News Analysis India

Tag: Rajya Sabha

  • PM Modi has misused Parliament for political gains: Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi misused the Parliament for political gains.

    Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, “The Prime Minister was only attacking Congress and was not answering questions raised by the party. Congress party raised issues like China’s extreme aggression, rising inflation in the country, unemployment, crisis arising out of Pegasus and COVID-19 in front of the government, but the Prime Minister did not say anything on these issues.”

    He further slammed the Prime Minister stating that he should have kept in mind the dignity of the post he is occupying.

    “The Prime Minister should have kept in mind the dignity of the post but he talked only on those issues which can be used for elections in five states, if there is any hate and anger against Congress, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Rahul Gandhi, he can speak these things outside the House and should have responded to the issues raised by the Congress in the House. But the Prime Minister has misused the House for electoral gains.

    The Congress leader further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to divide the country on the basis of religion. “Since independence till now all the people in the country are living together, in a democracy, all the people are voting which is because of the contribution of the Congress party. Whereas the mindset of the BJP is to divide the country on the basis of religion because they do not want to keep the country united,” he added.

    Earlier in a scathing attack on the grand old party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Congress’s thinking has been hijacked by ‘urban Naxals’.

    Prime Minister said that if there was no Congress, there would have been no Emergency, no caste politics, and Sikhs would never have been massacred in Delhi and the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits would not have happened.

    He also said that former prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru to maintain his image at the international level, Goa had to remain under the imperial rule for years.

  • RS clocks full productivity in first week, PM to reply to debate in House on Tuesday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha recorded hundred per cent productivity in the first week of the budget session during which the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address was taken up and the prime minister is likely to reply in the House on Tuesday.

    The smooth functioning of the House was acknowledged and appreciated by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who urged the members to continue with this spirit for the remainder of this session.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to reply to the debate on the motion of thanks in Lok Sabha on Monday evening, sources said.

    Rajya Sabha made full use of the available 15 hours and 17 minutes during the first week of the budget session, clocking 100 percent productivity for the week, not witnessed often, officials said.

    There were no adjournments due to disruptions during the week, unlike in the previous winter and monsoon sessions last year which witnessed frequent disruptions and adjournments.

    So far, 26 members have spoken in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address for 7 hours and 41 minutes. The house has allotted a total of 12 for the debate, the Secretariat said.

    After the prime minister’s reply, the Union Budget for 2022-23 will be discussed for 11 hours and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will reply on Friday. To enable this, Private Members’ Business on Friday has been dispensed with.

    During the first week in Rajya Sabha, 25 of the listed starred questions have been replied to orally in three days of Question Hour and 31 Zero Hour and 14 Special Mentions were made by members during Zero Hour, reduced by half an hour per sitting, the officials claimed.

    Fifteen Private Members’ Bills were introduced during the week.

    While two pending private members’ bills were discussed, the Companies (Amendment Bill), 2019 was withdrawn after completion of discussion by Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. Discussion on the Population Regulation Bill, 2019, moved by Rakesh Sinha, is continuing.

    Rajya Sabha witnessed functioning for three consecutive days during the week without forced adjournments after a year, the last time being March 15-17, 2021, during the Budget session last year, officials in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat have said.

    The productivity of Rajya Sabha has been 100 percent or more for four consecutive Budget sessions of 2014 to 2017 and of regular Budget session in 2019, officials said. It was 28.90 percent in 2018 and 6.80 percent during 2019 (Interim Budget session) and productivity was 76.10 percent in 2020 and 93.50 percent during the Budget session last year, the RS Secretariat said.

  • 98 amendments moved by Oppn in LS to Motion of Thanks on Prez address; 80 in RS

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Opposition members in the Lok Sabha have moved 98 amendments to the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address, while those in the Rajya Sabha have moved 80 amendments.

    Sources said a total of 232 amendments have been received by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and 13 Opposition members have moved 98 amendments to the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address. These include some on the Pegasus snooping controversy, they added.

