Never thought I'd sit in new Parliament building in my lifetime, I did now at age 91: HD Deve Gowda
Bengaluru, May 28: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who on Sunday attended the inauguration of the new Parliament building in New Delhi said it is his good fortune that he witnessed a great moment in India's democratic history.
The 91-year-old expressed his joy, saying he never thought that he would sit in a new Parliament building in his lifetime.
"It is my good fortune that I witnessed a great moment in India's democratic history. I entered the Karnataka legislative Assembly in 1962 and have been a Member of Parliament since 1991. When I entered this great house of the people 32 years ago, I had never thought I will be Prime Minister, and I did not expect to last this long in public life," Gowda said.
"But the even bigger surprise is that I never thought I will be seated in a new Parliament building in my lifetime I did so at the age of 91," he said in a statement.
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In the Indian tradition, and in the lifetime of an ordinary Indian, the construction of a new home and entering a new home is a very auspicious and rare moment, he said, adding that "In the life of a nation, it is an extraordinary moment."
Noting that when the old Parliament House was inaugurated, India was still under colonial rule and freedom was not on the horizon, the JD(S) patriarch, remembering the several prominent national personalities, said, "Our nation and Parliament is not stained by a bloody revolution".
"We became a nation through peaceful and non-violent means. This was a priceless achievement. That is our inheritance and that is the value system we have to preserve and pass on to our future generations," he said.
According to Gowda, since Independence our Parliament has seen highs and lows, and it has seen arrogance and humility, victories and defeats, but overall it has tried to keep a balance and fulfill the aspirations of the people of India.
Parliament has nourished all castes, all ethnicities, all religions, all languages and all geographies, the veteran leader said, "It has accommodated all nature of opinion, ideas and ideologies. It has celebrated diversity and there is no greater goal for us in this new home of our democracy than to preserve this enormous diversity of India."
He pointed out that the people of India have always been watchful and very wise, and that whenever they have seen someone commit excess and disturb the equilibrium of our nation, they have quietly taken them out of this great house.
"They have taught us all public servants the hardest lessons at times. I salute all the people of India on this occasion of the inauguration of the new Parliament building," Gowda said.
"I sincerely pray that our rich democratic tradition continues and flourishes as time passes by and helps India shine for all time to come," he added.
These are my thoughts after participating in the inauguration of the new Parliament building, today. pic.twitter.com/hc5HIYTY3P
— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) May 28, 2023
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
