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Tag: Derek O

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after spat between chair, Derek O’Brien

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday abruptly adjourned proceedings of the House for the day after a spat with TMC leader Derek O’Brien.

    Dhankhar adjourned proceedings after he was interrupted by the TMC leader over the issue of non-admission of notices given by opposition members under rule 267 to discuss the Manipur situation.

    As many as 47 MPs from parties ranging from Congress to Left, to TMC and DMK had given notices under the rule that calls for suspension of the listed business and taking up the issue being raised.

    Dhankhar said he has already agreed to a short-duration discussion on the issue and asked members to discuss the issue under that rule.

    He thereafter went on to say how the behaviour of MPs in the Upper House is viewed by the outside world.

    At this point, Derek O’Brien stood up to press for the motion that opposition parties have been seeking to move since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament last week.

    He thumped the desk to make his point, an act which Dhankhar termed as “theatrics.”

    “Show respect to the chair,” he said. “Don’t thump the desk.”

    As Derek O’Brien continued to make his point, the chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day.

    The House will now meet on Monday, July 31.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday abruptly adjourned proceedings of the House for the day after a spat with TMC leader Derek O’Brien.

    Dhankhar adjourned proceedings after he was interrupted by the TMC leader over the issue of non-admission of notices given by opposition members under rule 267 to discuss the Manipur situation.

    As many as 47 MPs from parties ranging from Congress to Left, to TMC and DMK had given notices under the rule that calls for suspension of the listed business and taking up the issue being raised.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Dhankhar said he has already agreed to a short-duration discussion on the issue and asked members to discuss the issue under that rule.

    He thereafter went on to say how the behaviour of MPs in the Upper House is viewed by the outside world.

    At this point, Derek O’Brien stood up to press for the motion that opposition parties have been seeking to move since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament last week.

    He thumped the desk to make his point, an act which Dhankhar termed as “theatrics.”

    “Show respect to the chair,” he said. “Don’t thump the desk.”

    As Derek O’Brien continued to make his point, the chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day.

    The House will now meet on Monday, July 31.

  • ‘Look inwards & at BJP’s attitude towards women’: Opposition after PM’s I-Day speech on ‘nari shakti’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Monday called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he hailed ‘nari shakti’ in his Independence Day speech, asking him to look inwards and on his party’s attitude towards women.

    Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi urged people to pledge not to do anything that lowers the dignity of women, saying a mentality to insult them in speech and behaviour has crept in.

    TMC MP Derek O’ Brien reminded the prime minister of the “Didi o Didi” comment made by him on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an election rally in the state.

    “Let’s pledge to wipe out misogyny’ said Prime Minister @narendramodi today. Completely agree, Sir. Should we start with you, leading by example,” wrote O’Brien on Twitter, attaching a video of Modi making the reference to Banerjee in his speech.

    Congress leader Pawan Khera too posted a video compilation of the prime minister’s remarks on women, including comments made on the floor of the House, on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury in the Rajya Sabha over her laughter which was condemned as being “sexist”, his comment on Banerjee and the “50-crore girlfriend” remark about Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s wife, Sunanda Pushkar.

    ALSO READ | Check out top quotes from PM Modi’s speech on 76th Independence Day at Red Fort

    “If anyone needs the most to take a pledge to respect women, then it is this person,” wrote Khera referring to the video.

    नारी के सम्मान का संकल्प लेने की सबसे ज़्यादा आवश्यकता अगर किसी को है तो वह इस व्यक्ति को है। देखिए कैसे pic.twitter.com/klSno2zugg
    — Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) August 15, 2022
    CPI general secretary D Raja too urged the PM to examine the attitude of his own party men with regards to women. “It is not just about women. All humans should be treated with respect in society. This is not happening because the mindset is being controlled by a party which believes in the Manusmriti, patriarchy and caste system. This government has the numbers in both the Houses of Parliament, yet they have not passed the women reservation bill. His speech is mere rhetoric and there is no serious commitment whether towards women or towards the socially backward,” said Raja, who also raised incidents against women and the Dalits where Modi has chosen to remain silent.

    Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said Modi’s words did not match the actions on the ground.

    “If we look at Maharashtra not having any woman in cabinet with even the women and child portfolios being handed by male ministers. Even the labour force participation is rapidly decreasing and the government is not able to address them,” she said.

    READ HERE | Self-obsessed government hell-bent on trivialising freedom fighters’ sacrifices: Sonia Gandhi

    “There is also the matter of 33 per cent reservation being championed by the BJP, and despite having a full majority, it has not been implemented. So, those are the issues that we are looking at in 25 years from now. We also have to look at how policies have impacted the women on ground,” Chaturvedi said.