    The amendments on the Pegasus issue were not admitted in the Upper House of Parliament, where such notices were disallowed by the secretariat since the matter is sub-judice, the sources said. In the Rajya Sabha, 19 notices for amendments were not moved as the three members proposing them were not present in the Upper House when the motion was taken up.

    The sources also said the notices given by Opposition members Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M) and KC Venugopal (Congress) for amendments on the Pegasus issue were not accepted by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

    The secretary had received 99 notices by 14 Opposition members and since three were not present when the motion was taken up, a total of 80 amendments on the Motion of Thanks were moved on various issues by 11 members in the Upper House.

    Kareem has also written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu for giving a ruling that under what grounds his amendments were not admitted or disallowed.

    “It is quite unfortunate and condemnable that such a decision has been taken, violating the basic right of a member of Parliament,” the Left leader said in his letter, adding that as a representative of people, he has to raise their concerns on the floor of the House.

    He said this action could create an impression among people that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat deliberately excluded the amendments that deal with incidents that could expose the Centre. “The unilateral action is completely undemocratic and unethical,” Kareem said.

    He claimed that similar amendments moved in the Lok Sabha were admitted and said the Upper House cannot escape its responsibility to maintain transparency in revealing the reason for disallowing his amendments.

  • Up to House to take up private member’s bill on amending Preamble: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Friday said it was up to the House to take up a private member’s bill on amending the Preamble of the Constitution and the Chair cannot give a ruling on the issue.

    The remarks came as a response to a bill moved by BJP MP KJ Alphons last year, which was strongly opposed by Opposition members, including RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha. Harivansh had reserved a ruling on the issue on December 3, 2021 after Opposition members had stalled the introduction of the bill.

    The deputy chairman had initially allowed the introduction of the bill, but later reserved his decision on it after a consensus was reached following protests by Jha and MDMK’s Vaiko. Elaborating on the bill on Friday, Harivansh noted that it was up to the House to decide how it would like to deal with the motion.

    “During the private members’ legislative business day of the last session on December 3, 2021, Manoj Kumar Jha, a member, had opposed without giving any prior notice the motion moved by K J Alphons, a member, for leave to introduce a Private Members’ Bill namely the “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill,2021 (Amendment of Preamble)”.

    “He had argued inter alia that Preamble is part of the basic structure of the Constitution and the Bill may not be allowed for introduction,” Harivansh stated.

    Jha had also referred to Rule 62 (2) of the Rules of Procedure and contended that such a bill, which did not have the previous sanction or recommendation of the President, cannot be introduced in the House, he said.

    “It was clarified on that day by me that Rule 67 of the Rules of Procedure states that ‘if a motion for leave to introduce a bill is opposed, the chairman, after permitting, if he thinks fit, a brief explanatory statement from the member who moves and from the member who opposes the motion, may, without further debate, put the question for the decision of the House’,” he stated.

    He noted that it was also informed that a decision on the motion for leave to introduce a bill had to be taken by the House and not by the Chair. “However, on a request made by the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and after taking the sense of the House, the introduction of the Bill was deferred,” he added. The Preamble is part of the Constitution.

    According to article 368 of the Constitution, Parliament may, in exercise of its constituent power, amend by way of addition, variation or repeal any provision of the Constitution and a Bill for the purpose can be introduced in either House of Parliament, he stated.

    “As already clarified by me on that day, that is, December 3, 2021, if the introduction of a bill is opposed on the ground of legislative competence of the Council, the Council decides the same and not the Chair,” the deputy chairman said.

    There are a number of rulings given by the Chair in the Upper House on this issue taking the same stand in the past, he noted. “As regards the objection raised by Manoj Kumar Jha under Rule 62(2) that Bill does not have the previous sanction or recommendation of the President, I may clarify here that there is no such requirement for introduction of the Bill under reference,” Singh said.

    Therefore, there is no question of any doubt on the admissibility of the Bill for introduction seeking to amend the Preamble to the Constitution, he added. “Be that, the bill has been listed in today’s agenda for introduction. The House may decide about the manner of disposal of the motion when the motion for introduction of the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Amendment of the Preamble) is moved by KJ Alphons,” Singh stated.

    Congress leader Anand Sharma noted that the House also does not have any mandate or is competent to amend the Preamble of the Constitution. “It is very clear that what is enshrined there, it is not the question of tinkering with the basic structure. There are umpteen judgments of the Supreme Court also on that. Various governments, if they have come up with any constitutional amendment, has been challenged and questioned they have been cast aside by the Supreme court,” he added.

    Sharma further said,”Here we are talking about the very Preamble of the Constitution. I would say or rather urge the member concerned that in the larger interest of the country, where questions are being raised about the integrity of our commitment to the Indian Constitution and its Preamble, this should not be entertained.”

    Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (AITC) and Communist Party of India leader Binoy Viswam also opposed the bill.

    Amar Patnaik (BJD) noted that two changes were brought into the Preamble of the Constitution by the 42nd amendment. “Two words — socialist and secular — were inserted into the Preamble. So it is not that the Preamble cannot be changed,” he stated.

    The deputy chairman stated that he had already cleared the position of the Chair regarding the issue citing various rulings in the past. “The House can decide or the court can decide; not the Chair,” he stated.

    During the Private Members’ Legislative Business, several members, including Amar Patnaik, Manoj Kumar Jha, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shanta Chhetri and Fauzia Khan, introduced their respective bills.

  • Expedite return of Kashmiri Pandits living in exile: Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi to Centre

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday asked the government to expedite the construction of transit accommodation units for Kashmiri Pandits and to facilitate their return to the valley.

    Raising the issue of the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the Shiv Sena MP said they have been living in exile for 32 years and they continue to be denied the right to return home.

    In 2015, the government had promised to construct 6,000 transit accommodations for Kashmiri Pandits. Unfortunately, as per the department-related parliamentary standing committee of Home Affairs, the work has been progressing slowly, and only 15 per cent of the work has been completed till date, she said.

    “It is unfortunate that despite the government’s big promises, post the removal of Article 370, after allowing people from outside the state to buy land there, Kashmiri Pandits are denied their homes,” the Shiv Sena MP said.

    “…I urge the government to expedite the construction of transit accommodation units and to facilitate the return, rehabilitation, and empowerment of the Kashmiri Pandit community. They have been fighting a battle to go back home for the past 30 years. The government must ensure their safe return and a dignified life for them,” she said.

    In his Zero Hour mention, Binoy Viswam of the Communist Party of India expressed concerns over the privatization of public sector units and said it was creating fear among the people. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Kumar Jha made a case for states governments and Centre to strengthen the framework of national employment policy.

  • CPI(M) MP gives notice in Rajya Sabha to move privilege motion on Pegasus issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan submitted a notice on Monday to move a privilege motion under rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha, accusing the government of “misleading” the House on the Pegasus spyware issue.

    In his notice, Sivadasan said on August 9 last year, responding to his question on whether the government had carried out any transaction with NSO Group Technologies, Minister of State, Defence Ajay Bhatt said there was no transaction between the ministry and the Israeli firm, while a report in the New York Times has stated that India and Israel agreed on “the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centrepieces”.

    “This revelation confirms the apprehension that the reply by the Hon Minister was misleading the august House, thus constituting a breach of my privilege as a member of the House and of the privilege of the House as a whole. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament,” he said.

    The Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP also said he had raised a similar question again, this time to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was rejected, but the MHA chose to “insultingly dub the question as hypothetical in remarks, thus trying to convey the message that there was no ground for such a question to arise”.

    “This response was received in the members’ portal. But the New York Times and several national and international media houses have published the news that Pegasus was bought from NSO group of companies as part of a billion-dollar deal with Israel. Thus, it is evident that the response of the Ministry of Home Affairs is misleading.”

