Nineteen opposition members were suspended from Rajya Sabha for a week Tuesday (July 26), provoking Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien to say that the government had turned Parliament into a “deep, dark chamber”. Seven of O’Brien’s Rajya Sabha colleagues were suspended, along with six MPs from the DMK, three from the TRS, two from the CPM, and one MP from the CPI. The MPs were suspended for “unruly behaviour”. On November 29 last year, 12 opposition members were suspended in Rajya Sabha on the very first day of the Winter Session for “their unprecedented acts of misconduct, contemptuous, unruly and violent behaviour and intentional attacks on security personnel” on August 11, the last day of the previous Monsoon Session.
EXPLAINED | Under what rules can MPs be suspended from Parliament?
Nineteen Rajya Sabha MPs of the Opposition suspended for a week, a day after four Lok Sabha Opposition MPs were suspended for the entire Monsoon Session. This was not a show of “enough is enough” firmness by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of the Upper House. This cannot be passed off as action taken to “uphold the dignity of the House”, to punish “unruly behaviour” “misconduct” and “utter disregard” to the House and the authority of the Chair. A decision that effectively deprives 23 Opposition MPs of a voice in Parliament for a week or the entire session, must, in the first place, be avoided. If it must be taken, the bar must be set very high indeed. Nothing that transpired in either House over the last few days can be said to merit this extreme form of disciplinarianism. The suspensions come in a political context that makes them look even more jarring and disproportionate. Already beset by a fading of lustre that afflicts institutions in general with the passage of time, growing cynicism and the pressures of populism, Parliament is in particular need of resuscitation in times of a strong executive that feels less accountable to the legislature.
Cases pending in various courts across India are moving towards the five crore mark, according to the data shared by the government in Lok Sabha on Friday.
In a written reply, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said while 72,062 cases are pending in Supreme Court as on July 1, 59,55,873 cases were pending in the 25 high courts as on July 25. In the district and subordinate courts, over 4.23 crore cases were pending. This means, a total of over 4.83 crore cases are pending across various courts.
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The question "whether the government has assessed the reasons for huge pendency of cases in various courts" meant for a written reply, was asked by a total of 26 Lok Sabha members. (PTI)
Amid a political uproar over the gold smuggling case in Kerala, the Centre on Friday said the state government has not sought its permission to seek help of UAE diplomats for sending baggage belonging to state executives.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said that as per existing instructions of the Indian government, foreign missions are required to conduct all official business with the state governments through the Ministry of External Affairs.
"No programme may be arranged or calls on dignitaries fixed by the state governments for foreign diplomats, including Heads of Missions, unless cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs," Singh said. (PTI)
After a near washout of House proceedings for two weeks, Lok Sabha is likely to have a debate on price rise on Monday, followed by Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, political sources said.
Since the beginning of the session on July 18, the Opposition in both the House had been raising the issue of rising prices and GST, leading to near washout of proceedings.
The last two days of House proceedings were drowned due to "rashtrapatni" remark of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and the subsequent Lok Sabha chamber face-off between Sonia Gandhi and Union minister Smriti Irani. (PTI)
Clouds of uncertainty are looming over a productive Monsoon Session with the ruling and opposition sides leaving no opportunity to target each other. The ruling BJP has escalated its offensive over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s controversial reference to President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday, while the Opposition is raising the “brutal heckling, verbal assault and physical intimidation” of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha during a face-off with Union minister Smriti Irani the same day.
The charged-up atmosphere in the Lower House on Friday and the escalated pressure from both the sides indicated that the disruptions and the abrupt adjournments are likely to continue next week also.
The Lok Sabha functioned barely for a few minutes on Friday before it was adjourned for Monday as MPs from both the sides were on their feet shouting slogans against each other. The Upper House, too, failed to transact any significant business on Friday due to disruptions caused by the opposition members. Read More
The TMC on Friday targeted the Centre over the issue of women safety citing a case of a Gujarat BJP MLA allegedly raping a woman, a day after the BJP accused the Congress of hurling a 'deliberate sexist insult' at President Droupadi Murmu. Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Friday amid uproar over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's 'rashtrapatni' remark.
'Dear PM @narendramodi and @AmitShah. Look forward to seeing you both Monday morning #ParliamentMonsoonSession. Since you are ever so eager to raise issues of Oppn disrespecting #women All of us will be waiting. 11am Monday. See you then. P.S. If 56 inch can't come, send #2,' tweeted TMC RS MP Derek O'Brien.