    She also referred to the ‘Sulli and Bulli deals’ incident in which women were berated and auctioned on social media.

    NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Monday called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he hailed ‘nari shakti’ in his Independence Day speech, asking him to look inwards and on his party’s attitude towards women.

    Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi urged people to pledge not to do anything that lowers the dignity of women, saying a mentality to insult them in speech and behaviour has crept in.

    TMC MP Derek O’ Brien reminded the prime minister of the “Didi o Didi” comment made by him on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an election rally in the state.

    “Let’s pledge to wipe out misogyny’ said Prime Minister @narendramodi today. Completely agree, Sir. Should we start with you, leading by example,” wrote O’Brien on Twitter, attaching a video of Modi making the reference to Banerjee in his speech.

    Congress leader Pawan Khera too posted a video compilation of the prime minister’s remarks on women, including comments made on the floor of the House, on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury in the Rajya Sabha over her laughter which was condemned as being “sexist”, his comment on Banerjee and the “50-crore girlfriend” remark about Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s wife, Sunanda Pushkar.

    ALSO READ | Check out top quotes from PM Modi’s speech on 76th Independence Day at Red Fort

    “If anyone needs the most to take a pledge to respect women, then it is this person,” wrote Khera referring to the video.

    नारी के सम्मान का संकल्प लेने की सबसे ज़्यादा आवश्यकता अगर किसी को है तो वह इस व्यक्ति को है। देखिए कैसे pic.twitter.com/klSno2zugg
    — Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) August 15, 2022
    CPI general secretary D Raja too urged the PM to examine the attitude of his own party men with regards to women. “It is not just about women. All humans should be treated with respect in society. This is not happening because the mindset is being controlled by a party which believes in the Manusmriti, patriarchy and caste system. This government has the numbers in both the Houses of Parliament, yet they have not passed the women reservation bill. His speech is mere rhetoric and there is no serious commitment whether towards women or towards the socially backward,” said Raja, who also raised incidents against women and the Dalits where Modi has chosen to remain silent.

    Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said Modi’s words did not match the actions on the ground.

    “If we look at Maharashtra not having any woman in cabinet with even the women and child portfolios being handed by male ministers. Even the labour force participation is rapidly decreasing and the government is not able to address them,” she said.

    READ HERE | Self-obsessed government hell-bent on trivialising freedom fighters’ sacrifices: Sonia Gandhi

    “There is also the matter of 33 per cent reservation being championed by the BJP, and despite having a full majority, it has not been implemented. So, those are the issues that we are looking at in 25 years from now. We also have to look at how policies have impacted the women on ground,” Chaturvedi said.

    She also referred to the ‘Sulli and Bulli deals’ incident in which women were berated and auctioned on social media.

  • No disaggregated data on Covid death, says Ministry of Health

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The NDA government in the Centre admits not having disaggregated data on the deaths of health workers, including government and private doctors, due to Covid 19 during the outbreaks of the pandemic since March 2020.

    It came on record on Tuesday in a written reply of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MH&FW) to a starred question of TMC MP Derek O’Brien demanding the disaggregated data on total deaths of health workers, profession- wise, during the pandemic times.

    Lamenting on the unsatisfactory reply, TMC MP(RS) Derek O’Brien taunted that the NDA stands to ‘No Data Available)’ cliche now.

    The MH&FW, giving a cryptic reply, stated that since health is a State subject, the Government of India (GoI) has maintained data of total cases and the deaths reported by States on a regular basis.

    “Disaggregated data by profession is required to be maintained by the State. Union government has requested the States and UTs to furnish details and so far only six states, including Maharashtra, have furnished details,” it stated.

    As per data made available to the TMC MP in the Rajya Sabha, a total of 217 health workers, including 67 doctors and 19 nurses, lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic in the recent past.

    In Gujarat, 20 doctors, 20 nurses, 6 Ambulance drivers and 128 paramedics lost their lives rendering their services to the Covid-19 patients in the pandemic.

    On replying to another query of TMC MP, the MH&FW stated that a total of Rs 808 crore was paid to the family members of deceased health workers and doctors on the claims under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalayan Scheme till January 31 of 2022.

    The compensations of Rs 100.8 crore have so far been settled against the highest numbers of 201 claims under the above-said schemes.

    The Andhra Pradesh government paid Rs 80 crore in compensations to the family members of deceased health workers and doctors against 100 claims.

    The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme was launched in 2020 for nearly 22.12 lakh government and private doctors and health workers on duty during the pandemic times.

