Oppn expresses concern over growing abuse of women

NEW DELHI: Opposition members on expressed anguish in the Rajya Sabha over the increasing cases of cases of sexual abuse against women in the country, blaming the law enforcement agencies of not doing their job properly.

"I am so embarrassed to stand every second day and talk about (women) security," Jaya Bachchan of the Samajwadi Party said during the Zero Hour after Congress member Kumari Selja raised the issue.

The SP member stressed that she would continue to raise the issue of women's security regularly.

Raising the issue of crime against women, the Congress MP said the law enforcing agencies were not doing their work properly, despite strict laws.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu too said that "political will and administrative skill" were required to "go for the kill of the social evil".

He stressed everyone should work together to address the menace.

In his Zero Hour mention, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh narrated his experience after his 'Narmada Parikarma" and spoke about the worsening situation of the river.

He said the water flow and level in the river has declined due to deforestation and unauthorised sand mining in the catchment area, while making several suggestions for the restoration of the river.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP) stressed the need for a review of environmental regulators and said that lakes were dying in Bengaluru due to the apathy of the state government.

He said the only option recourse left with people was the National Green Tribunal and said the state environment regulators should be "functional".

Raising the issue of the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Congress member Sanjay Sinh alleged that there has been discrimination against non- Assamese and people were being illegally detained.

Minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju promptly denied the allegations.

TMC member Derek O'Brien said that under the 2013 Companies Act, firms could contribute two per cent of their profits (three-year average annual profit) towards the Prime Minister Relief Fund as part of the corporate social responsibility, but cannot contribute to the chief minister's relief fund.

"Why not to 29 chief ministers' relief funds," he wondered and said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard.