Lifestyle changes add to cancers in women
Lifestyle changes are increasing the burden of cancers of the cervix and breast, but they are diagnosed late due to the fear of testing, neglect and social taboo attached to the disease, doctors have observed in their evaluations of gynaecological cancers.
Late diagnosis in Stage 2 and Stage 3 is observed in women in both government and private sectors. Breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers account for more than 70 per cent of the cancers in India.
Cervical cancers are curable and the pre-cancerous stage lasts 8 to 10 years but due to fear of testing and social taboo many women do not go to doctors.
This is observed in urban areas too where, despite awareness, testing is the last option.
Dr Geeta Narsagee, surgical oncologist, said, “In urban areas too, we have found women coming late because they do not want to burden the family with their health problems. This is one of the most common reasons we hear.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said all Opposition parties are boycotting Parliament in solidarity with the Rajya Sabha members who were suspended on Monday. Along with Congress MPs, TMC, BSP and TRS members also walked out of the Lok Sabha.
Mr Chowdhury did not specify for how long the boycott would continue. For Lok Sabha, Monsoon Session likely to end on Wednesday.
With the Opposition deciding to boycott the Rajya Sabha, its eight suspended MPs on Tuesday ended their overnight sit-in inside the Parliament House complex and said they would take their fight against the farm Bills to the street.
"I demand that the government brings another Bill in the House which should ensure that no private player can buy food grains from farmers below the MSP. The government should also ensure that the MSP is fixed as per c2 formula under Swaminathan Committee and the should also ensure that all procurement done by central, state governments and FCI be not done below MSP. The colleagues who have been suspended for the rest of the session, their suspension be revoked. Till the government does these three things, we will boycott the session," Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the House while walking out.
Mr Azad also said members should get more time to speak and time constraint has become a major issue of discontent among Opposition parties.
He said the sense of the House should not mean mere numbers, but by political parties as 18 political parties are on one side demanding more time. Maintaining that the voice of the Opposition and rights of members are not heard and Bills are not sent for scrutiny to the select or standing committees, Mr Azad said, "I think the day before yesterday was the last straw that broke the camel's back."
The Congress leader said the government now wants "one nation, one market" with which they have no problem. "The government earlier said 'one nation, one tax' and then 'one nation, one ration card', but for God's sake, don't go towards 'one nation, one party’."
Leaders of other Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, including SP’s Ramgopal Yadav, TRS’ K. Keshava Rao, DMK’s T. Shiva and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda requested revocation of suspension of eight members.
Replying to Mr Azad’s remarks on division of votes, as sought by Opposition MPs over two farm Bills on Sunday, Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said records of House proceedings show that deputy chairman Harivansh asked 13 times to members who were in the well of the House to go back to their seats and he will allow division, but they did not go. Mr Naidu asserted that the deputy chairman acted with utmost restraint and handled the situation in a very deft manner.
“If some people feel, my way or highway, that is not the way. You have the numbers. You should stay in your seat, ask for division If deputy chairman has not allowed the division then I would… Democracy means debate, discussion and decision not disruption,” said Mr Naidu.