News Analysis India

Tag: Monsoon Session

  • Passage of 8 bills in Rajya Sabha in thirrd week of Monsoon Session increased productivity to 24.2 per cent

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The passage of eight bills in the Rajya Sabha during the third week of the Monsoon Session has helped increased productivity of the House to 24.2 per cent.

    This has gone up from last week when the productivity was 13.70 per cent.

    In the first week, the Upper House of Parliament registered high productivity of 32.20 per cent, according to the data with the Rajya Sabha research department.

    The overall productivity of the House for first three weeks of the Monsoon Session has been 22.60 per cent, a Rajya Sabha official said.

    The Upper House has witnessed repeated disruptions in the last three weeks since the session started on July 19.

    Opposition members have been creating uproar in the House demanding a discussion on the Pegasus snooping row and on the farmers issue, among other matters.

    In the past week, 68 members from 17 parties discussed the bills before their passage .

    The parties whose members took part in the discussions include AIADMK, Aam Aadmi Party, BJD, BJP, Congress, CPI, CPI(M), DMK, JD(U), NCP, RJD, RPI, Shiv Sena, TDP, TMC (Moopanar), TRS and YSRCP.

    These 17 parties along with nominated members of the Rajya Sabha account for 87 per cent of the present strength of the House.

    The TMC and the SAD that are insisting on a discussion on the Pegasus controversy and farmers’ issues account for less than 6 per cent of the strength of the House, officials pointed out.

    The House spent 3 hours 25 minutes on the passage of these bills.

    Of the total time of 28 hours and 30 minutes during this week, one hour and 41 minutes were spent on the Question Hour during which 17 starred questions were taken up.

    A total of 21 hours and 36 minutes were lost due to disruptions in the House during the week, they said.

    Due to continued disruptions since the session started, 60 hours and 28 minutes of the Rajya Sabha have been lost out of the total available time of 78 hours and 30 minutes.

    Officials said of the total functional time of 17 hours and 44 minutes, the House spent 4 hours and 49 minutes on government bills, 3 hours and 19 minutes on the Question Hour and 4 hours and 37 minutes on the short duration discussion on COVID-19 related issues during the first three weeks.

    Due to repeated disruptions, as many as 197 Zero Hour occasions and 153 Special Mention occasions were lost during the session, they said.

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned till Thursday amid opposition protest, passes AERA bill

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Thursday amid continuous protests by opposition parties over the Pegasus snooping controversy, and issues of farm laws and price rise.

    However, the Upper House passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to encourage smaller airports to expand air connectivity to relatively remote and far-flung areas.

    The House passed the bill after a brief discussion amid protest and sloganeering by the opposition over various issues, including the Pegasus snooping controversy and farm laws. The Lok Sabha had passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 on July 29.

    When the Upper House assembled after a 15-minute adjournment at 2:56 pm, the opposition continued to protest. Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was in the chair, called members for debate on the bill.

    After a short debate and a brief reply from the Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed with a voice vote. Immediately after that the deputy chairman adjourned the House till Thursday 11 am.

    Earlier, the House passed two bills — the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 — after short debates amid the din.

    As opposition members continued raising slogans, the deputy chairman adjourned the proceedings of the House for 15 minutes till 2.56 pm. He also warned members not to record proceedings on mobile phones as it was against the rules of the Rajya Sabha.

    Earlier, the proceedings of the House were adjourned till 2 pm as slogan-shouting MLAs of the TMC and other opposition parties trooped into the Well, some holding placards, to demand a discussion on the issue of Pegasus spyware being used to snoop on opposition leaders, government critics and journalists.

  • Logjam continues in Parliament as Opposition hardens stand on Pegasus row  

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With both the Houses of parliament witnessing disruptions, the Opposition Wednesday toughened its stand and issued a joint statement blaming government for being arrogant and obdurate over refusal to accept the Opposition’s demand for an informed debate on Pegasus in both the Houses.

    In a joint statement issued by the Opposition and signed by floor leaders of 14 parties, they said that the Opposition stands firm and united on their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has been national security dimensions.

