New Delhi, 12 February (H.S.): During Thursday's Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, members raised pressing public concerns including Mathura-Vrindavan metro rail, workplace caste discrimination, rising AI deepfake threats, teacher recruitment age relaxations, university central status, KCC loans for farmers, illegal mining, and labor protests.

BJP's Arun Singh urged metro and rapid transit in traffic-choked Mathura-Vrindavan, Lord Krishna's birthplace drawing millions annually for parikramas hampered by vehicles; he noted metro expansion from 5 to 26 cities under PM Modi, promising safer pilgrim access, reduced congestion, pollution, vehicle reliance, and youth jobs as a faith-modernity blend.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted an Odisha anganwadi boycott of Dalit-cooked meals for three months, calling it alarming amid 21st-century reform claims—undermining child nutrition under Articles 21A and 47; he cited MP, Gujarat, Chandigarh cases, demanding swift accountability against caste bias in workplaces.

Congress's Vivek K. Tankha sought a 'CA Protection Act' to shield chartered accountants from agency interference, promote Indian firms over Big Four audit dominance. Congress's Ranjeet Ranjan demanded restoring Delhi teacher age relaxations scrapped in December 2025 DSSSB exam cancellation (TGT limit to 30 years), urging uniform national policy like KV, Sainik Schools, Haryana.

BJD's Debashish Samantaray pressed central status for Odisha's Ravenshaw University to serve tribal populations. BJP's Dr. Bhim Singh flagged Bihar KCC loan hurdles, seeking bank simplification. Congress's Rajeev Shukla warned of democracy-eroding AI deepfakes targeting women and leaders via apps, proposing national monitoring agency, watermarks, strict laws, youth awareness.

BJP's Darshana Singh advocated UP cheetah conservation; Maya Narolia raised MP illegal mining. CPI(M)'s Dr. John Brittas decried anti-labor codes, MGNREGA rollback, US trade deal protests as sovereignty fights. BJP's Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni lamented Maharashtra (Pune) urban rainwater harvesting neglect, demanding enforcement.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar