Govt claims zero manual scavenging incidents since 2020
Saket Gokhale says "shameless" in Parliament
New Delhi: A question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the Parliament and his response on X to the answer to his question has gained significant attention.
Gokhale had inquired about the total number of incidents of manual scavenging reported in India over the past five years. The official response from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, given by Minister of State Ramdas Athawale, stated that there have been zero incidents of manual scavenging reported in the last five years.
Gokhale took to X, expressing disbelief and accusing the Modi government of lying openly on the Parliament floor. The tweet read: "UNBELIEVABLE! Modi Govt replies to my question in Parliament & says that ‘there’s been zero incidents of manual scavenging reported in the last 5 years’. It takes a whole new level of shamelessness to lie openly & brazenly on the floor of Parliament."
The Minister's reply stated that manual scavenging has been a prohibited activity since the enactment of the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)". According to the Act, no person or agency can engage in or employ others for manual scavenging. Any violations of this Act are punishable with imprisonment or fines.
The ministry had also launched a mobile app, "Swachhata Abhiyaan'', in December 2020, aimed at capturing data on insanitary latrines and manual scavengers. The ministry stated that all 6,256 cases uploaded on the app from 114 districts were verified and found to be non-credible.
Despite these official claims, numerous reports contradict the government's position. Manual scavenging, defined as manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling human excreta, remains a grim reality in many parts of India. Reports indicate that manual scavenging persists in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) observed in 2021 that the eradication of manual scavenging is far from complete, contradicting government claims. According to a report published in The Wire, government data shows that 339 people died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks between 2018 and 2023. These deaths, attributed to hazardous cleaning practices and non-observance of safety precautions, underscore the ongoing issue.
Minister Athawale had back then acknowledged these deaths, noting 9 recorded in 2023, 66 in 2022, 58 in 2021, 22 in 2020, 117 in 2019, and 67 in 2018. He had also mentioned the government's efforts to address the issue through schemes like the renamed National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE), previously known as the Self-Employment Scheme of Liberation & Rehabilitation of Scavengers (SRMS).
Additionally, a report published in the Deccan Herald states that in Karnataka alone, 90 manual scavengers have died since 2020, as claimed by the Karnataka Safai Karmachari Commission. The chairperson of the Commission, Kote M Shivanna, emphasized the need for accountability, suggesting that officers heading respective local bodies should be punished in cases of such deaths.
Despite government interventions, critics argue that the denial of the existence of manual scavenging hampers real progress.
In a piece published on The Wire in March 2022, researchers Jawed Alam Khan and Rahat Tasneem said, “The government’s obstinate denial regarding the existence of manual scavenging is proving to be detrimental in making any real progress.”
UNBELIEVABLE!
— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) July 24, 2024
Modi Govt replies to my question in Parliament & says that “there’s been zero incidents of manual scavenging reported in the last 5 years”.
It takes a whole new level of shamelessness to lie openly & brazenly on the floor of Parliament. pic.twitter.com/cyFpeZsK5M
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BJP intends to incite violence by playing DJ in UP elections: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed that the "BJP intends to play DJs at full volume" during their campaign in Uttar Pradesh elections to deliberately "spread hatred and incite violence" in the state.
Speaking to reporters at the party office in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, "This time, the elections will be contested in Uttar Pradesh through the DJs. They intend to use DJs extensively to spread hatred and incite violence. If objectionable songs are played, there will naturally be a response from the opposing side. This appears to be yet another new conspiracy of the BJP. We have already warned the public about this."
The assembly elections are due early next year in the state.
He also referred to the recent deaths of as many as 140 chickens at a farm due to loud music from a wedding procession in Sultanpur district, with police registering a case against the DJ in this connection.
"Chickens are losing their lives due to the sound of a DJ. In fact, if a person with a weak heart were to walk past a DJ, they too could find themselves in a problem. The sound waves are so strong," Yadav said.
Referring to the cell broadcast alert system launched on Saturday, the SP chief said, "The mobile phone was switched off. The ringer was off. Yet, an alert will still appear on the device. Just think, what exactly is this preparation for? The entire BJP contests elections by creating fear, by intimidating you."
Mobile phones across the country went abuzz after Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the cell broadcast alert system on Saturday, which will warn citizens about emergency and natural disasters in their area.
Comparing the BJP with 'Soan Papdi' (a popular sweet), Yadav said, "The BJP is a 'Soan Papdi' made of lies. They simply stack one layer of falsehood upon another. Propaganda constitutes the BJP's targeted campaign strategy. They contest elections by instilling fear in the public.
The BJP has failed to curb both inflation and corruption. Instead, they allowed their own associates to engage in profiteering, a practice that has driven both inflation and corruption to unprecedented levels." Yadav stated.
He said that the rising prices of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas inevitably drive up the cost of everything, from food and daily essentials to transportation. The common people have been "devastated by the BJP's misguided policies".
He also claimed that the government's fee structure is such that children from poor families cannot afford to study.
"It was for this very reason that 'Netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) launched the 'Kanya Vidyadhan Yojana' to ensure that daughters from underprivileged families could pursue their education, advance in life, and achieve success. The promise we made regarding free education for daughters --- from KG to PG is a promise we will fulfil and deliver upon," he said.
He added that the Women's Reservation Bill has been passed by Parliament and enacted into law. However, the BJP is currently engaging in false propaganda regarding this legislation. The BJP's intentions concerning women's reservation have never been transparent. They are running a deceptive campaign specifically designed to mislead both the general public and women.
Yadav claimed that under the BJP government, all previous records regarding corruption and dishonesty have been shattered.
"The public is being fleeced under the pretext of installing 'smart meters. ' The implementation of smart meters has become a vehicle for large-scale fraud. If such dishonesty is possible with smart meters, how can Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) be considered secure? Why would it not be possible to manipulate EVMs as well?" he said.
The SP chief also said that the BJP government has completely ruined the state's education, healthcare, and law and order systems. This government has shut down 21,000 primary schools. In over 41,000 primary schools, not a single admission has been recorded. In Gorakhpur, thousands of teaching positions have been abolished.
Under the BJP government, water tanks being constructed under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' are continuously collapsing due to corruption. These tanks are "unable to bear the weight of the BJP's corruption". The pipeline of this corruption, involving the water tanks, likely extends all the way to Kalidas Marg, he said, and expressed his gratitude to the Army officials and congratulated them for saving the lives of children during the incident involving the water tank in Siddharthnagar district.
To a question on World Press Freedom Day, where India ranked at the 157th spot, Akhilesh Yadav, in a lighter vein, said, "We will run a scheme -- give 'cash' less' laptop bags. But here the 'less' should be understood in Hindi. We will give a filled laptop bag to you."
On this occasion, Yadav also distributed laptops to meritorious students who had passed class 10th and class 12th examinations with high marks.
The former chief minister also said, "The Samajwadi Party launched the laptop distribution scheme precisely to bridge the digital divide existing between the pre- and post-digital eras."