  • Trinamool draws line between party and Prashant Kishor

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Drawing a distinction between the Trinamool Congress and Prashant Kishor-founded I-PAC, senior leader Derek O’Brien on Wednesday said the party had hired the political consultancy agency for five years and they have certain deliverables to do.

    I-PAC is a political collaborator and it is distinct from the party, the TMC floor leader in the Rajya Sabha said.

    Without naming Kishor, O’Brien suggested that I-PAC has certain tasks to do for TMC but the agency or any of its officials do not necessarily reflect the party’s opinion.

    “TMC is the first political party who have hired I-PAC for five years and they have certain deliverables to do. I-PAC has reach-out on the ground, communication and social media. All this is evaluated by the national working committee chaired by (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee,” O’Brien said.

    He further said the TMC is focusing on those states where the opposition to BJP is weak or that space is vacant.

    “The main purpose of our expansion is to defeat BJP and enter those places where the opposition is weak,” he said.

    “Therefore, the TMC will not enter Tamil Nadu where the DMK is a pre-eminent force or Maharashtra where the Shiv Sena and NCP are there,” he pointed out.

    Party sources suggested that there is uneasiness within TMC over Kishor taking credit for the party’s hardwork in the West Bengal assembly polls and in other states.

    Remarks made by several new entrants in TMC, such as former Congress leader from Meghalaya Mukul Sangma and Goa leader Luizinho Falerio, who said they had switched to TMC at the request of Kishor have not gone down well with the leadership, sources in the party said, adding that his recent remarks about Congress does not necessarily reflect TMC’s view of the grand old party.

  • Derek O’Brien hurls rule book at Rajya Sabha Chair, suspended from House

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: TMC floor leader Derek O’Brien was suspended from the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday for the remaining part of the Winter session after he threw a Rajya Sabha rule book at the Chair.

    Sasmit Patra, who was in the Chair, said the TMC MP had raised a point of order and the deputy chairman duly responded to it.

    A little later, O’Brien flung the rule book furiously in the direction of the Chair, Patra observed.

    “The rule book would have hit the chair, or secretary-general or officials sitting at the table,” he said.

    The TMC MP was suspended after the House passed a motion moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan in this regard.

    The Winter session is scheduled to end on December 23.

  • Trinamool brings its fight against BJP to Delhi; party MPs meet Amit Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/AGARTALA: Days ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, the TMC has brought to Delhi its fight against the BJP in Tripura, with its MPs meeting Home Minister Amit Shah after sitting on a dharna outside the Ministry of Home Affairs for hours.

    TMC legislators Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Santanu Sen, Kalyan Banerjee, Derek O’Brien, Mala Roy and 11 other MPs were part of the delegation that met Shah.

    “We told him in detail how leaders were being arrested and MPs being beaten up. He told us that he had spoken to the Tripura CM on phone yesterday and assured us he would seek a report from the state,” TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said.

    The issue of violence against party leaders would be top priority for West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee who is scheduled to land in Delhi at 8 pm and is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The four-hour-long protest in front of the MHA saw both TMC legislators, from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, raising slogans against the home minister and the prime minister over their silence on the violence in the northeastern state.

    “We want the home minister to listen to us. Both Shah and Modi need to answer for the violence that is happening in Tripura,” TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said.

    Another party MP Saugata Ray said the protests were also against the arrest of TMC youth leader Sayani Ghosh in Tripura.

    The Tripura Police on Sunday arrested actor-turned party leader Sayani Ghosh on charges of attempt to murder after she allegedly disrupted a meeting of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by shouting “Khela hobe” (we will play) on Saturday night.

    Ghosh was arrested after being called in for questioning in a police station in Agartala, a police official had said.

    TMC MP Dola Sen said the party had sought an appointment with the home minister 24 hours in advance and after sitting on a dharna for six hours they were invited to meet Shah.

    “We primarily had three things to tell him, that the Supreme Court’s order instructing the state government to allow all opposition parties to campaign in a peaceful and orderly manner hasn’t been given to us. Second, we requested him to look in the Sayani Ghosh case, and of course we raised the issue of brutality against party leaders,” she said.

    Sen said that Shah told them that he would try to look into it.

    “After 30 hours, this is progress,” she added.

    Banerjee said that she will raise issues concerning the enhancement of BSF jurisdiction as well as the “widespread violence” in Tripura with the PM during her visit to the national capital.

    Talking to reporters before leaving for Delhi, she wondered why the human rights commission was “not taking a note” of the ongoing use of brute force in the northeastern state.

