News Analysis India

Tag: Monsoon Session

  • Rajya Sabha Juvenile Justice Bill passed amid Opposition protests over Pegasus, farm laws

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Wednesday as Opposition parties kept up their protests over Pegasus snooping row, farm laws and price rise.

    Amid the din, the House approved the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021. The Bill is already passed by Lok Sabha.

    The Upper House, which has seen continuous protests by the opposition since the Monsoon session started on July 19 to press for discussions on Peagasus and farm laws, was adjourned thrice before the Chair finally adjourned it for the day.

    While moving the bill for consideration in the House, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said, “Some of the renowned Parliamentarians, who have always prioritised the needs of the vulnerable…however, politics demands that they stand right here in the Well and attract attention towards the issue which they feel fit.”

    She added that despite this disruption, the House will agree that the children of this country deserve their attention for protection and support.

    However, the opposition members did not return to their seats and Raja Sabha witnessed continuous uproar.

    While Opposition members were shouting slogans in regional languages standing in the Well, the ministers concerned responded to members’ queries amid the commotion.

    The Chair requested the protesting members to maintain order in the House, but they did not yield to his request and continued sloganeering.

    Since all the listed questions were responded to by the concerned ministers, the Chair adjourned the House till 2 pm.

    As soon as the House resumed after lunch, BJP member Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was in the Chair, called Irani to move The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021 for the consideration of the House.

    Even as the minister briefed the House about the Bill, Opposition members continued raising slogans.

    “This bill is regarding children, please listen to it,” Kalita said.

    Opposition members refused to relent despite repeated requests by the Chair to go back to their seats and allow the Bill to be passed as it concerns children.

    Kalita then adjourned the House for half an hour till 2:45 PM.

    As proceedings again resumed, Kalita told the House that a member, who was unwell due to high blood pressure during the proceeding, was taken to RML hospital and the member is fine now.

    Kalita then called the listed members for participating in the debate on the bill. However, nobody turned up for discussion on the bill. Some members including TMC’s Derek O’Brien demanded a division of votes on the bill.

    However, Kalita asked the members to first go back to their seats.

    When the members refused to give any heed to the Chair, Kalita asked the Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani to move The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021 for passage.

    The minister moved the bill and it was passed amid the din.

    Thereafter, Kalita adjourned the House for the day.

    The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021, which seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, proposes to increase the role of district magistrates and additional district magistrates with issues concerning child care and adoption, she said.

    When the House met for the day, Naidu mentioned about Dholavira, a Harappan-era city in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, being added to the list of World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

    Thereafter, listed official papers were laid on the table of the House.

  • Opposition damaged dignity of Parliament, says BJP after ruckus in Lok Sabha 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday hit out at the opposition parties for creating ruckus in the Lok Sabha and throwing papers at the Chair, saying they have ashamed the world’s largest democracy and damaged the dignity of Parliament.

    Amid protest by opposition members over the Pegasus spying row and farmers’ issue, the Lok Sabha was adjourned multiple times on Wednesday.

    The House witnessed unruly scenes when and Congress Left members threw papers and torn placards at the Chair and Treasury benches.

    A placard thrown by an MP fell in the press gallery.

    READ HERE | Congress MPs throw papers, torn placards at Chair in Lok Sabha

    Opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the House, raising slogans and holding placards against the government over the Pegasus and farmers’ issues.

    “There is a way to protest. But today, the opposition has damaged the dignity and decorum of the temple of our democracy,” Union Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters outside the parliament building.

    He further said the opposition MPs have “ashamed the world’s largest democracy by their condemnable actions”.

    Alleging that the opposition is running away from debate, the BJP leader sought to know why the opposition “doesn’t want issues to be discussed in parliament.

    The House has witnessed repeated disruptions and adjournments since the beginning of the session.

  • Lok Sabha adjourned for third time as opposition creates ruckus over Pegasus, other issues

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the third time on Wednesday as opposition created ruckus in the House while protesting over Pegasus and other issues.

    When the House reassembled at 2 pm, Rajendra Agrawal, who was chairing the proceedings, took up matters under Rule 377 and asked protesting members to go back to their respective seats.

    As the din continued, Agrawal adjourned the Lok Sabha till 2:30 pm.

    As the Lok Sabha met in the morning, the House took up Question Hour amid continued slogan-shouting by opposition members.

    Opposition protest intensified post noon and Congress members were seen throwing papers at the Chair and Treasury benches while protesting Pegasus and other issues, following which the House was adjourned for about 20 minutes till 12:30 pm.

  • Lok Sabha conducts Question Hour without adjournments for first time this Monsoon session 

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday conducted Question Hour without any adjournments for the first time since the start of the Monsoon session of Parliament on July 19 despite vociferous protests by Opposition members on various issues.

