News Analysis India

Tag: Parliament

  • 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.

  • Over 3.93 crore cases pending in lower, subordinate courts: Law Minister Kiren Rijiju

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Over 3.93 crore cases are pending in the lower and subordinate courts, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

    In a written reply, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said according to the information available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), as of July 30 this year, a total of 3,93,21,607 cases are pending in the lower and subordinate courts.

    These include 1,05,10,012 civil cases and 2,88,11,595 criminal cases. Of the total pending cases in lower courts, 1,02,001 are pending disposal for over 30 years. These include 37,423 civil and 64,578 criminal cases.

    Disposal of pending cases in courts is within the domain of the judiciary, he pointed out. “No time frame has been prescribed for disposal of various kinds of cases by the respective courts,” the minister informed the House adding the government has no role in the disposal of cases in courts.

    He also said that a total of 12 virtual courts have been set up in Delhi, Faridabad (Haryana), Pune and Nagpur (Maharashtra) Kochi (Kerala), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Guwahati (Assam) and Bengaluru (Karnataka) to try traffic offences.

    As of July 12, 2021, these courts have handled 75 lakh cases and realised Rs 160.05 crore in fines.

    The minister also said video conferencing emerged as the mainstay of the courts during the Covid-induced lockdown as physical hearings and normal court proceedings in the congregational mode were not possible.

    Since the Covid lockdown started, the district courts heard 74,15,989 cases, while the high courts heard 40,43,300 cases (totalling 1.14 crore) till June 30, 2021, using video conferencing only.

  • Opposition blames government for Parliament logjam, demand debate on Pegasus and farmers’ issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Leaders of 14 opposition parties on Wednesday said the responsibility for the deadlock in Parliament lies squarely with the government and urged it to respect parliamentary democracy by accepting their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus row and farmers’ issue.

    In a joint statement here, 18 leaders from 14 parties said that it is unfortunate that the government has “unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition” and blaming it for the continued disruption of Parliament proceedings.

    “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,” according to the statement.

    “The opposition once again urges the government to respect parliamentary democracy and accept the discussions. The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions,” it said.

    ALSO READ| Lok Sabha Speaker cautions Opposition not to place placards in front of his chair

    The opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that discussion on farmers’ issues and on agitations due to the contentious agriculture laws should follow the debate on the Pegasus row.

    The statement was issued jointly by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK’s TR Balu and Tiruchi Siva, Congress’ Anand Sharma, Samajwadi Party’s Ramgopal Yadav, Derek O’ Brien and Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress, and Sanjay Raut and Vinayak Raut of the Shiv Sena.

    The other signatories included Manoj Jha of the RJD, CPM’s Elamaram Kareem, CPI’s Binoy Viswam, AAP’s Sushil Gupta, IUML’s Mohd. Basheer, NC’s Hasnain Masoodi, RSP’s NK Premachandran and MV Shreyams Kumar of the LJD.

    ALSO READ| Congress’ Bittu, SAD’s Harsimrat have verbal spat in Parliament over farm bills

    The statement comes after a stalemate in Monsson Session of Parliament with both the Houses paralysed by the opposition’s uproar over their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus snooping issue and farmers’ protests.

  • Don’t get provoked by negative approach of the Opposition, PM Modi tells party functionaries

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed the Opposition undemocratic for disrupting proceedings in the two Houses of the Parliament. He also came down heavily on the Opposition MPs for “insulting the rules and procedures of the Parliament”.

    Speaking to BJP MPs during the party’s weekly Parliamentary meeting, the Prime Minister talked at length about “the negative approach of the Opposition” in disrupting the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament in both Houses.

    Incidentally, this session has been highlighted by an unending ruckus over the Pegasus snooping issue, with both the government and the Opposition hardening their stance.

    In an apparent reference to claims by some of the MPs who have taken to social media to slam the passage of legislative proposals by the two Houses, the Prime Minister told the BJP MPs that such statements are an insult to the procedures of the Parliament.

    While a TMC member in Rajya Sabha had torn the statement of IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on the Pegasus issue, several Opposition members had torn papers in Lok Sabha and threw it in the air. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi, while speaking to reporters, said the Prime Minister has asked MPs to exercise restraint in the face of provocations by the Opposition parties.

    Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman is also learnt to have made a presentation to the BJP MPs on the state of the economy. She argued that the economy has not been affected by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.  She is also learnt to have given the account of measures taken by the government for various sector to address their concerns during the pandemic.

  • PM Modi lashes out at opposition members for their conduct in Parliament

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed opposition members for tearing papers in Parliament and making “derogatory” remarks on the waybills have been passed as he accused them of insulting the legislature and the Constitution with their conduct.

