News Analysis India

Tag: Parliament

  • CCPA recommends Winter Session of Parliament from November 29 to December 23

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Parliament Affairs has recommended that the Winter Session of Parliament be held from November 29 to December 23, sources said on Monday.

    Like previous sessions of Parliament in the last one and half years, the Winter Session will be held adhering to COVID-19 protocols, people familiar with the developments told PTI.

    The session will have around 20 sittings, they said.

    The Winter Session of Parliament was not held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also led to curtailing of the Budget and the Monsoon Sessions.

    “The CCPA (Cabinet Committee on Parliament Affairs) which is chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has recommended the dates for the Winter Session of Parliament from November 29 to December 23,” a source told PTI.

    Both Houses of Parliament — Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha – will hold proceedings simultaneously and members will have to follow social distancing norms.

    Those who will be present in Parliament, including MPs, will be required to wear masks and they could be asked to undergo a COVID-19 test before the start of the Winter Session.

    The session is of significance as it comes ahead of assembly elections in five states, including the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.

    It will be followed by the Budget Session, but this will be adjourned for recess after few days of proceedings for passage of the Union Budget.

    Inflation, rise in fuel prices, rise in prices of edible oil, militant attacks on civilians in Kashmir, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which farmers were killed, and the farmers’ protests against three central agri laws, are among the issues, that are likely to be raised by the Opposition to corner the government.

    This year’s Monsoon Session was marked by protests by the Opposition, which sought answers from the government over the Pegasus spyware issue and demanded repeal of the three farm laws.

    The session was curtailed and adjourned sine die two days ahead of its scheduled adjournment due to the protests.

  • Delhi Police arrests man from Bihar for forging Parliament pass

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A 26-year-old man was arrested from Bihar for allegedly forging a pass required to enter Parliament complex to show-off and cheat people, police said on Saturday.

    The accused has been identified Babloo Kumar Arya, a resident of Gopalganj district in Bihar, they said.

    According to the police, the accused told them that he wanted to show off and also cheat people with the help of the forged pass.

    The police received a complaint that a Lok Sabha pass for the personal secretary of a Member of Parliament had been prepared in the name of Babloo Kumar Arya without the recommendation of MP concerned, they said.

    It was also learnt that Arya was neither the PA or PS to any MP nor his name was recommended for issuance of Lok Sabha pass, police said.

    As the pass could be used to enter in the Parliament and was a security threat, a case was registered and the investigation was taken up, a senior police officer said.

    It was revealed that the forged pass was prepared after editing the Lok Sabha pass which was issued to a person named Jyoti Bhushan Kumar Bharti, police said.

    It was also found that Arya knew Bharti and both belonged to Gopalganj in Bihar, the officer said.

    Thereafter, a team was sent to Gopalganj and Patna.

    They both were interrogated where Arya confessed to his crime and was arrested on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Monika Bhardwaj said.

    It was revealed that the pass was issued to Bharti for the period of June 18, 2019 to December 31, 2019, police said.

    Arya had taken the original pass from Bharti’s pocket at his house at Gopalganj without his knowledge.

    He had forged the pass at a cyber cafe in Gopalganj after scanning the original pass and editing the details, police said.

    Arya completed his graduation from Chhapra University in Bihar in 2018.

    In 2011, he came in touch with Bharti who was also studying in Chhapra University.

    Bharti used to work as PA/PS to an MP, police added.

  • PM Modi should express grief in Parliament over death of 750 farmers during protests: Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi should for once express grief in Parliament over the death of around 750 farmers during the months-long anti-farm law protests on Delhi’s borders, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said on Saturday.

    He slammed the BJP-led Centre over the minimum support price (MSP) issue, and alleged that the government’s assurance that the system would continue is “only on paper” and the farmers want it in reality.

    Participating in a discussion titled ‘Seeds of Wrath: Fears and Facts: How to address the farm crisis’, BJP MP Rajendra Agarwal countered Tikait alleging the protest against the three Central agri laws appeared to be politically motivated.

    At the conclave, Tikait said, “Farmers are protesting to get an appropriate procurement price for their crops. The government claims the MSP has been there, is there and shall remain in place but the farmers want that in reality and not just on papers.”