    As soon as the House met for the day, Opposition members trooped into the Well as they sought to raise various issues.

    Some members were shouting slogans and displaying placards.

    From the Pegasus spyware controversy to the three farm laws, the members wanted to raise various issues during the Question Hour.

    Speaker Om Birla continued with the Question Hour despite the protests and more than ten questions related to various ministries as well as supplementaries were taken up.

    This is the first time in the current Monsoon session that the Question Hour went on without any adjournments. Since the commencement of the session on July 19, the proceedings have been repeatedly adjourned due to Opposition protests.

    On Tuesday, there were nine adjournments in the Lower House before proceedings were adjourned for the day in the evening. After being adjourned nine times, the lower house reassembled at 4.30 PM and Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, had once again taken up one matter of urgent public importance.

  • ‘You are snooping on everyone’: Mallikarjun Kharge demands discussion on Pegasus in Parliament

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday reiterated the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the issue of alleged snooping using Pegasus spyware and said that the Central government does not want to go by the rules of the Constitution.

    Speaking to reporters here, he said that the Opposition leaders have decided to raise this issue.

    “They don’t want to go by the rules of the Constitution. You (central government) are snooping on everyone including army officials, journalists and election commissioners. I am glad that all party leaders have decided to raise this issue together,”

    “We want to have a discussion (on Pegasus snooping issue) within the law and order. Earlier they agreed on the discussion on the COVID-19 crisis but when we started with a discussion, they just gave a statement rather than having a discussion,” he said.

    Earlier in the day, Congress MP KC Venugopal gave notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha for suspension of business for the day to have a discussion in the presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister on the Pegasus Project issue.

    The names of several Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and 40 Indian journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, according to reports published in The Wire.

    Speaking on Lok Sabha on June 19, the first day of the Monsoon session, Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that it is an attempt to malign Indian democracy and its well-established institutions.

    He had said that in the past too, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp and those reports too had no factual basis and were denied by all parties.

    The Minister also asserted that any form of illegal surveillance isn’t possible with “checks and balances in our laws and robust institutions.” 

  • Lok Sabha adjourned again amid disruptions by Opposition over Pegasus row, farmers protest

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Proceedings of Lok Sabha were adjourned till 2:45 PM on Monday after Opposition members raised slogans and placards on the Pegasus snooping row and the farmers’ issue.

    The House ran for a few minutes as papers were laid on the table and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

    With the Opposition MPs raising slogans against the government, Kirit Solanki, who was chairing the proceedings, asked them to return to their seats and allow the House to function. However, with the protesting MPs not relenting, he adjourned the proceedings till 2:45 PM.

    Earlier in the day, as soon as the House met, Speaker Om Birla paid tributes to the armed forces personnel for their valour and sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil War.

    On the 22nd anniversary of ‘Operation Vijay’, mounted to flush out Pakistani troops from the heights of Kargil, Speaker Birla also expressed his gratitude to the family members of the heroes of the Kargil War.

    Members observed silence for those who made the supreme sacrifice. He also congratulated Mirabai Chanu for winning a silver in Tokyo Olympics.

    Soon thereafter, opposition members trooped into the Well raising slogans, disrupting the proceedings.

    While the Pegasus snooping row remained the dominant issue with the Opposition members, they also raised slogans and displayed placards in support of agitating farmers.

    Some opposition members demanded the presence of the prime minister in the House and raised slogans such as “Modi sarkar jawab do” (Modi government please answer) on the Pegasus issue.

    “The government wants to give a reply. If you want a reply, please go back to your seats … people choose you to raise their issues. You are raising slogans … this hurts the dignity of the House,” Speaker Birla said.

    He had then adjourned the proceedings till 2 PM.

  • Parliament stand-off: Washout fear looms large as government, Opposition refuse to budge

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  With the Centre requesting him to convene an all-party meeting, the task is cut out for Speaker Om Birla to prevent a washout of the Moonsoon session in the Lok Sabha.   For the government, the stalemate is due to the race between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress to take credit for the Parliamentary disruptions. “There’s complete confusion in the Congress leadership. The Opposition had agreed for discussion on Covid in the Lok Sabha, but backed off later,” Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Meghwal told this newspaper. 

    The Opposition’s stiff conditions — the presence of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and a reply on the discussion by either of them on the Pegasus row — for resolution of the Parliament logjam wasn’t agreeable to the government, indicated Meghwal.“This has never been the norm. Reply is always given by the minister concerned, and conditional discussions don’t take place.”

