News Analysis India

Tag: Rajya Sabha

  • SP leader demands repeal of farm laws, guarantee on MSP in Rajya Sabha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: SP leader Vishambhar Prasad Nishad on Thursday demanded a repeal of three contentious farm laws and pitched for a new law to make minimum support price (MSP) mandatory for the procurement of agriculture produce.

    Farmers are protesting against the three new farm laws for more than two months at Delhi’s borders, demanding a repeal of these legislations.

    They are also pressing the government for making MSP mandatory.

    Participating in a debate on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha, Nishad said, “The farm bills were drafted on the directions of corporates. When the farmers do not want these bills, why are these being imposed on them? I demand that the farm laws should be taken back and a new law to guarantee MSP should be brought”.

    He pointed out that there is no special package in the budget for the farmers of the parched Bundelkhand region.

    Nishad also drew the attention of the House towards incidents of farmer suicide due to crop loss and debt and demanded that all crops be covered under insurance.

    The Samajwadi Party (SP) leader said he does not think that the government’s plan about doubling the income of farmers will succeed and pointed out that there is no provision for the farm-allied sectors in the budget.

    “The budget is a bundle of untrue bluffs,” he said.

    The budget will increase the disparity between the rich and the poor and it is very disappointing for farmers, wage-earners and small traders, Nishad said.

    He also urged the prime minister to withdraw the Model Village scheme as not a single penny has been released for the purpose in the last five to seven years.

    The SP leader criticised the government over the issue of privatisation of public sector undertakings, mentioning about its plan to divest the State’s stake in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and the Air India.

    He also mentioned apprehensions over the deteriorating standards of the sainik schools due to the privatisation plan.

    “As many as 32 public sector undertakings are being divested and there are plans to privatise state-run banks, which may affect the farmers’ savings. This may affect farmers if these private banks would fly by night after taking along the funds of poor farmers,” Nishad said.

    He said there is no provision for roads and bridges in Uttar Pradesh in the budget and also referred to some bridges, especially on the Yamuna river, where the work is 75 per cent complete and more funds are awaited.

    The SP leader also asked for four-laning of the Sher Shah Suri Marg.

    He alleged that not a single smart city has been developed so far and no bullet train is operational in the country.

    The rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and demonetisation have broken the back of the economy, Nishad said.

    He said jobs have been lost and employment opportunities have decreased in the last five years.

    Participating in the discussion, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh of the Janata Dal (United) lauded the finance minister for bringing an excellent budget.

    He said nobody died due to hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the government’s efforts.

    Singh said farmers not only produce foodgrains but also create employment opportunities because of value addition to agriculture produce.

  • Amid row with Twitter, Prasad says social media platforms should follow Indian law

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid a row with Twitter over blocking of accounts, India on Thursday warned social media platforms of strict action for failure to crack down on inflammatory content, saying they have to fully comply with the country’s law.

    A day after his ministry rebuked Twitter for not complying with its orders to take down inflammatory content, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said social media platforms cannot give differential treatment while handling problems on Capitol Hill and the Red Fort.

    The government, he said, was committed to freedom of media and rights of individuals but it was equally concerned about safety, security, and law and order in the country.

    “Please don’t spread enmity, violence and misinformation. Please follow the Constitution of India and the law of the land (otherwise we will be very strict),” he said replying to a question in Rajya Sabha.

    On Wednesday, his ministry had expressed displeasure at Twitter for failing to remove all of the over 1,100 accounts and posts it alleged spread misinformation about the widespread protests by farmers against new agricultural laws.

    Prasad said the social media companies took immediate action when riots broke out at Capitol Hill in Washington but ignored similar action when farm bill protestors ran riot at Red Fort on Republic Day.

    “This double standard would not work here,” he said flagging inflammatory content, especially those with the hashtag of Modi planning farmers’ genocide.

    “Yeh kya mazak hai? (What kind of a joke is this?),” he said.

    The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech but Article 19 (2) also says that it is subject to reasonable restrictions because of the “sovereignty and integrity” of India.