    “The chief minister of Tripura (Biplab Deb) and his government are defying the SC’s directive. They have to reply to common people. I will appeal to the higher judiciary to act against his government as per law,” she said.

    Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Tripura government to ensure that no political party in the fray for the coming local body elections “is prevented from pursuing its electoral rights in accordance with law, and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner”.

    On Monday, the apex court agreed to hear on November 23 the TMC’s plea seeking contempt action against the Tripura government and others for failing to curtail violent incidents against opposition parties in the run up to the local body polls.

    Meanwhile, amid his party MPs’ attack on the government in Delhi over the violence in Tripura, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee arrived in the state to take part in a campaign for civic elections.

    Here too, he lashed out at the BJP government on the issue.

    “The way the BJP goons attacked our supporters and activists at a police station only proves that a jungle rule is prevailing in the state. The ruling BJP in Tripura is using its police for narrow political gains, but this will not last long. We will fight them. The government led by Biplab Deb will not be able to silence the TMC,” the party general secretary told reporters in Agartala.

  • Ordinance to extend services of CBI, ED chiefs: War of words breaks out between Trinamool MP, Union Minister

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien over the use of ordinances by successive governments, after the opposition leader accused the Centre of promulgating ordinances to mock Parliament.

    A series of tweets from Joshi on Monday night drew a sharp reaction from O’Brien who had earlier posted a tweet hitting out at the government over the ordinances to extend the tenure of the ED and CBI chiefs.

    He also posted a graphic that showed that in the 17th Lok Sabha, almost four ordinances were brought in for every 10 bills and how it had been misused since 2014.

    Joshi in his response highlighted how the previous Congress governments used ordinances.

    He said that during the Congress regime, a total of 524 ordinances have so far been issued.

    He said that during the 5th Lok Sabha alone, 96 ordinances were issued.

    “Will Mr. Derek O’Brien care to explain above numbers?” he asked.

    “Ordinances are very part of a democracy. No one expects TMC to understand this because we have seen what happens to the democratic rights of other parties in West Bengal. We have seen Hon’ble High Court’s observation & that how many sessions have been conducted in WB’s assembly.”

    “Also, it is not too late for Mr. O’Brien to learn and acknowledge that the Congress party, supported by his own TMC party, is the most undemocratic party. Does he need to be reminded that Congress has used Article 356 to dismiss State Governments a whopping 93 times?” Joshi added.

    In his reply, O’Brien said that he stood by his data.

    “Mr Modi & Mr Shah, I posted this graphic showing how ordinances have been overused since 2014 #Parliament. Some boys in your Cabinet have made some gurgling sounds. No substance. Reposting graphic. I stand by each of these numbers. Could you request your boys to try again,” O’Brien said.

    Opposition parties have vowed to counter in Parliament the government’s move of extending the tenure of the CBI and ED chiefs, alleging it was bypassing the House, distorting the Constitution and resorting to “Ordinance Raj” to “misuse” the agencies.

  • TMC to contest Goa Assembly polls, will declare CM candidate, announces Derek O’Brien

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien on Saturday said his party would be contesting the next year’s Goa Assembly polls.

    The party will announce its chief ministerial candidate soon, he added.

    “We are here as a serious contender against the ruling BJP,” the MP said.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led party has no “high-command culture” and will pick credible local leaders in the coastal state, he said.

    Since arriving in Goa on Friday, O’Brien has been meeting representatives of civil society as well as political leaders.

    The state was looking for a party which would keep the BJP at bay and if there was one leader who can best Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was Mamata Banerjee, he said.

    The entry of the TMC will not divide opposition’s vote in the state, he said to a question.

  • Trinamool MP fires volley of questions at Modi government on just-concluded Parliament session

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Mounting a fresh attack on the BJP-led Centre, TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien on Friday posed several questions over the just-concluded Parliament session, one of them being the reason for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence during a debate on the constitutional amendment bill on other backward classes (OBCs).

    O’Brien, in a video, asked as many as nine questions to Modi and his cabinet of ministers on a range of issues, claiming that the opposition was “not allowed” to hold discussions on the Pegasus controversy and the contentious farm laws in the two Houses.

    The TMC leader in Rajya Sabha further wondered why the Parliament session was wrapped up ahead of schedule.

    “Why did you (PM) not bother to reply to any query asked by the opposition? Why was our PM missing during the OBC debate in Parliament? Former PMs Deve Gowdaji, Manmohan Singh ji were present. Where was Modiji?” O’Brien said in the video posted on his Twitter handle.

    A constitutional amendment bill to restore the powers of the states to make their own OBC lists was passed by Parliament on Wednesday, the last day of the monsoon session.

