Concern in Rajya Sabha over communal clashes

New Delhi: Concern was voiced in Rajya Sabha over rising communal clashes in the country, including the one at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, CPI-M member KN Balagopal demanded that government should make efforts to check such incidents that lead to hatred among communities. Raising another issue, P Rajeeve (CPI-M) demanded immediate intervention of the Government in evacuation of Indians in strife-torn Libya. Vijay Goel (BJP) sought ban on multi-digit online lotteries which was destroying lakhs of families across the country.

He said there are still 8-9 states where such online lotteries existed and urged members to ask their states to ban such lotteries. Avtar Singh Karimpuri (BSP) raised the issue of declaring a holiday on the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh who took revenge of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by killing British General Dyer. He also sought setting up of a museum in Delhi in the memory of the freedom fighter. V Maitreyan (AIADMK) raised the issue of retrieval of Katchateevu island and sought the Centre`s intervention in removal of a derogatory article on Sri Lankan defence Ministry`s website. His party colleague S Muthukaruppan also raised the issue. Husain Dalwai (Cong) flagged the issue of atrocities on lower castes and Balmikis in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra due to alleged love affairs between members of lower castes and upper castes. Mahendra Singh Mahara (Cong) referred to problems faced by Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.