AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. (Sansad TV)Parliament Budget Session Highlights: All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi on Friday rejected the Z category security offered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Taking the floor of the Lower House, Owaisi said, “I don’t fear death. I don’t want Z category security, I reject it; make me an ‘A’ category citizen. I’ll not remain silent. Please do justice…charge them (shooters) with UAPA…appeal govt to end hate, radicalization.”
A day after shots were fired at the vehicle of Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in western Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded him Z category security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Owaisi’s security detail will entail six-eight armed commandoes while travelling apart from security at his residence, sources said.
Soon after Rajya Sabha proceedings commenced on Friday, DMK MPs began to protest against Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi returning to the Assembly Speaker a Bill that seeks exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Congress, DMK and TMC leaders staged a walkout over the issue. Meanwhile, the government has written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to disallow an MP’s provisionally accepted question (PAQ) in the Upper House on the ‘Position of India in Democracy Index’, seeking the reason why India slid to the 53rd position in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, The Indian Express has learnt.
Mahua Moitra in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
As on January 30, a total of 70,102 cases of Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) and 1,013 deaths were reported in the country, the government informed Parliament on Friday.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said the operational guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination provide guidance on classification, prevention, reporting and management of the aspects of AEFI.
Frequent communication to the states and Union territories in the form of letters, advisories (like inclusion of obstetricians or gynaecologists in the state or district AEFI committees) were issued to improve the reporting of minor, severe and serious cases of AEFI.
"As on 30th January 2022, a total of 70,102 cases (Covishield - 63,315, Covaxin - 6,757 and Sputnik - 30) of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) and 1,013 cases of death (Covishield - 921, Covaxin - 92, and Sputnik 'Nil') were reported," Pawar said. (PTI)
There is no gender gap in administration of COVID-19 vaccines, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Also, as on January 31, 2022, 70 per cent of the total vaccine doses have been administered at COVID-19 vaccination centres located in rural areas, the minister said.
As on January 31, 2022, around 48.8 per cent of the total COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to women which approximates to the estimated proportion of women in the country's population which is 48.5 per cent according to Census 2011, Pawar said in a written reply.
"Hence, there is no gender gap in administration of COVID-19 vaccines," she said. (PTI)
Over 66 private member bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday, including some seeking to empower beggars, preserve secularism, control population and provide for a compulsory donation of surplus food packets by supermarkets.
BJP MP Kirit Solanki introduced a bill to provide rights, welfare and social security to the online platform delivery personnel, while his party colleague Varun Gandhi introduced another bill to provide for a compulsory donation of surplus food packets by supermarkets and the creation of an institutional mechanism for monitoring and implementing the process.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sougata Roy moved a private member bill to ensure preservation of secularism and communal harmony in the country for a peaceful life for all communities irrespective of caste, religion or region, while Congress MP Shashi Tharoor moved a bill to provide for the establishment of an effective system to protect refugees and asylum-seekers by means of an appropriate legal framework to determine claims for asylum. (PTI)
As many as 30,111 children were orphaned, lost a parent, or abandoned due to COVID-19 or other reasons from April 2020 to June 5, 2021, the government said on Friday.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said a total of 26,176 children have lost a parent, 3,661 were orphaned and 274 abandoned during the period.
Madhya Pradesh had 706 orphaned children, the highest reported among the states, followed by Rajasthan (671), Uttar Pradesh (383), Bihar (308) and Odisha (281), according to data shared by the minister in the House.
Among states that have reported the numbers of children left with just one parent, Maharashtra had 6,865, Uttar Pradesh 2,784, Andhra Pradesh 1,923, Rajasthan 1,801, Bihar 1,326 and Madhya Pradesh 1,311, it stated. (PTI)
As on January 31, the COVID-19 trajectory seems to be stabilizing and even declining in certain states and UTs, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The Union Health Ministry continues to closely monitor COVID-19 trajectory in the country, he said.
An upsurge of COVID cases in the country was observed by the end of December, 2021, which was primarily driven by the Omicron variant, Pawar said in a written reply.
In April-May, 2021, a high number of cases were reported on a daily basis across the country. On May 7, 2021, 4,14,188 new COVID cases were reported in the country. (PTI)
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha seeking the establishment of an effective system to protect refugees and asylum-seekers by means of a legal framework.
The former minister of state for external affairs said the Asylum Bill, 2021 will establish a legal framework to determine claims for asylum and to provide for rights and obligations flowing from such status and matters connected therewith.
The proposed bill seeks to incorporate the current policy on refugees, the principles of the Constitution and India's international obligations.