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    “As the minister heading the Ministry of Home Affairs, Amit Shah is responsible for the misleading response, which constitutes a breach of my privilege as a member of the House,” he said.

    Sivadasan also raised questions on the response of Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who in his statement on the Pegasus issue had said, “NSO has also clearly rubbished the claims in the report.”

    This revelation confirms the apprehension that the statement by the minister was misleading Parliament, thus constituting a breach of the privilege of the House. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament.

    The continuous accountability of the executive to the legislature is the distinguishing feature. And any attempt by the executive to mislead Parliament constitutes a grave attack on the democratic values.

    “It is a frontal attack on the concept of popular sovereignty, which constitutes the bedrock of our democracy,” the Left leader said in his notice.

    “It is condemnable that the ministers deliberately chose to mislead the House by giving vague and incorrect statements”, he said, adding, “Based on the facts above mentioned, I propose to move a motion to refer the said question of privilege to the Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha.”

  • Naidu, Birla discuss Covid-safe Budget Session

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday discussed preparations for the Budget session of Parliament amid the surge in coronavirus cases.

    The session begins Monday with the address of President Ram Nath Kovind to members of both the Houses.

    During the meet, Birla suggested that members of both the Houses can be seated at different locations by name to avoid confusion, crowding, and inquiries. Naidu accepted the suggestion, parliamentary sources said.

    Due to Covid norms, the two Houses are meeting at different times. Members of the two Houses will be accommodated in chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as galleries to prevent crowding.

    To implement the sitting arrangement by name, parties have been approached to draw up a list of members who would be accommodated in various locations. Seats were allotted in chambers and galleries of both the Houses based on the strength of parties.

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    Given the reduction in the time of sitting of both the Houses by one hour per sitting due to staggered timings, Naidu and Birla took stock of the time available for different items of business. They underscored the need for cooperation from all sections of both the Houses for effective utilisation of available time.

    While Rajya Sabha would meet from 10 am to 3 pm, the Lok Sabha would sit from 4 pm to 9 pm. Officials informed the two presiding officers that the Parliament House complex has been sanitised and all possible measures are being taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.

    They were told that all MPs have been requested to take RT-PCR test 48 before the commencement of the Session. Part one of the session would end on February 11. The second part would begin on March 14 and conclude on April 8.

  • Dhankhar vs Mamata: Trinamool likely to bring motion against Bengal Governor in Rajya Sabha

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Amid the ongoing acrimony between the West Bengal government and Raj Bhavan, the ruling Trinamool Congress is likely to bring a substantive motion against Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha in the upcoming budget session of Parliament, a senior party MP said on Thursday.

    A substantive motion is a self-contained, independent proposal submitted for the approval of the House and drafted in such a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House.

    At a virtual meeting of the TMC parliamentary party in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it was also decided that the MPs will take up the issue of alleged attack on the federal structure and “efforts by the Centre” to snatch away the states’ rights, including its recent proposal to amend the IAS (Cadre) rules.

    Although the issue regarding floor coordination with the Congress was not discussed, a section of the TMC MPs said the party is likely to adopt a “flexible approach” on this.

    In the last winter session of Parliament, the party had decided against engaging in any form of floor coordination with the Congress.

    “At the meeting, Rajya Sabha Chief whip Sukhendu Shekhar Ray spoke about bringing in a substantive motion against the governor in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session,” a senior TMC MP said on condition of anonymity.

    It has been decided that Ray will bring in the motion, he said.

    “The way the governor is meddling in the jurisdiction of the state is unprecedented. He is trying to create a problem and a controversy every day,” he said.

    On January 25, while speaking to the media after paying floral tributes at the statue of B R Ambedkar on the Assembly premises on the National Voters Day, the governor not only castigated the Speaker and the chief minister for allegedly not providing the information he had sought, but also described the political condition in West Bengal as “horrible and frightening”.

    A day later, Speaker Biman Banerjee said that in future his office might enquire about the purpose of any visit by Dhankhar to the Assembly, other than constitutionally mandatory appearances such as the governor’s address at the inaugural session of the House.