    “The protest by farmers has its entered 11th month. The government and the prime minister should for once speak in Parliament about the 750 farmers who have lost their lives during the protest,” he said.

    ALSO READ: Killing of BJP workers in Lakhimpur after car ran over farmers reaction to action says Rakesh Tikait

    The PM should express grief at the loss of the lives of farmers, said Tikait, who has been leading hundreds of BKU members and protestors at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border since November 2020.

    However, Agarwal said Prime Minister Modi always speaks about the farmers and has spoken about them in Parliament.

    “The protest has entered its 11th month but there has been confusion about it all the time. There could be misunderstandings about the laws, but those have been debated on various platforms. The issue even reached the Supreme Court,” the Lok Sabha MP from Meerut said.

    “I want to know just one point in the laws that they have an objection to. It (the protest) therefore appears to me not motivated by the interest of farmers but political agenda or political ambitions. The protest can be linked to some political parties,” Agarwal said.

    All discussions about the laws have taken place and the Narendra Modi government is sensitive towards the farming community with a proven track record since 2014, he added.

    To a question that MSP has not been a legal guarantee during previous governments, Tikait replied that is why those parties are not in power now.

    ALSO READ: Farmers say will burn PM Modi’s effigy on Dussehra

    “In 2011, a financial committee was set up with Narendra Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, as chairman. It had recommended to the Centre that a law should be enacted guaranteeing MSP,” the BKU leader claimed.

    “Today, Modi is betraying the country over something he had recommended,” he alleged.

    Agarwal, the BJP leader from western UP, referred to Rakesh Tikait’s father Mahendra Tikait, to highlight the woes of farmers and claimed the new laws have liberated them from mandis, allowing them to sell their crops anywhere.

    Tikait, however, insisted if Agarwal could define “anywhere”.

    Hundreds of farmers are encamped at Delhi’s borders points of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 2020 with a demand that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to MSP for crops.

    The protests are led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions.

    The Centre, which has held 11 rounds of formal dialogues with the farmers, has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer.

  • New parliament building will be a great work of skill, speed, scale: Government official

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With thousands of labourers deployed at raising the new parliament building, a top government official said on Tuesday the complex will be a “monumental work in skill, speed and scale” and will be an ode to “Aatmanirbhar India” as its every component, from architecture to construction material, has been sourced indigenously.

    Briefing reporters, Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said the new parliament building will meet its deadline of October 2022 and claimed that it will be a work of “marvel” as there will be few precedence of such a gigantic exercise being completed in such a short span of time.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the project in December 2020.

    With critics wondering if the new building will match up to old one in its grandeur, Mishra said it will look like “twin sister” of the current one with its mosaic of red and yellow stones while being much ahead in terms of its occupancy, use of modern technologies and amenities.

    Noting that the current parliament building was meant to be a “meeting hall” and retrofitted later and had two floors added, which resulted in lack of sunlight and cramped spaces, he said the new building will be inviting and look like a “people’s parliament”.

    It will be truly a people’s parliament and an ode to Modi’s call for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, he said, adding that the new legislature will be realisation of the prime minister’s vision as he has been keenly involved in the entire exercise from the beginning.

    Highlighting the hectic pace of work, Mishra said over 4,800 workers are deployed at the site and 1,200 at different places, adding that so far six lakh man days have been created.

    He said work has been going on in over 20 places across the country, ranging from those related to furniture, stones and electricals to technological features, regarding the new building.

    Over 1.65 lakh cubic metre of soil was removed in 45 days, he said highlighting the scale of the work.

    “It was disposed in a clinical manner that few would have noticed,” he added.

    So far, Mishra said, 1,13,625 cubic metre of concrete will be used at work and 72,000 cubic metre of it has been done so far.

    With extensive use of corrosion-free steel and other modern construction features, the building’s planned life currently is 200 years, he said.

    He said new parliament building will meet construction requirement in seismic zone-5, which covers the regions most vulnerable to earthquakes even though the national capital falls in the zone-4, and will qualify for the top green rating of five-star platinum.

    He also allayed apprehensions about the loss of trees due to the construction of the new building, saying no trees were cut but 404 of them were transplanted and 80 per cent of them have survived.

    In their place, 4,400 saplings have been planted, he told reporters.