    Briefing reporters on Modi’s speech at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the prime minister expressed anger at the conduct of some opposition members.

    While a TMC member in Rajya Sabha had torn the statement of IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on the Pegasus issue, several opposition members had torn papers in Lok Sabha and threw it in the air and towards the Chair.

    A tweet of TMC leader Derek O’Brien criticising the manner of bills’ passage in Parliament also drew Modi’s ire, Joshi and another Union minister V Muraleedharan told reporters, without naming the TMC member.

    He had tweeted, “In the first 10 days, Modi-Shah rushed through and passed 12 Bills at an average time of UNDER SEVEN MINUTES per Bill.

    Passing legislation or making papri chaat!” Such comments are “derogatory” of parliamentary procedure and esteem of elected representatives, Muraleedharan said quoting Modi.

    The conduct of the opposition is an “insult” to Parliament and the Constitution, Joshi said, quoting the prime minister.

    The opposition has stalled Parliament’s proceedings demanding a discussion on the Pegasus snooping row, an issue dismissed as inconsequential by the government.

    The BJP parliamentary party also hailed Modi at the meeting over the government’s decision to provide reservation to the OBC and the EWS in the all-India quota of medical entrance test NEET.

  • 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.

  • Government hopes for split in Opposition ranks to break Parliament impasse

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  With the monsoon session of Parliament entering the last leg, the government is hoping for a division in the Opposition ranks by taking up discussions on Covid-19 and farmer agitations in Lok Sabha, while packing the legislative businesses in both the Houses. 

    The Opposition stays on an aggressive course against the government on the Pegasus snooping issue, with no indication till late Sunday evening of a breakthrough in the ongoing standoff in the Parliament.“There’s no positive development despite a number of efforts made by the NDA leaders in both the Houses. We will see what happens on Monday,” said a floor manager of the NDA in the Parliament. 

    However, the agenda for the Lok Sabha includes a short discussion on the situations emerging out of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is being moved by RSP leader NK Premchandran and Shiv Sena’s Vinayak Bhaurao Raut under Rule 193, which doesn’t entail voting, but only a response from the concerned minister. 

    The bulletin for the lower House has also listed a business to discuss a statutory resolution seeking disapproval of the “Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2021, and passing of a bill to replace it, which is likely to be in line with the agreement arrived at during the earlier stages of negotiations between the government and the farmers’ unions before talks broke down.  

    The government has packed legislative business for the ongoing session, and the NDA floor managers appear determined to push through the bills even if Opposition MPs camp in the well of the House.   “Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders are particularly not showing any accommodative stance to arrive at a formula to break the deadlock in the Parliament.

    There exists no chance of the government accepting their conditions for taking up discussions on the Pegasus issue, that the Prime Minister or the home minister be present in the House and either of them reply afterwards. Other Opposition parties have, however, expressed keenness for a compromise. Discussion on Covid-19 will be watched,” said a Union minister, who didn’t wish to be identified. The Rajya Sabha had taken up discussions on Covid-19 before lapsing into pandemonium over the Pegasus issue.

  • Total washout for second week in Parliament

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The ongoing monsoon session of Parliament was almost totally washed out for the second successive week amid vociferous protests by a united Opposition demanding discussion into the Pegasus snoopgate. 

    While the government introduced four bills on Friday and passed one quickly, complete paralysis of Parliament could be expected next week as well, as floor leaders of the Opposition unanimously decided to stay firm on their demands.  

    The Opposition wants a discussion on the snooping in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union home minister Amit Shah, besides a Supreme Court-monitored judicial probe, while the government is not ready to yield, claim as it does that new IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already given a detailed statement on the floor of both Houses of Parliament.

    “Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is the place where we have to speak. The government is refusing to give us a discussion on Pegasus. Obviously, the government has done something wrong. Obviously, the government has done something that is dangerous for the country, otherwise they would say, please have a discussion,” said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, after the meeting of Opposition floor leaders.  

    A short duration discussion on Covid lined up in the Lok Sabha could not happen as the House was adjourned for the day. Voicing strong concern over the conduct of some MPs during protests in the Upper House, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said such conduct lowered the dignity and prestige of the House. 

    Amid the din in the LS, two bills — The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 and the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill — were introduced. The Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the RS. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “We want a discussion but the government does not intend to.”

    Rahul hits out at govt Since it is refusing discussion on snoopgate, obviously the government has done something wrong, alleged Rahul Gandhi

  • India records highest number of forest-fire alerts in three years: Government in Parliament

    MoS Environment Ashwini Choubey said 3,45,989 forest-fire alerts were sent by the Forest Survey of India using SNPP-VIIRS sensors.