Members in Rajya Sabha today voiced concern over continuance of manual scavenging as well as atrocities against dalits, SCs and STs and wanted the government to take effective steps to deal with such issues.
Initiating a discussion on the 'Working of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment', Derek Obrien (TMC) said the ministry was spending only 50 Paisa per month on each of the 90 crore citizens, who are covered under the ministry.
He demanded doubling of the fund allocation for the ministry from Rs 6,500 crore to Rs 13,000 crore.
Referring to manual scavenging, he said an amount of Rs 480 crore was earmarked for their welfare but the spending was "zero".
The TMC MP also sought passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014.
Veer Singh (BSP) said SCs and STs continue to be subjected to discrimination even after 66 years of independence. He alleged scholarship amount for students of SC and ST communities are not reaching them and claimed that disparity exists in the judiciary also.
Singh also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, saying "people need pen in their hand for knowledge, not broom sticks".
Jharna Das Baidya (CPI-M) alleged diversion of funds meant for the SC and ST programmes in BJP ruled states, saying this money has been utilised for construction of highways and purchase of aircrafts.
She attributed the issue to the growing maoist menace in states such as Jharkhand.
Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said all the talks of eliminating caste disparity in India are "shallow" as nothing has happened on the ground to remove the miseries of people belonging to SC, ST and other backward classes.
He referred to USA, where the blacks have fought for their rights and where the citizens have "elected a black to the White House".
Observing that caste system has been prevelant for thousand of years in India, Yadav said this is an "evil" which cannot remain hidden.
Raising concern over atrocities against persons belonging to SCs, Tarun Vijay (BJP) said separate burial grounds were functioning for SCs and Caste Hindus.
He also claimed that representation of people from the downtrodden communities was less in the media industry including the film sector.
Tanzeen Fatima (SP) alleged that a fellow MP had demanded snatching of voting rights from Muslims and said statements were causing disharmony in the society.