    Since he took charge in 2019, Dhankhar has had several run-ins with the West Bengal government over various issues.

    The TMC MP said the issues related to the alleged attack on the federal structure of the country would be raised in both Houses of Parliament.

    “We will raise the issue of (proposed amendments to) IAS cadre rules, attack on federal structure, attempt to undermine the authority of states, especially opposition ruled states, discrimination in the distribution of Covid vaccines, the BSF’s increased jurisdiction and bank privatisation,” he said.

    Till Wednesday, nine non-BJP ruled states have opposed the Centre’s proposal that gives it an overriding power while deciding on central deputation of IAS officers, whereas eight others have given their consent.

    The West Bengal CM had twice written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the proposed amendment to the IAS (Cadre) Rules claiming that it would lead to destruction of democracy.

    When asked whether anything was discussed about floor coordination with the Congress, several TMC MPs replied in the negative.

    “Most likely, this time we will adopt a flexible approach. We will continue to function as an opposition party. We have our own identity. We will raise issues concerning the masses, like weakening the federal structure.”

    “We will ask all opposition parties, including the Congress, to join us. Now whether they will join us or not depends on them,” a TMC MP said.

    The relationship between the Congress and the TMC had hit an all-time low in 2021.

    The TMC had slammed the grand old party over its alleged failure to fight against the BJP and dubbed it as an “incapable and incompetent” party that has gone into a “deep freezer”.

    The Congress has recently turned down the TMC’s offer for an alliance in the upcoming Goa assembly polls.

  • Congress casting aspersions on Rajya Sabha chairman ‘a disfavour to truth, democracy’: Joshi

    Taking on the opposition, Joshi in a statement said it was painful that some members of the opposition reduced the temple of democracy to a theatre of street fight.

  • Winter Session: Lok Sabha registers nearly 82% productivity, Rajya Sabha 48%

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: As the Winter Session of Parliament concluded on Wednesday, a day ahead of the schedule, the productivity of Lok Sabha was registered to be approximately 82 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha was nearly 48 per cent.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi shared the information while briefing media after both the Houses were adjourned sine die.

    “The productivity of Lok Sabha was approximately 82 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha was approximately 48 per cent,” Joshi said.

    The Minister said the Winter Session 2021 of Parliament which commenced on November 29 and was scheduled to adjourn on December 23, has been adjourned sine die today (Wednesday).

    He said the session was curtailed one day earlier than scheduled on completion of essential government business.

    The session provided 18 sittings spread over a period of 24 days, said Joshi while adding that 13 Bills (12 Bills in Lok Sabha and one Bill in Rajya Sabha) were introduced during the session and a total of 11 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament.

    The passed Bills include the Appropriation Bill relating to the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2021-22 which was passed by Lok Sabha, transmitted to Rajya Sabha and will be deemed to have been passed by both Houses after the expiry of 14 days under Article 109(5), the Minister said.

    Three Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (9 of 2021), the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (10 of 2021) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (8 of 2021) which were promulgated by the President before Winter Session, 2021 were considered and passed by the Houses.

    One Bill namely the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was referred to the Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament.

    Some of the other important Bills including three ordinances replacing Bills passed by Houses of Parliament are the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021; the Dam Safety Bill, 2021; the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulations) Bill, 2021; the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2021; the National Institute of Phar Bill, 2021; the High Court and Supreme Court Amendment Bill, 2021; the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021

    Two Short Duration Discussions under Rule 193 were also held in Lok Sabha on COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it, and Climate Change.

    In Rajya Sabha, the Minister said one discussion on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country was held.

    Joshi stressed that the Opposition did not participate in any of the Short Duration discussions, despite themselves demanding it in the all-party meeting. He also added that the first priority was given to the price rise discussion.

    The BJP leader also took a dig at Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien who threw Rajya Sabha rule book on reporters’ table during the discussion on the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021.