Insult of martyrs and hoisting Pakistani flags in Mumbai condemned in Parliament

Pramod Kumar

Expressing strong resentment over the insult of martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti in Mumbai and hoisting Pakistani flags by some anti-national elements during a rally organised by some Muslim organisations on August 11, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj demanded that those who love Pakistan more than India should permanently be dispatched to Pakistan and no any such anti-India element should be tolerated in the country at all.

Raising the issue in Parliament on August 14, Shri Punj also questioned the silence of so-called secular parties over the anti-India incident that took place at historic Azad Maidan. He said the miscreants struck at the heart of the nation’s pride by vandalising the iconic Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial near CST. “They kicked at the memorial, smashed it with a lathi, and then damaged the rifle and helmet inside the fiber glass casing. It is deliberate insult of our martyrs and the country would never tolerate it,” he said.

Referring to the violent demonstration by Muslim miscreants Shri Punj said the way the entire demonstration was organised and highly objectionable slogans were raised are a matter of serious concern for all the patriotic people. “Basically two issues were raised in the rally—violence in Assam and atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Everybody knows that the violence in Assam began after the attack by Bangladeshi infiltrators on local Bodo people. But in this rally, the demonstrators supported the invaders (infiltrators) and condemned the victims. Was it only because the infiltrators belong to their religion, Islam? I want to know if any atrocity has been perpetuated on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, how the people of Mumbai are responsible for it and why were they punished for it?” Shri Punj asked.

Shri Punj alleged the Congress was indulging in vote bank politics on this issue. Despite having prior information of the possible violence, both the central and the Maharashtra and Assam state governments took no action. He also came down heavily on the Maharashtra government which did not act against the miscreants only because the month of ramjan is going on. “If crime can be committed during ramzan, why law cannot move against the culprits during those days? If Shankaracharyaji can be arrested on the eve of Diwali, disregarding the holiness of Diwali, why the criminals are not arrested during the ramzan? This vote bank politics will cost the nation heavily,” he said.

As a fall-out of Assam violence, the anti-national elements, Shri Punj said, were targeting people from north-east settled in various parts of the country such as – Pune, Bangalore, Mumbai and Ranchi. The government, he said must offer protection to the victims of this mindless threats by anti-social elements.

Earlier, initiating the discussion on violence in Assam during Short Duration Discussion in Parliament on August 8, Shri Punj said what is happening in Assam today can happen anywhere in the country and it may invite to grave unrest. Referring to the news that the Bodo refugees are being forced by the local police to return their respective villages so that the state government can claim normalcy there, Shri Punj demanded that the refugee should not be forced to return till there is adequate security in the affected villages.

Shri Punj also questioned the unnecessary delay in sending army to Assam. “If the army was deployed there timely, many innocent lives and property worth crores of rupees could have been saved,” he said. He appealed to the Congress not to look at the problem with communal glass. “Basically it is an invasion by the foreigners on Indian land, citizens, resources, and above all the sovereignty.

Reeling figures, Shri Punj said the population of Hindus was falling and that of Muslims skyrocketing. In Bhowraguri area of Kokrajhar the share of Hindu population, between 1991 and 2001, dropped by one per cent and those of Muslims went up by almost 26 per cent. This happened because of the infiltration. Similarly, in Dotma taluka of Kokrajhar the share of Hindu population dropped by 16 per cent but the Muslim population rose by 26 per cent. Similarly, in Bagribari of Dhubri the share of Hindu population dropped by 4.11 per cent and that of Muslims went up by 31 per cent. In Chapar of Dhubri also the growth rate of Hindu dropped by 2.17 per cent and that of Muslims went up by 37.39 per cent,” he said.

Shri Punj further said if we continue to look at the symptoms and do not go into the real reasons of unrest, we will never be able to solve the problem. He demanded the government to declare the infiltrators as ‘stateless persons who have no right to vote and own property in India’.

Government to consider providing subsidy to Amarnath Yatra pilgrims

The central government said on August 14 to think over a proposal to provide subsidy to Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. Replying to a suggestion made by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj in Parliament, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said he would look into the suggestion.

Participating in the discussion over poor management during Amarnath Yatra, Shri Punj said it is clear that the State Government, which is in charge of the Yatra, feels that it does not have necessary resources to finance proper arrangements for the Yatra. “What I want to know from the Hon. Minister is can the Central Government consider a proposal to give subsidy to the state government on per Yatri basis, as is being done in the case of Haj, where the Centre is giving Rs 800 crore as Haj subsidy?”Taking note of this suggestion, the Union Home Minister said he will look into it.