Govt says it has open mind on considering demand of lawyers

The government Tuesday said it has an open mind on considering demand of lawyers, who are on a day-long strike seeking budgetary allocation for welfare of advocates, chamber facilities and accommodation.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad gave the assurance in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour.

"Government has an open mind on their demands," he said.

Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (TMC) raised the issue through a Zero Hour mention after broad consensus among members led to functioning of the House for the first time during the current Budget session that began on January 31.

He said 1.5 million lawyers across the country are on a strike Tuesday demanding among other things insurance cover and housing.

Responding to the mention, Prasad said he wants to assure the member that the demands will be considered by the government with an open mind.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said along with an open mind the demands should be considered with a positive mind.

"Open mind includes positive mind," Prasad said.

As many as 15 zero hour mention of matters of urgent public importance were raised.

Ram Nath Thakur (JD-U) said the AIIMS at Patna lacked basic facilities including OPD in many departments and inadequate number of doctors.

The government, he said, should provide infrastructure support to the AIIMS, Patna.

Santanu Sen (TMC) raised the issue of uniform rate being fixed for treatment of diseases while Harnath Singh Yadav (BJP) raised the issue of journalists working at partly salaries and at whims and fancies of newspaper owners and editors.

Vijay Pal Singh Tomar (BJP) sought strict action to check population growth and throwing out of illegal migrants.

Shanta Chhetri (TMC) raised the issue of the Centre not giving consent to West Bengal's proposal to give tribal status to 11 communities of Darjeeling.

Sanjay Raut (SS) raised the issue of teaches in two colliery schools not getting minimum and regular wages. He demanded revocation of suspension of teachers who had raised the issue and paying teachers due wages on time.

Noting that the ban on manufacture of firecrackers other than green crackers by the Supreme Court has led to closure of units in Tamil Nadu, Tiruchi Siva (DMK) said the government should exempt firecracker units from environment protection rules as eight lakh labourers have lost jobs followed the apex court ban.

Md Nadimul Haque (TMC) raised the issue of contractual workers of state-owned BSNL facing retrenchment due to cash crunch while Motilal Vora (Cong) wanted a commitment be extracted from sugar mills that they will clear all dues to cane farmers if their demand of raising retail price of sugar to Rs 35 per kg from Rs 30 currently is met.

While Elamaram Kareem (CPM) demanded constitution of a wage board for working journalists and inclusion of visual media under its mandate, Rakesh Sinha (Nominated) demanded that pension of 600 retired teachers of Delhi University be fixed expeditiously.