L20-Vulenerable Groups
Member of Parliament Mrs.Jaya bachhan raised a very important issue in Parliament and for that we salute her for her speech as below;
“Kill the senior citizens.
Government should kill all seniors. Citizens after the age of 65 because the government is not ready to pay attention to the builders of this nation.
“Is it a crime to be a senior citizen in India?
Senior citizens of India are not eligible for medical insurance after 70 years and they do not get loan on EMI. No driving license issued. They are not given any jobs, so they depend on others for survival and now even after becoming senior citizens, they have to pay all the taxes. There is no scheme for senior citizens in India. 50% discount on rail/air travel has also been discontinued. Senior Citizens in politics are given all privileges as MLA, MP or Minister and get pension. I cannot understand why everyone else (except some government employees) is denied the same facilities. Just imagine, if children don't care about them, where will they go. If the elders in the country hold an election against the government, it will affect the election results. The government must face the consequences.
Senior citizens have the power to change the government, don't ignore them. They have a lifetime experience of changing governments. Don't think of them as weak! Many schemes are needed for the welfare of the elderly. The government spends a lot of money on welfare schemes but never feels about the senior citizens. On the contrary, the income of senior citizens is decreasing as the interest rates of the banks are decreasing. If some of them receive meager pension for family and subsistence, that too is subject to income tax. So here are some benefits for senior citizens to consider:
(1) To provide pension to all citizens above 60 years of age
(2) All should be given pension according to their status
(3) Concession on rail, bus and air travel.
(4) Insurance should be compulsory for all till the last breath & premium paid by Govt.
(5) Court cases of senior citizens should be given priority for early decision.
(6) Every city should have senior citizen housing with all facilities.
(7) Govt should amend the rule of scrapping 10 - 15 years old cars. This rule applies only to commercial vehicles. Our cars are bought on loan & our usages are only 40 to 50000 km in 10 years. Our cars are as good as new. If our cars are scrapped, we should be given new cars....
Thank you , Mrs Jayabachan MP 🙏🙏
Same-sex marriage: The only natural and just way forward https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/same-sex-marriage-8557961/ Amit Sen, 15th April 2023
The upcoming Supreme Court hearing is a positive and much-needed step
In our experience of working with LGBTQIA+ couple families having children, both in India and abroad, we have never found patterns of social difficulties or specific mental health problems that are any different from children of heterosexual parents. On the contrary, most gay couples were more mindful and sensitive to their children’s needs and were willing to walk the extra mile as parents. New research and surveys from different countries, including some from Asia, have emphatically stated that children from same-sex couples fare just as well, if not better, than those of heterosexual couples; and that they do particularly well in the domains of emotional, social and educational development. We believe that parenting styles are no longer inherited in traditional ways in today’s world. Indeed, the rapid socio-cultural changes are necessitating mindful and creative ways of parenting....The hallmark of a progressive nation is reflected in its ability to accept diversity, include minorities, and integrate the marginalised. Legalising same-sex marriage may pave the way for generations to come and become a big step towards reclaiming the diverse, multicultural, and inclusive civilisation we always have been.
Harish Iyer: Legal backing for #samesexmarriage doesn't need new law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQCalihv9lc Mar 16, 2023
The government has failed. We aren't asking the government to formulate new laws. We only demand interpreting the current laws in a wider sense and with an open mind to be more inclusive, says Harish Iyer, an equal rights activist based in Mumbai while he spoke to the Times of India in this TOI Dialogues episode on same-sex marriage.
Supreme Court of India on Monday referred a bunch of pleas seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriages to a five-judge constitution bench for adjudication, saying it is a “seminal issue” and an “important matter”. The apex court took the step despite the Centre’s insistence that Parliament alone should take a call on the subject whose intricacies could impact “how our society develops henceforth”.
In this exclusive conversation, Harish gives us a deeper insight on why same-sex marriages need to be legalised in India and how it's not just about marriage but more about civil, social, economic rights that other cisgender heterosexual couples enjoy in the country.