    The Rajya Sabha MP noted that “38 bills were passed in both Houses with an average discussion time of 10 minutes on each of them.”

    He claimed that Modi hasn’t replied to any question raised in Rajya Sabha in the past five years.

    O’Brien also sought to know the rationale behind the delay in electing a deputy speaker to Lok Sabha, a post that has been lying vacant over the last two years.

    “Why was the opposition not allowed to discuss Pegasus internal security issues and farm laws? The government must have its way, and the opposition must have its say,” O’Brien observed.

    In his last question to the cabinet ministers, he said, “Whose business is it to wrap up Parliament. Is it government’s responsibility or opposition’s? Who is the government accountable to? The people. We are accountable to the people.”

    Taking a dig at O’brien and his party, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC was “staging a drama”, after having disrupted proceedings in both Houses of Parliament.

    “The conduct of Trinamool MPs in Parliament brought disgrace to Bengal. Their only intention was to disrupt proceedings and gain political mileage. Important discussions on the pandemic could not be properly held due to the irresponsible behaviour of opposition leaders.”

    “Mr O’Brien and others should first explain the rationale behind their conduct,” Ghosh added.

  • Alleged manhandling of women MPs: Opposition to protest in front of Gandhi Statue at Parliament on Thursday

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The MPs of Opposition parties will hold a protest against the alleged manhandling of women members in Rajya Sabha in front of Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Parliament today.

    Before the protest, the floor leaders of Opposition parties in both the Houses will hold a meeting in the Chamber of Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha at 10 am to discuss the incidents that happened in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

    Opposition members in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday slammed the government over the incidents in the House when a bill related to insurance businesses was taken up for passage with NCP leader Sharad Pawar alleging that “women MPs were attacked” and “more than 40 men and women were brought into the House from outside to control the MPs”.

    Pawar termed the incidents as “painful” and an “attack on democracy” and said he has never seen such an incident in his 55 years of parliamentary life.

    Several other opposition members including Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Derek O’ Brien also slammed the government.

    “In my 55 years of parliamentary career, I never saw the way the women MPs were attacked today in Rajya Sabha. More than 40 men and women were brought into the house from outside to control the MPs. It is painful. It is an attack on democracy,” Pawar said.

    Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the government alleging that the government talks of ‘Beti Padhao, Beti Padhao’ but attempts to crush the voice of women.She alleged that MPs were manhandled.

    “The way the Insurance Bill was passed was not right. We all were protesting because it is an anti-people bill. This will lead to privatisation. The way women MPs were manhandled and MPs were treated like goons, they were pushed and they were threatened to remain silent, is shameful. This is my first term. I was hoping to raise people’s voices in Parliament, but the Government made attempts to crush that too. On one hand, you say Beti Padhao, Beti Padhao and on the other hand, they make attempts to crush their voices,” Chaturvedi said.

    Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said marshals were used and Opposition women members were “manhandled”.He said if women are not safe in the Parliament, it raises questions on the way this government functions.

    “Today the government’s behaviour in the Rajya Sabha was inappropriate. It was decided that the bill will be discussed tomorrow and today we will focus on the OBC reservation Bill and pass Constitutional Amendment Bill. Unfortunately, they did not keep their promise and they moved the Insurance Bill today. All the Opposition parties protested because it will take away the jobs of many people and increase unemployment. Also, the money with the government’s insurance companies is going somewhere else and they are planning to divert that money,” Kharge said.

    “When the MPs were protesting, marshals were used and our women members were physically manhandled. You can yourself take an idea that if the women are not safe in the Parliament, then how this government might be functioning,” he added.

    Derek O’Brien accused the government of “bulldozing” 36 bills without any discussion or scrutiny.

    “Sharad Pawarji has said that in his 55 years of experience as a Parliamentarian, both in Opposition and in government, he has never witnessed something like this. Today’s incident was shameful. Only one bill was discussed. It’s a shame,” he said.

    The Opposition resorted to vociferous protests on Wednesday as the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021 was taken up for consideration in the upper House after it passed a constitution amendment bill unanimously.

    The bill was moved for consideration and passing by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

    Protesting opposition members came to the well of the House and some of them were seen tearing papers.

    They accused the government of not following parliamentary norms and “bulldozing” the legislation. The Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill was taken up after the upper House unanimously passed the constitution amendment bill to enable states to prepare their own OBC lists.

    The opposition has also been protesting and forcing adjournments on their other demands including a probe into allegations of surveillance through Pegasus spyware and repeal of new farm laws.

    Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled conclusion of the upper House of Parliament. Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die earlier in the day. (ANI)