"The provisions of the bill provide clarity and uniformity on the recognition of asylum seekers as refugees and their rights in the country. It also seeks to end a system of ambiguity and arbitrariness which, too often, results in injustice to a highly vulnerable populace," reads the proposed draft legislation. (PTI)
Former Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha member Ram Kripal Yadav on Friday sought intervention of Chemical and Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for ensuring adequate availability of urea in Bihar, saying farmers are facing problems due to the shortages.
In a communication to the fertilisers minister, Yadav said that farmers in his parliamentary constituency Pataliputra are facing the problem of inadequate availability of urea.
"I request the minister for adequate supply of urea to the state as per their demands," he said. The shortage is not there only in Pataliputra, but at all places in the state, he added.
Domestic fertiliser production reached 28.5 million tonnes during the April-December period of 2021-22. Out of the total fertiliser production, urea output was at 18.7 million tonnes, Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) at 3 million tonnes and complex fertilisers at 6.8 million tonnes. The government is making available fertilisers, namely urea and different grades of P&K fertilisers to farmers at subsidised prices through manufacturers/ importers.
Vaccine effectiveness of 99.3 per cent has been seen in individuals fully inoculated against coronavirus according to the data uploaded on India COVID-19 Tracker till January 2, the Lok Sabha was told on Friday.
Responding to a question, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has developed the India COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker, by merging mainly three national databases -- CoWIN, National COVID-19 Testing database and COVID-19 India portal.
The tracker depicts vaccine effectiveness against death -- the ability of vaccines to reduce death -- using person time analysis from April 12, 2021 to January 2, 2022.
"The tracker is updated periodically and displays the effectiveness of partial and full vaccination against COVID-19.
"The latest data analysed and uploaded till January 2, 2022 depicts vaccine effectiveness of 99.3 per cent in fully vaccinated individuals against COVID-19," Mandaviya said in a written reply. (PTI)
A day after Trinamool member Mahua Moitra raised questions on the presiding officer for not granting enough time to speak, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday expressed anguish over "inappropriate" remarks which found support across party lines.
Birla did not name Moitra and urged members not to cast aspersions on the chair as it amounted to disrespect of the House.
"It is my appeal not to make any comments against the Chair, neither inside nor outside the House," Birla said. He said he had taken note of the events that had unfolded in the House on Thursday.
Birla also said it was inappropriate for a member to make comments against the Chair on social media. The Speaker said it was always his endeavour to ensure every member received adequate time to speak in the House. (PTI)
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said it is difficult to put a cap or regulate the "exorbitant" fees charged by some of the lawyers in the country but efforts are on to encourage good lawyers to take up cases of needy free of cost or at minimum fees.
He also said in Lok Sabha that the government and the Supreme Court collegium are working in tandem to fill up the vacancies in the apex court as well as high courts but it gets delayed some time as certain due diligence have to be undertaken before anyone is appointed as a judge.
"It is difficult for the government to regulate or put a cap on the fees of the advocates. It is true that some of the lawyers fees are so exorbitant that common people can't hire them," he said replying to a question during Question Hour.
The minister said good lawyers should come forward to take up the cases of the needy, free of cost or at minimum fees. He said young lawyers should be encouraged to take up cases of the poor on pro-bono. (PTI)
Private Members' Bills are taken up for introduction in the Lok Sabha currently.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will give a detailed reply in Parliament on February 7, on firing incident at the AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi's car in Uttar Pradesh, news agency ANI reported.
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi on Friday rejected the Z category security offered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Taking the floor of the Lower House, Owaisi said, "I don't fear death. I don't want Z category security, I reject it; make me an 'A' category citizen. I'll not remain silent. Please do justice...charge them (shooters) with UAPA...appeal govt to end hate, radicalization."
After the Question Hour ended, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi took the floor of the Lok Sabha, a day after he was attacked by alleged assailants near Delhi-Meerut expressway.
A day after shots were fired at the vehicle of Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in western Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has accorded him Z category security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Owaisi’s security detail will entail six-eight armed commandoes while travelling apart from security at his residence, sources said. (Read more)
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Friday in the Lok Sabha said, 'If an MP is seriously shows concern about nutrition campaign and Anganwadi arrangements in 'Disha' meetings, then the district administration takes this matter seriously.'
'For the first time, the GOI arranged an administrative structure between the district, the state and the center, including the MPs, who can play an important role in the state of nutrition' the minister said.
The 22nd Law Commission will get very little time to delve into the sensitive subject of a uniform civil code for the country if the government decides to seek its recommendation on the issue.
The Law Commission is constituted for three years and the 22nd Law Commission was notified on February 24, 2020 but key vacancies in the panel, including that of the chairperson, are to be filled up, sources in the government said.
BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey had raised the issue of the importance of having a uniform civil code in a Zero Hour reference in December last year. Responding to the issue, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju wrote to Dubey in January, saying Article 44 of the Constitution provides that State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.
'In view of the importance of the subject matter and sensitivity involved and it requiring in-depth study of the provisions of various personal laws governing different communities, a proposal to examine issues relating to uniform civil code and to make recommendations has been forwarded to the 21st Law Commission of India,' he said.
However, the term of the 21st Law Commission ended on August 31, 2018. 'The matter may taken up by the 22nd Law Commission of India,' Rijiju said. (PTI)
Lok Sabha Spekar Om Birla took to the chair and the proceedings of the Lower House started. Question Hour session is being held right now.
BJD MP Prasanna Acharya on Friday criticised the Union government for paying only lip service on women empowerment and not fulfilling its promise to double the income of farmers by 2022. Participating in the discussion on Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha, he also raised concerns about the attempts being made by the Centre to “weaken” the federal structure of the country.
Acharya also pointed out that the central government was not accepting Odisha's demand to give special category status to the state.
Though the senior BJD leader supported the motion, he said there were some contradictions in the words and deeds of the Union government. At the outset, Acharya said, the government has taken the right decision to start the Republic Day celebrations from January 23, which is the birthday of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. He appreciated the Centre for taking a “nationalistic approach in some respect”.
Raising the issue of farmers, Acharya said the government has not been able to meet the target of doubling their income by 2022. He also expressed concern over cases of farmer suicides. (PTI)
The government is committed to forming a panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the Election Commission has said it can be done after the polls are over, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
While announcing the repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to discuss the farmers' demand for a legal guarantee on MSP.
Replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour, Tomar said the government had written to the Election Commission in view of assembly elections in five states.
The minister said the matter of forming the Committee on MSP is under consideration of the ministry and will be formed after the elections are over. (PTI)
Promoting exports through subsidies has not really given the desired results, but the government's RoDTEP scheme is helping grow exports which is expected to reach a record USD 400 billion this year, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday in the Rajya Sabha.
Goyal, while responding to a query during the Question Hour in the Upper House on cut in budget for export promotion schemes, said the government has found "very good acceptance" of the RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products) scheme.
"Based on that (RoDTEP), exports have also been growing," he said.
While there is a thinking that the government has reduced the export subsidies, the Goyal said the reality is this year, India is going to see a "record performance in exports". (PTI)
The Upper House was adjourned to meet at 10 AM on Monday, February 7.
"Hero worship" is the biggest threat to democracy, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. He accused the government of dividing the country on the lines of religion.
Responding to a question about an app which hosted doctored photographs and objectionable comments targeting Muslim women, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: "Protecting women dignity is a fundamental construct for us. We can't compromise on this issue, irrespective of religion or region."
"Action has been taken swiftly on all points that came to the fore. Whenever Govt takes any step to make social media accountable, Opposition alleges attack on freedom of speech, which is not true. We've to strike a balance," he added.
The government is committed to forming a panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the Election Commission has said it can be done after the polls are over, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. While announcing repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to discuss the farmers’ demand of a legal guarantee on MSP. (PTI)
Speaking about the walkout in Rajya Sabha over Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi returning a Bill that seeks exemption for the state from the NEET examination, DMK MP Trichy Siva said: "Tamil Nadu CM met Governor two times and urged him to send the NEET bill to Central Govt but he didn't. He acted against federal spirit. We wanted to highlight this in Rajya Sabha but were not allowed. In protest, Congress, CPI (M), CPI, TMC, RJD and IUML walked out."
Congress, DMK and TMC leaders staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha on Friday over the issue of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi returning to the Assembly Speaker a Bill that seeks exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Chairman Venkaiah Naidu urged them to raise the issue during the Motion of Thanks to the President's address.
Rajya Sabha proceedings commenced on Friday morning, with several papers being laid on the table of the House.
The government has written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to disallow an MP’s provisionally accepted question (PAQ) in the Upper House on the ‘Position of India in Democracy Index’, seeking the reason why India slid to the 53rd position in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, The Indian Express has learnt.
The question, scheduled for a response on February 10, had been asked by TMC MP Shanta Chhetri.
She wanted the Minister of External Affairs to cite the reasons for India’s slide to the 53rd position in the EIU Democracy Index, whether the government was aware that it reflected India in poor light, and whether the government had taken steps to improve India’s ranking. Read more.
The government has “never deliberately” delayed the appointments of judges, instead it has carried out “due diligence” to ensure that only those who are fit to hold the posts make the cut, Union minister of law and justice Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Rijiju also said he has been pushing the Supreme Court and High Court collegiums to give preferences to women and those from backward classes while recommending the names for appointments of judges. Read more.