Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman She also mocked the Congress saying BJP only has workers and no relatives in the party. (File photo)
Parliament Winter Session 2019 LIVE Updates: Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill to give effect to the reduction in corporate tax. The bill, moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was criticised by opposition parties who remarked that the ordinance lacked long-term vision, mission and perspective.
Alleging that the finance minister is not ready to accept that Indian economy has plunged into a crisis, Chowdhury said he wonders whether the finance minister should be called ‘Nirbala’ Sitharaman instead of Nirmala Sitharaman as she seems to be afraid of speaking her mind.
In reply to the opposition’s comments, Sitharaman said although she has been told that she is the worst finance minister India has ever had, she is open to all kind of criticism. She also mocked the Congress saying BJP only has workers and no relatives in the party.
Highlights
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday.
Lok Sabha passes a bill giving way to a reduction in corporate tax.
Rajya Sabha members largely supported a bill to ban the use and sale of electronic cigarettes in the country, but some opposition lawmakers said the government should also consider restricting the use of raw tobacco and conventional cigarettes, which are more harmful.
Banning e-cigarettes alone will not help and if the government was really serious about the ill-effects of tobacco use, it should completely ban it across formats, which includes cigarette, beedi and gutkha and not single out e-cigarettes, some members suggested and pointed to "loopholes" in the bill. (PTI)
There is no conclusive data available in India to directly establish air pollution as the cause of deaths or diseases, the government informed Parliament on Monday.
Air pollution is one of the many factors affecting respiratory ailments and associated diseases. Apart from the environment, the health of an individual is impacted by food habits, occupational habits, socio-economic status, medical history, immunity and heredity etc, Minister of State for Environment and Forest Babul Supriyo told the Rajya Sabha. (PTI)
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said profiling of the rape accused and convicts is important. Addressing the issue based on research on their profiles can be one of the ways to tackle violence against women. Sensitising both boys and girls from a young age is also important.
Sitharaman says, "BSNL reached operative profit level because of efforts of Ravi Shankar Prasad and his ministry. Now, the employees have been given a pay package which they have agreed to." Because of PM Modi's decisions, BSNL is recovering from its crisis.
Nirmala Sitharaman says, "If it is in anyone's DNA to ask questions and run away before answers are given, it is some other party and not our party. Each time we come to give replies instead of name-calling."
"Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two women have become cabinet ministers. A woman was given the defence portfolio... So, I would like to say I am Nirmala, will remain Nirmala... I want to put an end to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's concerns about whether I should be called Nirmala or 'Nirbala'. I would like to clarify all women in our party are 'sabala'," Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
In reply to the opposition’s comments, Sitharaman said although she has been told she is the worst finance minister India has ever had, she is open to all kind of criticism. She also mocked the Congress saying BJP only has workers and no relatives in the party.
All the businesses registered under Companies Act will be benefited from this proposed corporate tax cut, says Sitharaman.
Sitharaman said she has been called a very bad finance minister. In reply to opposition's criticism on bringing in ordinance after tabling budget just a few months ago, Sitharaman says the ordinance is prompted by global developments.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says, "Core sector production of the country has dropped to -5.2, a 14-year low." He says the government is obsessed with corporates and hates common people. "They are in love with Sensex, electoral bonds," he says.
"Only 10-12% of the businessmen who are corporate giants are benefited by the corporate tax reduction. The benefit should effectively percolate to the smaller manufacturer," says RSP's N K Premachandran
TDP MLA Jayadev Galla says selling PSUs to recover from fiscal deficit is a wrong step. "By doing this, a time will come when there will be no PSUs to sell," he says. Demand and consumption are declining, he says, adding that along with putting more cash in the hands of people, govt should also give individual tax relief to the citizens.
"Why are people choosing to be NRIs if the conditions are so good in our country," asks Sule. Mentioning that Chidamabaram had suggested a list of measures to improve the economic condition of the country for the last two years, Sule said, a good leadership means to take the criticisms positively and work on them.
"Sitharaman's measures are reactive, they should be proactive. But better late than never," says NCP's Supriya Sule.
"If this bill was really to help everybody, especially MSME sector, then the tax rate reduction should apply to all entities. It should not apply to just the companies, it should apply to LLPs, partnership firms & other non-corporate entities also," says Mahua Moitra.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, "Don't look up to GDP as Bible, Ramayan or Mahabharat. GDP will lose its importance with time."
"The government wants to treat foreigners better than Indians. That is why FIIs are exempted from paying the taxes. I request you to treat the economic problem holistically, the tax cut will apply to all manufacturers," Mahua Moitra says.
Reduction in corporate tax rates only benefit those making profits, says Mahua Moitra, adding that government wants to keep grey areas that officials can misuse.
The Taxation (Amendment) Bill is a haphazard approach towards the betterment of the economy, says Mahua Moitra. The tax cut FM has proposed will profit the more profitmakers, she adds. It does not do anything to revive a very large part of this economy which is struggling, she says.
"The economic slowdown is not at all accepted by the ruling party. This is evident from the speeches of my fellow parliamentarians," Andimuthu Raja of DMK. They are not ready to accept that implementing GST was wrong.
I sometimes wonder whether instead of calling you Nirmala Sitharaman, we should call you Nirbala (weak) Sitharaman. You hold the post of a minister yet it's not clear whether you can speak your mind.
"We should not be ashamed of learning something from somebody. Please talk to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and discuss the matter with him. If you want to save the country, you will have to talk to Manmohan Singh," says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
"Our finance minister does not have any long-term vision, mission and perspective," says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Hence she has had to always resort to knee-jerk, panic measures to improve the weakening economy, says Adhir Chowdury. He said the finance minister should reduce GST to induce demand.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moves The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeking to reduce corporate tax
BJP members in Lok Sabha Monday protested against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as "infiltrators" and sought his apology.
Lynching rapists, the death penalty and castration of the accused were some of the suggestions that Parliamentarians proposed on Monday as they expressed outrage over the 26-year-old veterinarian’s rape in Hyderabad. Read here
Lok Sabha resumed around 2:15 pm
Rajya Sabha resumed around 2 pm.
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2:15 pm.
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned. It will resume at 2 pm.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the government is ready for discussion on crime against women and to explore strongest provisions in laws. Referring to the Hyderabad vet rape case, he said, "This act has brought shame to the entire country. It has hurt everyone. The accused must be given the most stringent punishment for their crime."
After a query on renovation and construction of an approach road to a local temple in Madhya Pradesh came up in Lok Sabha on Monday, Speaker Om Birla asked MPs to improve the quality of questions.
Congress MP from Telangana's Nalgonda UKN Reddy Monday said that one of the causes of the incident is an indiscriminate sale of liquor. "We request a fast track court be set up and accused hanged till death," he added.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Lok Sabha said that nearly 78 per cent depositors of the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank are now allowed to withdraw their entire account balance. "We have ensured that the attached properties of the promoters can be given to RBI under certain conditions, so those properties can be auctioned out and the money can be given to depositors," he added.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu expressed outrage on crimes against women and said, "What is required is not a new bill. What is required is political will, administrative skill, change of mindset and then go for killing the social evil."
Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan said that rape case accused need to be brought out in public and lynched. "I think it is time the people now want the government to give a proper and definite answer," she said.
AIADMK MP Vijila Sathyanath said that the country is not safe for children and women. "Four people who committed this crime should be hanged till death before Dec 31. A fast track court should be set up."