    The Lok Sabha witnessing complete breakdown of communications between the treasury and the Opposition benches is worrying other parties. “My anxiety is that important bills may be passed in din in the House, which will be more disastrous for the democracy,” BJD’s senior leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said, stressing that both sides will need to move forward to arrive at some solutions. He also noted that while the Rajya Sabha took up discussion on Covid, the Lok Sabha, too, should take up public interest issues.      

    But, Congress chief whip in Lok Sabha K Suresh asserted the government has made no effort to reach out to the Opposition. “It is not the Speaker, but the government that doesn’t want discussion on Pegasus.”But Union Minister Bhupender Yadav contended that the Opposition has shown least respect for the conventions. “The Opposition has struck disruptive stance since the beginning by not even allowing the PM to introduce new members of the Council of Ministers.”  

    “It was previously agreed that the Lok Sabha will take up three short duration discussions, and calling attentions each and allow taking up important legislation,” said Meghwal.

    Didi in Delhi, TMC looks to up the anteWhat makes the Lok Sabha Speaker’s task challenging is that the Trinamool Congress is bracing to go more belligerent in the presence of its newly appointed Parliamentary chairperson Mamata Banerjee in Delhi.

     (With inputs from Richa Sharma)

  • Health Secretary to brief floor leaders on COVID-19; ‘Constructive opposition prevails’, says TMC leader

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Union Health Secretary will address floor leaders of political parties on COVID-19 on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien said here, terming it as a victory of a “constructive Opposition” which had insisted that the PM’s address on the issue should be before Parliament.

    At an all-party meeting on Sunday, opposition parties had objected to the government’s offer for a joint address by Modi to all floor leaders on COVID-19 in a building in the Parliament complex, saying this will be “highly irregular” at a time when Parliament was in session and claimed it was intended to “bypass” norms.

    Opposition leaders, including from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the CPI(M), also said that when the pandemic and issues related to it can be discussed on the floor of the House, what was the need to go “outside”.

    “#Parliament. Constructive Opposition prevails. At all-party meet Parliamentary Affairs Minister announced. PM would make presentation on #COVID19 in a conference room’. We insisted any statement by PM must be inside Parliament. Now been informed HEALTH SECRETARY TO ADDRESS MEET in august presence of PM’.Ok (sic),” O’ Brien tweeted.

    He also said that the opposition parties would like to hear the PM speak on the pandemic and the other issues in Parliament.

    “Dear Prime Minister, Sir. We so want to see you in #Parliament We so want to hear you in both Houses.”

    “Tell us about key issues #COVID19 #PriceHike #FarmersProtest #economy #federalism and more. Please don’t book conference halls in the neighbourhood. Parliament is supreme,” he tweeted.

    The health secretary will address the leaders at 6 PM and is also expected to show presentations on the pandemic and how it was managed, sources said.

  • Never seen such negative mindset in Parliament: PM Modi slams Opposition over ruckus

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the Opposition for creating a ruckus and preventing him from introducing newly- inducted Union ministers in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, saying such a “negative mindset” has never been seen in Parliament.

    As the Prime Minister rose in Lok Sabha to introduce the new ministers, Opposition members created an uproar by raising slogans.

    Dismayed over the disruption, Modi said, it should make everyone proud that several women, many people belonging to the SC and ST community have taken oath as ministers.

    “It seems some people cannot digest that more women, SC, ST and OBC community members are becoming ministers”, Modi said, and noted that several new ministers are children of farmers and also belong to OBC communities, In Rajya Sabha also, the Prime Minister could not introduce the newly-inducted ministers as several slogan-shouting opposition members trooped into the well of the House to protest over various issues.

    The Prime Minister slammed the Opposition over it, echoing the views expressed by him in Lok Sabha.

    “It is a matter of pride that people from rural India, who come from ordinary families have taken oath as ministers. But some people don’t want ministers to be introduced. They also have an anti-women mindset since they do not want women ministers to be introduced to the House,” he said.

    “Such a negative mindset has never been seen in Parliament,” Modi said in Rajya Sabha.

    Earlier, addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Monsoon session, the Prime Minster said the Opposition should ask the sharpest and toughest of questions in Parliament but asserted that the government should also be allowed to respond to them in a cordial environment.

    The Prime minister’s appeal comes at a time when the Opposition is raring to corner the ruling dispensation over a host of issues, including handling of the second wave of COVID-19, rise in fuel prices, farmers’ stir and an international media consortium report which has claimed that over 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including that of two serving ministers, could have been targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware.

    Modi said he wants meaningful discussions in Parliament over the COVID pandemic which has gripped the entire world.

    The Prime Minister said he has requested all the floor leaders to take some time out on Tuesday evening when he would like to give detailed information regarding the pandemic.

