Ramadoss draws flak over polio remark

The health minister faces a privilege motion for his statement that transmission of polio virus is taking place because of migration of people from Bihar and UP.

Some members in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday demanded a privilege motion against Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for his statement that transmission of polio virus was taking place because of migration of people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

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Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Virendra Bhatia (SP) said the statement had come as a shock after people from North India were already being targeted in Maharashtra and some other parts of the country.

He said that the health minister should clarify his remarks, otherwise a privilege motion should be moved against him. Bhatia was supported by all SP members.

Ramadoss had said in the Upper House last week that transmission of polio virus was found only in UP and Bihar and the reasons were poor sanitation, unclean drinking water and high density of population. He had also said that polio virus transmission was taking place because of migration of people from Bihar and UP.

Through another Zero Hour notice, Sushila Tiriya (Cong) raised the issue of casual workers of BSNL in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa and demanded their early regularisation. She said most of the workers belonged to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Syed Azeez Pasha (CPI) alleged that there was discrimination against Dalit Muslims and Dalit Chhristians and demanded that "injustice" against them should be stopped.