    Mishra claimed the new buildings will have state-of-the-art technological features, making it secure against any security threats, including those emanating from cyberware.

    “The new parliament building will be a monumental work of skill, speed and scale,” he said.

    With work going on round the clock, the new building will meet its October 2022 deadline, he asserted.

    The winter session next year will be held in the new building, he added.

  • Compromise with Parliament’s dignity unacceptable: Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Saturday said it is the right of the Opposition to protest over issues in Parliament but compromise with the dignity of the House is unacceptable. Yadav said this referring to the washing out of the monsoon session of Parliament.

    Among other issues, the Pegasus snooping controversy and farm laws had led to repeated disruptions in both Houses of Parliament.

    Commenting on it after completing his 620-km-long “Jan Ashirwad Yatra” carried out in seven Lok Sabha constituencies of Haryana and Rajasthan, Yadav said Parliament is run through dialogue and in a dignified manner. “It is the right of the Opposition to protest against any issue but it doesn’t have the right to take Parliament’s dignity in its hands,” Yadav told reporters in Ajmer.

    Protest and disruptions are understandable but not pandemonium, the minister added. He said in the recent Parliament session, the Opposition did not let the prime minister introduce members of his new cabinet. The Opposition disrupts proceedings of the House whenever it likes, he alleged.

    He said Opposition members throwing rule book at the Chair in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion was unfortunate. Talking about the “Jan Ashirwad Yatra”, Yadav said he held 75 meetings and seven big rallies. He exuded confidence that the BJP will form the next government in Rajasthan.

    The Congress government has completed two-and-a-half years in the state. Replying to a question on the protest against Centre’s agricultural laws, he said, “I want to clarify that these laws do not abolish the Agricultural Produce Market Committee in any manner. It provides an arrangement that if the city is overcrowded then another way should be given through a bypass. The laws have given a way to farmers to do more business.”

    He alleged that the protest is taking place to mislead people. “Even during the farmers’ agitation, the maximum produce has been procured through the mandi system in Punjab. The Congress should see this figure,” he said.

  • ‘Sorry state of affairs’: CJI N V Ramana on lack of debate in Parliament

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over the lack of debate in Parliament and state legislatures, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana Sunday said it is a “sorry state of affairs” as the absence of quality debate leaves many aspects of laws unclear and increases the burden on courts.

    He said that an elaborate discussion during the law-making process reduces litigation as when courts interpret them, “we all knew the intent of the legislature”.

    Speaking at the 75th Independence Day function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association in the lawns of the top court, the Chief Justice exhorted the members of the legal fraternity to participate in public life and share their experience about laws.

    He said the country’s long freedom struggle was led by lawyers.

    “Whether it is Mahatma Gandhi or Babu Rajendra Prasad, they were legal luminaries, who sacrificed their property, family and life and led the movement.”

    “Most of the members of first Lok sabha and Rajya Sabha were all lawyers and members from the legal fraternity. Unfortunately, we know what is happening now in the Parliament with respect to debates on laws,” CJI Ramana said in his address to the bar members.

    He said there used to be debates in Parliament on various constitutional amendments and how they will affect the people.

    “Long ago, I have seen a debate during the introduction of the Industrial Disputes Act and a member from Tamil Nadu used to discuss the law so elaborately as to how the law will affect the working class.

    It used to reduce the burden on the courts, as when the courts interpreted the law, we all knew the intent of the legislature,” the Chief Justice said.

    “Now, it is a sorry state of affairs. There are a lot of gaps and a lot of ambiguity in the law-making process due to lack of debates. We don’t know what the intent of the legislature is. We don’t know for what purpose the laws are made. This causes great inconvenience to the people. This happens when members of the legal fraternity are not in the Parliament and state legislature,”he added.

    The Monsoon session of parliament was short-terminated last week following days of relentless protest by the Opposition over the Pegasus snooping row, farm laws, price rise and other issues.

    The CJI told the lawyers, “Don’t confine yourself to your profession, earning money and living comfortably. Please think over it. We should actively participate in public life, do some good service and share the experience with the country. Hopefully, goodness will come out of it in the country.”

    The CJI added the Supreme Court has played an active role in the country and has given more than what the Constitution has thought of, but he expects the legal fraternity to contribute more.