    Prasad said that while social media platforms have their own self-regulatory mechanism to check and evaluate inflammatory content, that does not mean they will not follow the Indian rules.

    “This will not work here,” he said.

    Asked about steps taken by the government to check the spread of misinformation on social media, he said “We have recently flagged Twitter” on the issue.

    His ministry officials are in talks with Twitter on the issue.

    On Wednesday, the government told Twitter’s representatives that the microblogging site has to follow its orders and that it was not a subject matter of negotiation.

    The government was riled after Twitter in a public blog post said it has taken down only half of the accounts and posts flagged by the government.

    “In keeping with our principles of defending protected speech and freedom of expression, we have not taken any action on accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists, and politicians,” it had said.

    Prasad, however, took exception to selectively applying rules.

    “Microblogging companies stand by police when they take action after Capitol Hill of Washington is ransacked.

    But when there is an attack on Red Fort, which is a sign of our dignity, they oppose (action),” the minister said.

    “This double standard would not work here.

    ” He qualified his statement by saying the government respects their good work and the foreign investment they bring into the country.

    “We respect your good work.

    You do business, bring FDI and money but you have to respect the laws and regulations of the country,” the minister said.

    Prasad also said his government is committed to the freedom of media and rights of individuals but is also equally concerned about the safety and security of India.

    “Our commitment for freedom of media, right of individuals and independence of the judiciary in complete and total.

    But we are equally concerned about the safety and security of India,” he said.

    On the protection of privacy of the individuals of the country on social media, he said the government is working on new guidelines.

    Gaps will be addressed when new guidelines will come, he said.

    “Work is in progress. ” The minister said he wants to convey to media platforms that freedom is important but they cannot abuse it by showing unbidden revenge sex videos, porn, street violence and videos that ignite passions and fuel violence.

    The social media platforms need to access unbidden exposure to such content against their own internal guidelines, he said.

    BJP member Vinay Sahasrabuddhe wanted to know whether the microblogging and social media companies could be covered under the laws of the Press Council of India and FDI laws would be applicable to them.

    According to Sahasrabuddhe, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information technology has already recommended this.

    Prasad replied saying “I am aware of the recommendations of that standing committee.

    I along with (Prakash) Javadedkar (Minister of Information & Broadcasting) are revisiting the guidelines.

    When it takes final shape, we would inform the House.

  • Government has failed to stimulate demand: Chidambaram

    He claimed that the budget for 2021-22 has failed as even a small amount of cash transfer has not been given to the poor and the rations are not being continued with.

  • Infiltration along Indo-Bangla border on decline: Govt

    India shares 2,216 km of border with Bangladesh, of which 1,638 km are fenced, the minister said.

  • Hathras rape case: High Court monitoring CBI probe as directed by SC, says govt

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Centre informed Parliament on Wednesday that the Allahabad High Court is monitoring the CBI probe into the rape-and-murder case of a 19-year-old woman in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh as directed by the Supreme Court.

    In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the apex court had observed that since the Uttar Pradesh police was divested of the probe and the central agency is carrying out the investigation, there would be no room for apprehensions at this stage.

    He said the investigation into the Hathras rape-and-murder case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the recommendation of the state government through a gazette notification of October 10, 2020.

    Reddy said according to the available information, the Supreme Court, in its order on October 27, 2020, had observed that the petitioners had prayed that the Union of India and the authorities concerned be ordered to conduct a fair probe and if the need arises, by transferring the case to the CBI, or a special investigation team (SIT) be formed to investigate the matter and that it was also prayed that a sitting or retired Supreme Court or high court judge be appointed to look into the matter.

    Reddy said the Supreme Court observed that it would be appropriate for the high court to proceed to monitor the probe in the manner in which it would desire and that the CBI shall report to the high court in the manner as would be directed by the high court through its orders from time to time.

    “Further, they also expressed the view that it would be appropriate for the investigating agency to complete the investigation and in any event, since the local police has been divested of the investigation and the CBI is carrying out the investigation, there would be no room for apprehensions at this stage,” he said.

    The 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped and seriously injured by four men at Hathras in September last year and she died at a Delhi hospital two weeks later.