    The Opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that the discussion on the farmers’ issues and agitations arising from the three “anti-farmers and black” agri-laws should follow the discussion on Pegasus. The statement has been signed by 14 opposition parties. AAP, which skipped the opposition breakfast meeting Tuesday, was also part of the statement.

    “It is unfortunate that the government has unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition and blame it for the continued disruption in the Parliament. The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the Opposition’s demand for an informed debate in both the Houses. The opposition once again urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussion,” the statement said.

    Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with leaders from the opposition and treasury benches to end the stalemate and said that all issues can be taken up for discussion after an agreement between the two sides.

    As the uproar continued in the upper House, Naidu ordered six TMC MPs to withdraw from the House for the day. The MPs — Dola Sen, Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh, and Mausam Noor — had displayed placards in the well of the chamber disobeying the Chair. TMC MP Dr Santanu Sen has already been suspended for the entire session for snatching and tearing a statement from IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s hand on Pegasus.

    Meanwhile, the government blamed the Opposition for disruptions in both the Houses while it continued with the legislative business with both Houses passing bills amidst the din.

  • Monsoon session: Rajya Sabha Opposition leaders meet to discuss floor strategy

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Floor leaders of “like-minded” Opposition parties are meeting at senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge’s office in Parliament on Wednesday to chalk out floor strategy.

    Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned repeatedly on Tuesday amid ruckus by Opposition members over several key issues.

    ALSO READ: Congress MPs give adjournment notices to discuss Pegasus issue in Lok Sabha

    Earlier on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called a breakfast meeting to discuss the strategy to take on the BJP-led government in the remaining part of the monsoon session of parliament on issues being raised by opposition including alleged surveillance through Pegasus spyware.

    Amid the continuous ruckus created by the Opposition over the ‘Pegasus Project’ issue, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been facing repeated adjournments during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

    The two Houses have been witnessing protests from the Opposition since the start of the monsoon session on July 19. 

  • Parliament passes Vessels Bill amid Opposition protest

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Parliament on Monday passed The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021, which aims to bring uniformity in the application of the law relating to inland waterways and navigation within the country.

    Lok Sabha had passed the Bill already on July 29.

    It was cleared by Rajya Sabha on Monday by a voice vote amid Opposition protest and sloganeering over the Pegasus snooping controversy, farm laws and price rise.

    Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, moved The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 in the upper house for consideration and passing.

    The Bill will promote economical and safe cargo transportation in the inland water and bring uniformity in the application of the law relating to inland waterways and navigation in the country.

    “It will provide safety of navigation, protection of life and cargo and the prevention of pollution, strengthen the procedures governing inland vessels,” he said.

    It will also ensure transparency and accountability of administration of inland water transportation, to strengthen procedures governing the inland vessels, their construction, survey, registration, manning, navigation and other such matters connected therewith, he said.

    While participating in the debate, Shaktisinh Gohil of the Congress said the Bill encroaches upon the rights of the states.

    He further said he wanted to lay his statement in writing as the house was not in order.

    However, it was declined by Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who was in the chair, saying it should be done only through the laid down procedure.

    Mahesh Poddar of the BJP supported the Bill saying it will replace the almost a century-old law which was proving to be a hindrance in the development of the sector.

    While Prasanna Acharya of the BJD said inland water and seas transportation is now less than one per cent of the total cargo transportation though it benefits the economy.

    In countries such as the USA, inland water transportation of cargo is around 21 per cent.

    “We should try as much as possible to use our waterways because all our road transport is congested,” he said, welcoming the Bill.

    Banda Prakash of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) said it is a unified law for the entire country for waterways but under the bill, entire control is with the Centre and states has no role to play.

    The state governments should also have some roles in this.

    KM Thambiduari of the AIDMK, who was also a minister of shipping and surface transport in the Vajpayee government, said he had also tried to develop inland water navigation during his tenure.

    However, he also added that The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 brings uniformity but takes away the power of states which is against the federal system of the country.

    Ayodhya Rami Reddy of the YSRCP supported the Bill and said it will have a huge implication on Andhra Pradesh and positively impact the inland waterways.

    Now, there will be no requirement from state governments for any registration and separate permission, however, if any loss of revenue of the state governments must also be compensated for the first five years, he added.

