Saudi Arabia: According to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday, the government had all ready for the Haj Yatra. It made all arrangements for Haj, but Saudi Arabia has to decide on the modalities.
The minister stated this in Rajya Sabha during the Zero Hour, after Nadimul Haque of the TMC raised the demand for confirmation of the date for restoration of Haj-2022.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) member indicated that the International Haj Yatra did not occur in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Saudi Arabian government will decide the modalities of Haj and how many would be permitted for the pilgrimage from India, Mr Naqvi said.
He also informed that more than two lakh pilgrims have gone for Haj from India during the Modi government.
As her Zero Hour mentioned, Rajani Ashokrao Patil of the Congress made a case for resettling two-thirds of Asiatic Lions at two or three other places rather than just Gir in Gujrat.
Because all Asiatic Lions are part of a single population, they are vulnerable to disease, epidemics, cyclones, and drought, according to Ms Patil.
She claims that the canine distemper virus killed one-third of the 3,000 lions in the Serengeti National Park (Tanzania and Kenya) in a matter of months.
Such an epidemic can result in the extinction of the Asiatic Lions, she said and added that currently, the distemper virus is also killing the Gir lions.
According to her, a tiger reserve needs to have a human-free space of over 800 square kilometres for a viable tiger population.
“The same is true for lions. However, for the only population of Asiatic Lions globally, the entire space available is just 250 square kilometres of the Gir National Park,” she added.
Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) stressed the need to change election laws to make political parties accountable for their poll manifesto.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu responded by asking other members, including former Prime Minister and JDS member HD Devegowda, whether it was possible to make election manifestos legally binding.
According to Mr Devegowda, “the only thing that needs to be discussed is the election manifesto. That is my opinion.”
Mr Naidu stated that political parties should meet, think about this seriously, and then move forward in the country’s larger interest.
“When we are on the ruling side, our position is distinct. So, all parties should apply their minds and then conclude,” he said.