  • Major Port Authorities Bill 2020 passed by Rajya Sabha

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha passed the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020 on Wednesday.

    The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on September 23, 2020, by voice vote.

    The Bill aims to provide for the regulation, operation and planning of Major Ports in India and to vest the administration, control and management of such ports upon the Boards of Major Port Authorities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

    Minister of State for Ports Mansukh L. Mandaviya had said that the Bill was moved so that India’s major ports can compete with major world-class ports.

  • More than 50 lakh frontline workers given COVID-19 vaccine in 21 days: Govt

    Till January 26, a total of 200 lakh doses of #39;Covishield #39; and 28.03 lakh doses of #39;Covaxin #39; have been supplied, Choubey said in a separate reply.

  • ‘It’s hard to fill his shoes’: PM Modi bids tearful adieu to outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad

    By Online Desk
    Recalling the time he worked with outgoing leader of Opposition and veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got emotional on Tuesday during his Rajya Sabha speech. 

    “Gujaratis were stranded during a pilgrimage when a terror attack took place in Jammu and Kashmir when he (Azad) called me. He cared for them like his own family,” PM Modi said with tears in his eyes. 

    Speaking of his camaraderie in the Parliament, the Prime Minister also spoke of other instances where the two opposing leaders shared a laugh or banter. “Whoever takes his place will have a problem as they will have to work really hard to fill his shoes,” he said. 

    He noted that Azad had called him to ask for an all-party meeting during the COVID-19 period.

    “I liked that and also did it. This kind of connection is there because he has the experience of both being in power and in opposition. Twenty-eight years experience in all, it is a big thing,” the Prime Minister said.

    Sharing details of their communication during a terrorist attack on some Gujarati pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said Azad was the first one to call him about the incident.

    With tears rolling down his cheeks, Modi said that Azad cried on the call while informing him about the horrific attack.

    “Azad was the first person to call me. During that call he could not stop crying,” Modi said.

    Earlier, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu described Azad as a voice of sanity in public life over few decades when he made valuable contributions while serving both in government and in opposition.

    Azad retires from Rajya Sabha on February 15 after being the leader of the opposition for over six years since June 8, 2014.

    (With PTI updates)

  • PM Modi quotes Manmohan Singh referring to those taking ‘U-turn’ over farm laws

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Defending Centre’s policies for farmers and referring to those taking a “U-Turn” from laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday quoted his predecessor Manmohan Singh who had once called for making one single market for agriculture produce.

    “Manmohan Ji is here, I would read out his quote. Those taking a U-Turn (farm laws) will perhaps agree with him. ‘There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their products where they get the highest rate of return…” said PM Modi in his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha.

    “…It is our intention to remove all those handicaps, which come in the way of India realising its vast potential at one large common market,” he added.

    “Manmohan Singh Ji had made his intentions clear to give farmers the freedom to sell their produce, and have just one market. And we are doing it now. You all should be proud. ‘See, what Manmohan Singh Ji had said, Modi is having to do now. (woh Modi ji ko karna pad raha hai). Be proud!” PM Modi said.

    PM Modi’s statement comes amid the protest staged by farmers at different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    The Prime Minister also said, the eyes of the world are on India and there are expectations that India will contribute to the betterment of our planet.

    He also said India is a young and enthusiastic land of opportunities and won’t let opportunities pass it by.

    On Friday, the marathon debate in the Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks to the President’s address concluded with 50 speakers from 25 political parties taking part in the discussion, which was spread over three days.

    The discussion was one of the longest such debates with high participation of members, said officials.

    Eighteen members from BJP, seven of Congress and 25 from other parties had participated in the debate. 

  • Rajya Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Monday cleared The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to replace the ordinance to merge the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) cadre of civil services officer with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.

    The bill was introduced in the Upper House of the Parliament last week.

    Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said the Constitution of India is now fully applicable on Jammu and Kashmir, and that the bill will enable availability of officers in Jammu and Kashmir who have experience of running union territory administration.

    He said around 170 central laws are being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

    He said the bill will increase the strength of officers in the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Leh.