    During the proceedings, Singh also warned members from filming the protest and said, “Making films (of house proceedings) is an unparliamentary act.

    Any such recording is illegal and unparliamentary.

    Please do not do it.

    ” During their turn in the debate, Vishambhar Prasad Nishad of the Samajwadi Party and Sushil Kumar Gupta of the AAP also tried to speak on farm issues, but were not allowed by the Deputy Chairman as they were deviating from the subject.

    He also warned Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale from deviating from the subject.

    Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar of the TDP also said the Bill appears to interfere with the federal structure and takes away the powers of state governments and this has to be re-looked into.

    While replying to the debate, Sonowal said presently the sector is governed by The Inland Vessels Acts, 1917 and has become absolute and inadequate to address the increasing complexing of the sector and operational bottleneck.

    “The contention of members that central government is infringing on the rights of the state and encroaching into the domain of the state legislature and affect the traditional fisherman and movement of their boat, is completely unfound,” he said.

    It will allow moving the vessel throughout the country, he added.

    While passing the Bill, certain Opposition members, who were in the Well of the House, tore papers and flung those in the air.

    Immediately after the passage of the bill, the deputy chairman then adjourned the House for an hour.

  • Rahul Gandhi invites opposition parties leaders to meeting to chalk out strategy on Pegasus row

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing stalemate in Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has invited leaders of opposition parties to a breakfast meeting at the Constitution Club on Tuesday to chalk out a joint strategy on the Pegasus snooping issue.

    Sources said the meeting is being held to forge unity among the opposition ranks on the issue.

    All opposition MPs and floor leaders of various parties have been invited for the meeting.

    The opposition has been demanding a discussion in Parliament on the Pegasus row and its leaders have been giving adjournment notices everyday.

    The government has been saying that the opposition is creating a “non-issue” and the IT minister has already given a reply in both Houses of Parliament.

    The sources added that an invite has also been sent to Trinamool Congress, which has been skipping all meetings convened by Rahul Gandhi so far.

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 noon after opposition presses for discussion on Pegasus

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:  Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned on Monday for almost an hour after opposition parties, including Congress and TMC, pressed for a discussion on the use of Israeli-made, military-grade Pegasus spyware, and farmers’ agitation against farm reform laws.

    While Congress MPs sought a discussion on the farm agitation, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Left parties sought a debate on the Pegasus snooping issue.

    No sooner had the House complimented shuttler PV Sindhu for winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and listed official papers laid on the table, the opposition MPs were up on their feet raising their demands.

    Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he is willing to consider a discussion on farmers’ problems provided members do not disturb proceedings and cooperate. But as the Opposition MPs continued to raise the issues, he adjourned the proceedings till 1200 hours.

    Before adjourning the proceedings, Naidu said Ramgopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Sanjay Singh (AAP), Mallikarjun Kharge, Pratap Singh Bajwa and KC Venugopal (all Congress), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC), CPI(M)’s Elamaram Kareem and V Sivadasan and Binoy Viswam of CPI have given notices under rule 267 seeking suspension of business to take up discussion on issues they want to raise.

    “I am ready to discuss. Even Business Advisory Committee has decided to hear about the farmers’ problems and also about other problems, provided if the House is in order,” he said. As MPs stood up to raise their issues, he said, “Members do not cooperate, stand up.”

    “If the House cooperates with me, I can hear people,” he said before adjourning the proceedings till 1200 hours. He also ordered publishing of names of the MPs who held placards.

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned till Monday amid Opposition protest

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Monday amid continuous protests by opposition parties over the Pegasus snooping controversy, farm laws and price rise. After the House resumed post lunch at 2:30 pm, Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was in the chair, called for private member business.

    The government introduced two bills — the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Subsequently, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moved a motion for consideration of the Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

    The bill was passed by a voice vote amidst the protest and sloganeering by the Opposition after a short reply from the minister. The deputy chairman then adjourned the House till Monday 11 am. Earlier, the Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned twice — first till noon and then till 2:30 pm.

    When the House re-assembled at noon after the first adjournment for the Question Hour, several Opposition members trooped into the Well, some of them carrying placards, and started raising slogans against the government.

