23.On the 29th April, 2003, Shrimati N.P. Durga raised a matter regarding strike of the Air India pilots without giving any prior notice and the consequences thereof. 24.On the 5th May, 2003, Shri Suresh Pachouri and others raised a matter regarding reported distribution of Trishuls by Shri Praveen Togadia, International General Secretary of Viswa Hindu Parishad in a function organized in Delhi. Shrimati Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 25.On the 5th May, 2003, Shri A. Vijayaraghavan raised a matter regarding loss of human lives in communal riot at Marad in Calicut district of Kerala. Shri O. Rajagopal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs responded. 26.On the 5th May, 2003, Shri Janeshwar Mishra and others raised a matter regarding removal of Munshi Premchand’s novel ‘Nirmala’ from the syllabus of 12th standard by the Madhyamik Siksha Board. 27.On the 6th May, 2003, Shri Moolchand Meena and others raised a matter regarding atrocities being committed on Dalits in the State of Haryana. 28.On the 7th May, 2003, Shri Matilal Sarkar and others raised a matter regarding incidents of killings and kidnappings by NLFT and ATTF militants in the State of Tripura. 29.On the 8th May, 2003, Shri Suresh Pachouri raised a matter regarding reported meeting between the officers of the Ministry of Rural Development and Shri Venkaiah Naidu, President of the Bhartiya Janata Party at his residence. Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of Finance and Company Affairs and Leader of the House responded. 30.On the 8th May, 2003, Shri P.G. Narayanan raised a matter regarding non release of Cauveri Water to Tamil Nadu by the Government of Karnataka. 31.On the 8th May, 2003, Shri Nilotpal Basu raised a matter regarding continuance of killings of people by militants in Tripura. Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of Finance and Company Affairs and Leader of the House responded. 32.On the 8th May, 2003, Shri Balkavi Bairagi and others raised a matter regarding launch of ‘chappal’ with the images of Lord Ganesha printed thereon by an American company named ‘American Eagles’. Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister of Finance and Company Affairs and Leader of the House responded. (Time taken: 4 Hrs. 31 Mts.) .