He also attached a news report about police investigating allegations of rape and illegal confinement of a woman against Gujarat's Rural Development Minister and BJP MLA from Mahmedavad Arjunsinh Chauhan.
No definitive decision has been taken on the issue of "rotational headship" at AIIMS, New Delhi, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
In a written reply to a question on whether the government has any proposal to implement "rotational headship policy" in AIIMS, New Delhi, the minister said, "The recommendations of various committees on the issue of rotational headship have been divergent and marked by absence of consensus". "Hence, no definitive decision has been taken," he said.
Mandaviya further said JIPMER, NIMHANS, IISc, IISER, Central Universities and some of the IITs follow the policy of rotational headship. (PTI)
Addressing Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's controversial Rashtrapatni comment, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said: "He is an anti-national and anti-tribal person. And how can he trivialise this issue by saying that he can go to the President and seek an apology? Is it that simple? It is condemnable: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju." ANI
Under fire for his 'Rashtrapatni' comment, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said that the Centre owed Congress President Sonia Gandhi an apology for the way they "targeted" her in Parliament yesterday. "The way Sonia Gandhi was targeted in the parliament yesterday.. the government must issue an apology. I am at the centre of this controversy. But the BJP is attacking Sonia Gandhi," he told ANI.
Amid protests by the Opposition, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till August 1.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon on Friday within minutes of commencement of proceedings due to opposition protests. As soon as the House met at 11 am, Congress MPs along with a few other opposition members came to the well of the House shouting slogans against the government. BJP women members, who were standing in the second row of the Treasury benches, too stood up and raised counter slogans. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha proceedings on Friday were adjourned for close to an hour after uproarious scenes by both opposition and Treasury benches over different issues. While the opposition parties pressed for a discussion on the hooch tragedy in Gujarat as well as the record rise in prices of essential commodities, BJP MPs were up on their feet shouting slogans seeking Congress president Sonia Gandhi's apology over her party leader's remarks on the President. (PTI)
Proceedings commenced in both Houses of Parliament promptly at 11 am on Friday morning amid protests by the Opposition. In the Rajya Sabha, Union Ministers are laying the papers on the table.
RJD MP Manoj Kumar gave a zero-hour notice in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of "mental healthcare in India."
Criticising the BJP for employing unfair tactics to avoid discussions on price rise, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that the saffron party continued to demand an apology from Sonia Gandhi over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's controversial 'Rashtrapatni' remark, even though he had already said sorry. "They are doing this deliberately so that they don't have to discuss issues like price rise and inflation," he told ANI.
Congress MP K Suresh gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the "shocking attempt by BJP MPs including Minister Smriti Irani to threaten and intimidate" Congress President Sonia Gandhi, ANI reported.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda gave a suspension of business notice on Thursday over the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme, ANI reported.
Amid escalating tension in the Parliament, all members of the Congress Parliamentary Party are set to hold a meeting today, according to news agency ANI.
On a day his remark, calling President Droupadi Murmu as “Rashtrapatni”, drew fresh battle line between the BJP and the Congress, the opposition party’s Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tells MANOJ C.G. that it was a slip of tongue, and the ruling party is using it to “create a fuss only to divert people’s attention from issues such as back-breaking price-rise”.
Excerpts: You were in the eye of the storm today over your ‘Rashtrapatni’ remark for President Droupadi Murmu. Why did you say that?
The BJP has proved itself as a party that can make a mountain out of a molehill. On Wednesday, we had taken a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan, knowing well that we will be prevented from proceeding. For the last over one week, we have been seeking a discussion in Parliament over price-rise, ballooning unemployment, the Agnipath scheme, and misuse of investigative agencies to subjugate opposition parties. Read more.
Deepening the divide in Parliament, already rocked by noisy protests and repeated adjournments, Union Minister Smriti Irani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi faced off Thursday, prompting the BJP and Congress to hurl accusations of “intimidation” and “heckling” at each other in the wake of a remark by Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury regarding President Droupadi Murmu.
After a video clip of Chowdhury referring to Murmu as ‘Rashtrapatni’ did the rounds — he said it was “a slip of tongue” and he would apologise to the President because he “never meant to disrespect” her — the BJP, accused by the Opposition of “throttling democracy” by not allowing any discussion on GST rates and price rise, demanded that Sonia Gandhi, as chief of the Congress, apologise for her colleague’s remark.
While Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman led the offensive against Sonia inside Rajya Sabha and outside Parliament House, Irani slammed the Congress in Lok Sabha. “Chowdhury’s comments were not a slip of tongue. It was a deliberate sexist insult against the President,” Sitharaman said in a brief statement in Rajya Sabha. Read more.
Escalating tensions in the House, another three members of Rajya Sabha — AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sandeep Kumar Pathak and Assam independent member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan — were suspended Thursday for the rest of the week for alleged misconduct, taking the total number of Opposition MPs suspended from the Upper House this session to 23. Earlier this week, four Congress MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the current session.
The fresh action came even as suspended MPs continued sitting on dharna within Parliament House premises, accusing the government of “throttling the voice” of the Opposition. The suspension of 23 MPs over three days is the highest in the recent history of Parliament. Read more.
There was ruckus in both Houses of Parliament on Thursday (July 28) as the BJP took strong exception to Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as “Rashtrapatni”.
Although Chowdhury said he had made a mistake in using the word and that it was a slip of the tongue, the BJP, led by ministers Smriti Irani in Lok Sabha and Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha protested vociferously, and sought an apology from both Chowdhury and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Irani accused the Congress of being anti-Adivasi and anti-women for the alleged derogatory reference, and accused the party of “humiliating” the supreme commander of the armed forces. Read our Explainer
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Thursday condemned Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's ‘rashtrapatni’ remark terming it as an 'insult to the nation.'
'Indecent remark of Congress MP for President is condemnable. It's an insult to Constitution, women & tribal community. In a way, it's an insult to the nation too. I condemn the MP & Congress. They should apologise to citizens...' Yogi told ANI.
Several Opposition leaders on Thursday threw their weight behind Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was involved in a face-off with Union minister Smriti Irani in the Lok Sabha.
While the Congress accused BJP MPs of subjecting Gandhi to “brutal heckling, verbal assault and physical intimidation”, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused Gandhi of speaking in a “threatening tone” with BJP members.
Tense scenes were witnessed in the Lok Sabha after the House proceedings were adjourned briefly over the ruling party’s protests against a remark made by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. After the House was adjourned, Sonia Gandhi walked up to the treasury benches side, amidst slogans seeking an apology from Chowdhury as well as herself. Irani had raised the issue in the House and sought an apology from Chowdhury for referring to President Droupadi Murmu as ‘Rashtrapatni’, which he said was done by mistake during a television interview. When the House was adjourned, Gandhi turned to leave. At the same time, BJP women MPs were shouting “Sonia Gandhi maafi mango”. Hearing this, Gandhi went up to talk to Rama Devi, a senior BJP MP and one of the presiding officers for the Lok Sabha. Apparently, Gandhi asked why her name was being dragged into the controversy. When Gandhi approached them, the BJP women MPs who were standing around Irani started shouting slogans “maafi mango”. Gandhi was seen saying something to Irani, who was then heard asking, “how can you talk to me like this and that she (Sonia Gandhi) is intimidating us,” Congress sources said. Read More
As many as 35 cases challenging central legislations and Constitutional Amendment Acts, including the one questioning the law penalising practice of instant triple talaq, are pending in the Supreme Court, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
He was asked about laws and Constitutional Amendment Acts passed by Parliament pending for judicial review in the Supreme Court from 2016. One of the cases mentioned by him includes the one filed by Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama on the The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.
The pleas have alleged that the Act is unconstitutional, as it criminalises the “mere pronouncement of triple talaq, which had already been declared unconstitutional and void” by the Supreme Court. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha saw another washout of proceedings on Thursday with the Opposition protesting over the suspension of MPs and remaining adamant on its demand for a discussion on price rise and the Gujarat hooch tragedy.
The upper house witnessed four adjournments before proceedings were called off for the day. Earlier, the House adopted a motion to suspend three more members -- AAP's Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sandeep Kumar Pathak besides independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan -- for the rest of the week for "unruly behaviour".
When the Upper House reassembled at 4 pm after several adjournments, the proceedings got adjourned within three minutes, as members from Aam Aadmi Party and other opposition parties entered the well of the house and raised slogans and showed placards. (PTI)
The Opposition has chosen the entrance to the Parliament as its new protest site as it wants to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the promise he made when he entered the House for the first time in 2014, its leaders said Thursday.