    “There are small issues but around 75 percent of the people in need of justice have got legal aid. You (lawyers) all should participate in the legal aid movement. On November 26 and 27, we may have two day workshops on Constitution Day on legal aid,” he said.

    At the outset, the chief justice said it is a historic day and an occasion for all to rethink and review the policies to understand “what we have achieved and what we have to achieve in the future”.

    “Seventy-five years is not a small period in the history of the country but we have to also consider the vast landscape and geographical condition of our country,” the CJI said, while recalling his childhood days when they were given jaggery and and murmura (puffed rice) in school on the occasion of Independence Day.

    “Since then, a lot of development has taken place. Small things given to us in school made us very happy but in today’s time when we have so many facilities, we are not happy. I think this is due to our saturation level,” he said.

    Supreme Court Judges AM Khanwilkar and V Ramasubramanian were also present on the occasion alongside several lawyers and members of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was also present on the occasion, said the Chief Justice of India is the ‘karta’ (guardian) of Indian legal family and thus he does not wish to say anything more.

    “India is a young democracy and when we look around the neighbouring countries and they call themselves democracy and we all know how they have failed. In contrast, we have been able to sustain it the way it was envisioned by the framers of our Constitution,” Mehta said.

    The Chief Justice of India unfurled the national flag after which the national anthem was played by a police band.

    Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh welcomed the guests and said that it is a historic day as the country is celebrating its 75th Independence Day.

    He thanked the Chief Justice and other judges for gracing the occasion.

  • Parliament is ‘temple of country’s democracy’ to debate and decide issues of people’s well-being: President Ram Nath Kovind

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said Parliament is the “temple of the country’s democracy” which provides the highest forum to discuss, debate and decide issues for the well-being of people, remarks that came against the backdrop of the recent ruckus and continuous disruptions that led to the abrupt adjournment of the two Houses.

    In a televised address to the nation on the eve of the 75th Independence Day, the President also referred to the second COVID-19 wave, and said the country is yet to come out of its devastating effects.

    He asserted this is the time for extra care and caution, and people should not let their guard down.

    President Kovind also sought to address the concerns raised by protesting farmers’ unions against the three contentious farm laws, saying the series of agricultural marketing reforms will empower our ‘annadata’ farmers and help them get better price for their produce.

    Referring to the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, he lauded the “stellar” performance by the country’s sportspersons.

    President Kovind said when India won independence, many sceptics thought democracy would not survive in India.

    “Little did they know that roots of democracy were nurtured in this soil in ancient times, and even in modern times India was ahead of many western nations in offering franchise to all adults, regardless of any distinctions.”

    The founding fathers had reposed their faith in the wisdom of the people, and ‘we, the people of India’ have made India a strong democracy, he added.

    “We have adopted the system of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, our Parliament is the temple of our democracy which provides us highest forum where we discuss, debate and decide issues for the well-being of our people,” the President said.

    Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die on August 11, two days ahead of the scheduled date of August 13, after a tumultuous Monsoon session that witnessed unruly scenes in the Upper House on Wednesday when the Insurance bill was being passed.

    The Government and the opposition parties had traded charges over the abrupt end of the Monsoon session which was marred by continuous disruptions since it commenced on July 19.

    The opposition parties accused the government of crushing their voice in Parliament, “murdering” democracy and bringing “outsiders” as marshals to beat up MPs, a charge denied by the government.

    The government on its part had alleged that it was pre-planned by the opposition to not allow Parliament to function.

    Kovind also said it is a matter of great pride for all Indians that our Parliament will soon be housed in a new building.

    “It will be a fitting statement of our outlook. It will honour our legacy while also walking in step with the contemporary world, he said, adding that it is more than symbolic that the new building will be inaugurated in the year of the 75th anniversary of Independence.”

  • Opposition unity sounds good but tough to achieve

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The monsoon session saw bonhomie among Opposition parties. However, continuing that camaraderie outside Parliament appears to be a Herculean task because some of these parties are engaged in direct fights in key states. Plus, many regional leaders have national aspirations and issues like Pegasus spyware that united them may not resonate on the ground to as far as electoral fortunes are concerned. 