    The House took up a few of the listed questions and the ministers concerned replied to the members’ queries. However, as the sloganeering by the Opposition members continued, the deputy chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2:30 pm.

    Earlier, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had adjourned the proceedings till 1200 hours just as the members of the Congress, TMC and other opposition parties stood up to raise the issues they have been pressing for since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 19.

    Before adjourning the House, Naidu expressed concern over parliamentary dignity and prestige being compromised by MPs by conducts such as whistling and placing placards in front of the ministers speaking during their protests in the last few days.

    He appealed to the members to see that the decency and dignity of the House are maintained. Thereafter, the listed official papers were laid on the table of the House. Naidu then called for the Zero Hour, where MPs raise issues of public importance.

    But just like the previous days, the Opposition MPs were up on their feet raising the snooping controversy, farm laws, fuel prices and other issues.

  • BJP says Pegasus row ‘manufactured’ matter; ‘anti-national’ to not discuss pandemic in Parliament

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI:  Asserting that preventing a possible third wave of COVID-19 is the biggest issue now, the BJP hit out at opposition parties on Wednesday for disrupting Parliament proceedings over “manufactured” matters like the Pegasus snooping and claimed it was “anti-national” to not discuss the pandemic in both the Houses.

    The BJP also made light of the unity among opposition parties against the Narendra Modi government, saying they were united earlier too and the main motivation of these parties, from the Congress to several regional ones, was to protect their “family interests”.

    On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains committed to the nation’s development, it said.

    After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition was united in demanding a discussion in Parliament on the suspected snooping, which he called an “anti-national” work, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit back, saying what is “anti-national” is elected representatives not discussing an issue which has impacted the country and the world.

    “Anyone who tries to prevent such a debate is striking a blow to the country… It is anti-national to not discuss the issue on the floor of Parliament,” Patra told reporters, attacking rivals.

    Opposition parties have stalled Parliament over a host of issues with the Pegasus row being at the centre of their protests.

    The biggest issue now is how to prevent the third wave of Covid-19 and the measures like vaccination, Patra added.

    Claiming that the Pegasus row is a “manufactured” issue, he alleged the opposition parties, such as the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, were trying to “weaponise” a “non-existent” issue to stall Parliament.

    The BJP leader said if Gandhi thinks that his mobile was targeted by the Pegasus spyware, then he should go to a police station and lodge a complaint.

    Accusing the opposition parties of “suppressing” people’s voice, he said they had been demanding a special session of Parliament to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic but have been now stalling it when a regular session has begun.

    To a question about opposition parties joining hands against the government over the Pegasus row, Patra noted they had united earlier too and referred to major anti-BJP leaders posing together after the Congress-JD(S) alliance formed the government in Karnataka in 2018 and the Congress and Samajwadi Party fighting the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls together in 2017.

    Be it the Congress, Shiv Sena or the Samajwadi Party, their intention is not India’s development but to save their family interests, he alleged.

    Modi does not come from a political family, and he remains committed to the nation’s development, Patra added.

    Gandhi on Wednesday said the Opposition was united in demanding a discussion on the Pegasus snooping row in Parliament in the presence of the prime minister or the home minister.

    He rejected the government’s charges over the disruption of Parliament and said the Opposition was only fulfilling its responsibility.

    The Congress also attacked the government over the Pegasus snooping row, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit of “hitting the soul of India’s democracy”.

  • No proposal to grant full statehood to Lakshadweep, Parliament told

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: There is no proposal for granting full statehood to the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, the government informed Parliament Wednesday.

    Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said this in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

    He was asked if the government has considered granting full statehood to Lakshadweep and what steps was it taking to increase the participation of the people of Lakshadweep in the democratic process.

    “No such proposal for full statehood for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep is under consideration,” the minister stated.

    Adequate institutional arrangements exist for the expression of the democratic aspirations of the people in thinly populated union territories such as Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, he said.

    “People residing in the UTs elect their Members of Parliament to the Lok Sabha,” Rai stated.

    He further added in his reply that the UTs of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu also have “a robust two-tier panchayati raj system with village and district panchayat bodies, through which people’s participation in the democratic process is ensured”.

    In Lakshadweep, extensive delegation of powers and functions has been made to the local bodies, he said.