Adhir Chowdhury speaks in Lok Sabha (Photo: LS TV)Parliament Highlights: Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday alleged that the violence that unfolded in Delhi on Republic Day was a conspiracy by the BJP government. “The most important question is how could the miscreants reach Red Fort on a day like Republic Day? January 26 is a day in which the national capital remains under maximum security. Then, how can such an incident take place? I am sure that this was an incident staged by the government. You sent your people, who came disguised as farmers, and took part in violent activities,” he said.
After days of logjam in the Lok Sabha, the Opposition on Monday accepted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s request to let lower house function and ‘not let traditions break down’. “Our democracy is lively & healthy, and everyone above party lines wants to keep it the same. It’s our responsibility to keep dignity of every institution. I appeal to everyone to hold discussions on Presidential address & not let traditions break down,” he said.
In a series of meetings between the Opposition and top BJP leadership on Monday, they decided to end the stalemate in the Lok Sabha which had started on Tuesday and continued till Friday.
Replying to the Motion of Thanks on President Kovind’s address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said the newly-passed farm laws should be given a chance and that the MSP system is here to stay. Requesting the protesting farmers to go back, he reiterated that the government is open to talks. The Prime Minister said that there is a need to protect the nation from a new FDI which he referred to as ‘Foreign Destructive Ideology’. “The nation is making progress and we are talking about FDI but I see that a new FDI has come to the fore. We have to protect the nation from this new FDI. We need Foreign Direct Investment but the new FDI is ‘Foreign Destructive Ideology’, we have to protect ourselves from it,” he said.
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 4 pm on February 9
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's motion of dispensing with the Question Hour for the next two days accepted in the Lok Sabha, according to ANI
JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Monday said in Lok Sabha that the opposition leaders have failed to highlight any provision in the three farm laws that could detrimental to farmers.
"We want to know what is the real problem that the farmers are facing because none of the members who raised the issue (of farm laws) could explain how any provision is not in the interest of farmers," Singh said while participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to Parliament. He said farmers want their crop production to rise and good prices for their produce. "Farmers want only these two things. I am unable to understand the reason for their protest," Singh said. PTI
Works worth Rs 1,63,302 crore were sanctioned for expansion and widening of national highways entrusted to state public works departments during 2015-16 to 2019-20 and the current year. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said the ministry keeps on receiving proposals from various state governments from time to time for expansion/ widening of National Highways (NHs) entrusted to them.
"During the last five years period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 and the current year this ministry had sanctioned 2,115 works costing Rs 1,63,302 crore for expansion/ widening of NHs in the Country entrusted to state PWDs. This includes 62 works sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 1,926 crore in the state of Kerala," he said.
The reply was to queries from Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader and Rajya Sabha member M V Shreyams Kumar. PTI
BJP Nishikant Dubey demands authentication of the statements made by Opposition MPs who linked national security and Balakot airstrike with leaked Whatsapp chats in a electronic media TRP scam
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's critical reference to a former chief justice of India created uproar in Lok Sabha on Monday, with treasury members accusing her of violating parliamentary rules and demanding that her remarks be expunged. RSP MP N K Premachandran, who was in the Chair, said her remarks will be expunged if found objectionable. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal termed her comments against the former CJI, who was not named, as "shameful". In her strong-worded speech during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, she lashed out at the government for making "hate and bigotry" a part of its narrative and alleged that the judiciary and the media have also "failed" the country. She repeatedly used terms like cowards and cowardice to slam the government for "hiding behind" power and authority and alleged that it has made India a "virtual police state" by charging critical voices with sedition. --PTI
Parliamentary proceedings to continue till 12 am tonight.
As many as 21,259 cases were pending before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) as of December 31, 2020, and more than 2,270 cases were filed before the tribunal under the insolvency law in the first nine months of this fiscal, according to the government. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that during the lockdown, adequate measures were taken for hearing of cases including urgent matters through video conference in all NCLT benches. To deal with increasing number of cases, she said the government is taking all steps to strengthen the NCLT, in terms of additional space, benches, courts, members and manpower, as per emerging requirement. --PTI
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The Centre has released Rs 84,000 crore till date to states under the special borrowing window to meet GST shortfall, while the provisional GST compensation due for April-November 2020 stands at over Rs 2.06 lakh crore, Parliament was informed on Monday. Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, said GST compensation of Rs 40,000 crore has been released to all states/Union Territories to meet partly the bi-monthly compensation for period April-May 2020 as the GST Compensation Fund was not adequate to meet the full compensation for the period. --PTI
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the violence that unfolded on January 26 was a govt's conspiracy. "Your people dressed up as farmers and took part in the violence on January 26," he said.
"How the miscreants could reach Red Fort on January 26," Chowdhury asked. "January 26 is a day in which maximum security in deployed. Then how such an incident could take place."
"You (govt) are declaring war against Musalmaan (Muslims) and Kisan (farmers) now," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. "Our PM can speak to the whole world but doesn't have time to apeak with farmers," he said.
"Since there's not national icon in BJP, the leaders look for great personalities to take advantage of before each elections," Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said,
BJP party is bereft of any national icon, said Adhir Chowdhury
India has challenged in the Singapore High Court an international arbitration tribunal's verdict that overturned its demand for Rs 22,100 crore in back taxes from Vodafone Group Plc, and the order passed in Cairn Group's case is under consideration of the government, Parliament was informed on Monday. An international arbitration court had in September last year rejected tax authorities' demand for Rs 22,100 crore in back taxes and penalties relating to British telecom giant Vodafone's 2007 acquisition of an Indian operator. --PTI
The government launched the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0) on January 15 to train eight lakh youths across the country with an outlay of Rs 948.90 crore, Parliament was informed on Monday. As on January 29, 35,644 candidates have been enrolled across the country, Skill Development Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Based on the learning from implementation of PMKVY 1.0 (2015-16) and 2.0 (2016-20), the orientation of the scheme has been changed from supply driven to demand driven under PMKVY 3.0, he said. --PTI
Indian tradition starts with enquiry, doubt, challenge, said Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. "Our civilsation is an unending celebration of pluralism. Plurality accomodates differences. We should not be afraid of any debate, dissent, dialogue... it reflects in our civilation."