    TMC’s recent win in West Bengal Assembly elections has led Opposition parties to think of forming a united front against BJP. There were a number of meetings of Opposition leaders in the last two months. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar gave an open call to the Opposition to unite and keep aside personal egos to take on the Modi government in 2024.

    The monsoon session witnessed these parties coming together to corner BJP on the Pegasus, farm laws and price rise issues. But Opposition leaders feel they need a long-term strategy to take it to the next level, now that the Parliament session has ended.

    “Unity in Parliament on certain issues is different from having a larger understanding among 14-16 parties. We have to see how it can be taken forward. We need  a solid plan to continue this cooperation on the ground. It is too early to look at it from a view of having an electoral understanding. Several senior Opposition leaders have talked about it, but as of now, it is still very fluid. It needs to be addressed with top priority,” said a senior Opposition leader.

    Faultlines in Opposition ranks came to the fore the day after the monsoon session endedm, with TMC questioning the ‘big brother’ attitude of Congress. Both TMC and AAP were absent from a rally called by Rahul Gandhi to protest against what happened in Parliament.

    “It can’t be that someone calls and says come over… We need to talk to our leaders before making a decision. Trinamool is with the Opposition, but there is a way to do it,” said TMC MP Saugata Roy.

    While Opposition parties agree that a non-BJP front is not possible without Congress, the grand old party’s attitude in dealing with regional parties, even in states where it is a junior partner in alliance governments, has been questioned. “Congress has to allow the regional parties to take the lead in states they dominate while it takes on the BJP in states where it is in direct fight,” said a regional party leader. 

    Outstanding Parliamentarian award to be given twice a yearThe Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said the ‘outstanding Parliamentary award’ will now be given twice a year. He also stated the award for last three consecutive years would be conferred on the Best Parliamentarian this year. Biju Janata Dal MP in Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahatab was given the Best Parliamentarian award for 2017. Birla said the awards for 2018, 2019 and 2020 would be given this year. At a time Opposition MPs troop into the well of the House in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, BJD along with the Nationalist Congress Party are known to stay away from reaching the reporters’ table in front of the Chair. Birla on Friday presided over the annual general meeting of the Indian Parliamentary Group  at Parliament House complex.

  • Parliament being made ‘irrelevant’ by Narendra Modi govt, presiding officers complicit: Jairam Ramesh

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday alleged that Parliament was being made “irrelevant” by the Modi government and the presiding officers were complicit.

    Explaining further, Ramesh said one of the reasons for the opposition getting agitated was that only 12 per cent bills were sent to select committees for scrutiny under the current government and 27 per cent were sent in the previous Modi dispensation.

    “Why’s the opposition agitated? One of the reasons: Only 12% of bills in Modi-II have gone through any parliamentary committee scrutiny.

    This was 27% in Modi-I, 71% in UPA-II and 60% in UPA-I,” he said on Twitter.

    “Parliament is being made irrelevant by Modi government and the presiding officers are complicit,” he said.

  • Opposition, ruling party are like my two eyes, says Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday asserted that the Opposition and the treasury benches in the House were like his two eyes and are equal for him.

    Naidu said this during an informal interaction with a small group of media persons after the conclusion of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

    The Chairman said that proper vision is only possible with both eyes. He said he held both sides in equal esteem and it was the collective responsibility of both sides to enable smooth functioning of the House.

    “If anybody held a different view about his handling of the proceedings in the House, he would leave it to their wisdom,” Naidu said.

    When the issue of persistent disruptions was raised by the media persons, Naidu said that the legislatures are meant for debate and discussion and outside political battles should not be fought on the ‘Table of the House’.

    On the action being contemplated against some unruly scenes in the Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session, Chairman Naidu said that after detailed consideration, which is underway, an appropriate view would be taken at the earliest.

    On Bills being referred to the Select Committee of the House, Naidu said, “whenever differences persisted on such matters in the House, the House collectively takes a decision and the Chair can not force it one way or the other.”

    CCTV footage of the ruckus between Opposition MPs and marshals in the Upper House had emerged on Thursday.

    In the video footage, marshals can be seen forming a human shield to block Opposition MPs from going towards the Chairman’s podium.

    Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled end of the session.

    All through the session that began on July 19, opposition members forced adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over their various demands including a probe into allegations of surveillance through Pegasus spyware and repeal of three farm laws.