    “We want a discussion in the House as well as outside the House with all the floor leaders. I am constantly meeting the chief ministers and all kinds of discussions are happening in different forums. So I also want to meet the floor leaders as House is going on and it will be convenient and we can talk about it (the pandemic) face-to-face,” he said.

    Hoping that the session is productive and dedicated to meaningful discussions, Modi said the government is fully prepared to give the answers that the people of the country want.

    “I urge all MPs and political parties to ask the toughest and sharpest of questions but they should also allow the government to respond in a cordial environment as democracy is strengthened by conveying the truth to the people,” Modi said adding that this enhances the trust of the people and improves the pace of development.

    Talking about the vaccination programme going on in the country, Modi said it was moving forward at a fast pace and also urged MPs to cooperate in following all COVID protocols.

    “Vaccine is given in ‘baahu’ (arms), and those who take it become ‘Baahubali’. The only way to become Baahubali to fight against coronavirus is to get vaccinated,” Modi said.

    Over 40 crore people have become ‘Baahubali’ in the fight against coronavirus, the prime minister said the inoculation programme is being taken forward rapidly. Noting that the pandemic has engulfed the whole world, Modi said he wants that there should be a meaningful discussion regarding the pandemic on high priority.

    All practical suggestions given by MPs can usher in newness in the fight against the pandemic, if there are some shortcomings, they can be rectified, and everyone can move forward together in this fight, he added.*

  • Government ready for healthy, meaningful discussion in Parliament: PM at all-party meet

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday told an all-party meeting, ahead of the Monsoon session, that the government was ready for a healthy and meaningful discussion on various issues in Parliament.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi quoted the prime minister at the meeting to say that floor leaders were told that the government was ready for a healthy and meaningful discussion on various issues raised as per rules and procedures.

    An official statement later said the prime minister told the floor leaders that according to the country’s traditions of healthy democracy, issues concerning the people should be raised in an amicable manner and the government should be given an opportunity to respond to these discussions.

    Modi said it is everyone’s responsibility to create such a conducive environment and added that people’s representatives truly know the ground-level situation, hence their participation in these discussions enriches the decision-making process.

    Modi, according to the statement, called for healthy discussions in Parliament and sought the cooperation of leaders of all political parties.

    He expressed hope that the sessions run smoothly and complete the business.

    He also expressed his condolences on the loss of lives due to COVID-19 pandemic.

    The prime minister said as most of the parliamentarians have been vaccinated, it will help undertake legislative activities in Parliament in more confident environs.

    “Took part in the all-party meeting before the start of Parliament’s Monsoon Session.

    We look forward to a productive session where all issues can be debated as well as discussed in a constructive manner,” Modi later tweeted.

    At the meet, opposition parties objected to the government’s offer of a joint address by the prime minister on the Covid situation to MPs of both the Houses on Tuesday in the Parliament House Annexe, alleging it was another way of bypassing parliamentary norms.

    At the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi announced that Modi will address MPs of both the Houses on July 20 and speak on the pandemic.

    “Parliament is in session. Come to the floor of the House,” said TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien who attended the meeting.

    Sources in other opposition parties confirmed that the leaders refused Joshi’s offer and some even suggested a joint sitting of the two Houses in Central Hall.

    CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the party’s position has always been that when Parliament is in session, whatever the government has to say, it can do so on the floor of the House.

    “It is highly irregular for the government to do this. When the Parliament is in session, any address or presentation the government wants to make, it has to be done from inside Parliament,” said Yechury.

    O’Brien claimed that all opposition leaders present in the meeting, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav, BSP’s Satish Misra, refused to be addressed outside Parliament.

    At the meeting attended by 33 parties, the prime minister said suggestions from public representatives, especially from the opposition, are valuable as they make the discussion rich.

    Besides Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joshi were present on the occasion.

    Floor leaders of all prominent opposition parties, including O’ Brien from the TMC, Tiruchi Siva from the DMK, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and BSP’s Satish Mishra were also present.

    Apna Dal leader and NDA ally Anupriya Patel and LJP leader Pashupati Paras also attended the meeting.

    The Monsoon Session of Parliament will start from Monday and is scheduled to conclude on August 13.

    A total of 19 sittings are planned On day one of the session, Modi will introduce the newly inducted ministers in both the Houses.

    It is the convention that after the formation of a new government or an expansion or reshuffle in the Union Council of Ministers, the prime minister introduces new ministers in both the Houses.

    There was a major rejig in the Union Council of Ministers recently.

    While several new faces were inducted, some ministers were elevated to the Cabinet rank and portfolios of some others were changed.

    Some new members who recently entered Lok Sabha following bypolls would also take oath as members of the lower house on Monday.