By PTI
NEW DELHI: Congress member Suresh Dhanorkar on Friday demanded inclusion of Banjara language into the eighth schedule of the Constitution and grant of reservation to the community under a special category.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Dhanorkar also demanded unveiling of a portrait of Lakhisha Banjara, a prominent trader in British India who donated large tracts of land to the then government to construct the Parliament Building.
Dhanorkar, who represents Chandrapur parliamentary seat, demanded that Parliament Street in the national capital be renamed as Lakhisha Banjara Street in his honour.
BSP member Shyam Singh Yadav from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh demanded establishment of an Ahir Regiment in the Army on the lines of other caste-based regiments such as Mahar and Dogra regiments.
Independent member Navneet Rana demanded that members of several communities, who had sought refuge in India from Pakistan before Independence, be granted citizenship.
She said several communities, particularly the Sindhi community in parts of Maharashtra, were facing difficulties due to lack of citizenship.
Rana, the Lok Sabha member from Amravati in Maharashtra, said the Sindhi community was industrious and has earned a name for themselves as efficient businesspersons but were unable to own property or businesses for lack of citizenship.
Rana demanded that the Sindhi community members be granted citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act passed in 2019.
K Suresh, member from Mavelikkara in Kerala, demanded setting up of a Kuttunad Authority to address the issue of frequent flooding in Kuttunad taluka in his constituency.
Bhagirath Chowdhury, who represents Ajmer, demanded setting up of fire brigade facilities at panchayat samiti level in Rajasthan to provide timely help to villagers to deal with incidents of fire.
He contended that the delay in arrival of fire brigade from urban areas to villages was leading to mounting losses as fire could not be extinguished in a timely manner.
Dean Kuriakose, member from Idukki in Kerala, demanded extension of MGNREGA to the dairy farming sector to ensure availability of quality fodder for cattle.
Benny Behanan, member from Chalakudy in Kerala, said the state had the least developed railway network and demanded Shatabdi and Vande Bharat trains for the coastal state.
VK Sreekandan, member from Palakkad in Kerala, demanded setting up of AIIMS in his constituency with cancer treatment facility.