The protests against the suspension of Opposition MPs started on Wednesday under the sky near the Gandhi statue.
"We want to remind Modi of the promise he made when he arrived on the first day. That is the place where he touched his forehead on the stairs. Also, since there was no tent, because of the rain, we had to move the agitation somewhere. This place was symbolic," said a leader. (PTI)
Parliament has been in gridlock for the past one week, with the Opposition and the government trading barbs over the suspension of Opposition MPs in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and a lack of discussion on issues as demanded by anti-BJP parties. As of Thursday, 23 Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha have been suspended till the end of the week and four Congress members of the Lok Sabha have been suspended for the rest of the Monsoon session.
The government has accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings repeatedly over the years. But, not long ago, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power and it was the BJP, then in the Opposition, that justified the disruption of Parliament. At the time, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who was Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said that when Parliament “is used to ignore issues” then “obstruction of Parliament is in the favour of democracy”. He later claimed that there were “occasions when obstruction in Parliament brings greater benefits to the country”. Read more
TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday came out in support of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was involved in a face-off with Union minister Smriti Irani in the Lok Sabha, and said the 75-year-old leader was 'encircled and heckled pack-wolf style'.
As the Lok Sabha adjourned soon after 12 noon, Gandhi walked across to the Treasury benches and sought to know from BJP member Rama Devi why she was dragged into the issue -- the BJP has demanded an apology from Gandhi over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as 'rashtrapatni'. Irani stepped in and was seen gesturing towards Gandhi and apparently protesting Chowdhury's remark. Gandhi at first tried to ignore Irani's protestations, but was soon seen gesturing towards the minister and speaking angrily.
In a tweet, Moitra said, 'Was in Lok Sabha when 75 year old lady senior leader encircled & heckled pack-wolf style when all she did was walk over & speak (masked) to another senior lady panel chairperson.' 'Disgusted to read BJP lies and false version in press,' the Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar in West Bengal said.
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday as furore continued over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as 'rashtrapatni'.
As the House resumed at 4 pm, MPs from both treasury and the Opposition were shouting. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, who was on Chair, urged members to take their seats. As pandemonium continued, he adjourned the proceedings for the day.
Earlier in the day, when the House met at 11 am, BJP members were up on their feet demanding an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi over Chowdhury's remark. (PTI)
BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday said Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referring to President Droupadi Murmu as 'rashtrapatni' is "most shameful and condemnable", and demanded that his party apologise for his remark.
Mayawati also asked the Congress to shun its “casteist mindset”. Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, referred to Murmu as ‘rashtrapatni’ while talking to the media during his party's protests over a host of issues. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed protests by BJP members against Chowdhury's remark and were adjourned twice amid the uproar. “The spectacular election of Droupadi Murmuji as the first woman from the tribal society to the highest post of the President of India has not been liked by many... the objectionable remark made against her by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, is very sad, shameful and highly condemnable,” Mayawati said in a tweet.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Thursday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi must apologise to the nation over party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's "derogatory" remark against President Droupadi Murmu. BJP members stalled both house of Parliament on Thursday as they protested against Chowdhury, the party's top leader in Lok Sabha, for calling calling Murmu "rashtrapatni". They too sought an apology from the Congress president over Chowdhury's remark.
Sonia Gandhi has appointed Chowdhury as the leader in Lok Sabha to speak and he has made a "derogatory" remark against President Murmu. Therefore, the Congress chief must apologise to the nation, Patra told reporters here. (PTI)
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has already apologised for his remark. The government does not have anything to say in the Parliament, hence they are making an issue out of his statement. He (Adhir) did not even get a chance to speak in the Parliament: Congress leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla
After the BJP criticised Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for his remarks calling the Preident of India 'Rashtrapatni,' Rajan said, "I can't even think of insulting the President. It was just a mistake. If the President felt bad, I will personally meet her & apologise..."
Responding to BJP asking Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apologise for Ranjan's remark, the latter said, "They can hang me if they want. I am ready to get punished but why is she (Sonia Gandhi) being dragged in this?"
Union minister Piyush Goyal Thursday criticised Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for his remark against the President, saying the entire country is upset over it. "The entire country today is upset over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark on the President. Congress has been insulting tribal leaders," Goyal, who is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, told reporters, news agency PTI reported.
Lok Sabha witnessed tensed scenes on Thursday after the House proceedings were adjourned briefly over the ruling party’s protests against a remark made by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. After the House adjourned, Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked up to the treasury benches side, amidst slogans seeking an apology from Chowdhury as well as herself.
Union Minister Smriti Irani had raised the issue in the House and sought an apology from Chowdhury for referring to President Droupadi Murmu as ‘Rashtrapatni’, which he said was done by mistake during a television interview. The House witnessed uproarious scenes, with the BJP MPs accusing the Congress of being anti-adivasi and anti-women and demanded Chowdhury to tender an apology. The House was adjourned within a few minutes after it met at 11 am. Liz Mathew writes
The Rajya Sabha on Thursday adopted a motion to suspend AAP MPs Sushil Gupta and Sandeep Pathak and Independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, taking the number of suspended MPs this session to 27. On Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh for the remaining part of the week for his “unruly behaviour” in the House.
The suspension comes a day after 19 MPs of the Opposition, including seven from the TMC, six from the DMK, besides those from the TRS, CPI-M and CPI, were suspended for the same reason. Additionally, four Congress MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the rest of the Monsoon Session. Here's a list of all MPs who have been suspended from the Parliament this week
Amid an uproar in the Rajya Sabha by Opposition parties, three more Members of Parliament — Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Sandeep Kumar Pathak and Sushil Kumar Gupta and Independent legislator Ajit Kumar Bhuyan — were suspended from the House on Thursday.
This comes a day after AAP’s Sanjay Singh was suspended for the remaining part of the week for his “unruly behaviour” in the House. On Tuesday, 19 more MPs of the Opposition, including seven from the TMC, six from the DMK, besides those from the TRS, CPI-M and CPI, were suspended for the same reason. Additionally, four Congress MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the rest of the Monsoon Session as well. Read more
BJP MPs including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman staged a protest in the Parliament against Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark referring to the President of India as 'Rashtrapatni.'
Photo source: PTI
Three more Rajya Sabha MPs from Opposition parties, including Aam Aadmi Party’s Sandeep Kumar Pathak and Sushil Kumar Gupta and independent member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, were suspended Thursday for the rest of this week, taking the total number of suspended MPs in Parliament to 27.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm Thursday amid uproar by BJP MPs over Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark addressing President Droupadi Murmu as 'Rashtrapatni.'
The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Thursday amid rucks created by the BJP over Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remarks addressing the President of India as 'Rashtrapatni.' The BJP demanded an apology from Ranjan and interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
After being attacked by the BJP over his 'Rashtrapatni' remark, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker requesting to give him a chance to speak on the floor of the House.
Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi called for an urgent meeting on Thursday with senior party leaders in the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) office. Party leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have been called, reported news agency ANI.
Hitting out at the Congress over its MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary's remark addressing the President as 'Rashtrapatni', Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Thursday said, "This is an insult to the tribal people of the country and the President of India. He should immediately apologize."
"Sonia Gandhi should also apologize for appointing someone like him," he said, news agency ANI reported.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday said that Congress MP Adhir Ranjan's remark on the President was a "deliberate sexist insult" and asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apologise to the "President of India and the country."
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 pm on Thursday amid ruckus created by the BJP asking Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary to apologise over his 'Rashtrapatni' remark on the President.
After the BJP asked Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to apologise over his remark addressing the President of India Droupadi Murmu as 'Rashtrapatni,' Congress President Sonia Gandhi said, "He has already apologised."
Attacking the Congress over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remark addressing the President of Indi as 'Rashtrapatni,' Smriti Irani Thursday said in the Lok Sabha, "Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post."
The BJP slammed Congress for demeaning the 'women and tribals of India' after Opposition leader and Congress MP Adhir Ranjan referred to President of India Droupadi Murmu as 'Rashtrapatni.'
There is 'no question of apologising', said Trinamool Congress MP Mausam Noor as suspended opposition parliamentarians begin the second day of their 50-hour relay protest inside the Parliament complex.
"There is no question of apologising. We want to have discussions on price rise in Parliament but we were suspended. Our 50-hour long protest will continue outside," Noor said, news agency ANI reported.
After Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the suspension of MPs will be revoked if they apologise, TMC MP Shanta Chhetri Thursday said, "Well not apologize as we haven't done anything wrong. We've raised the issue of common people."
"The country is suffering from price rise & raising that issue is not wrong," she said.
The pending liabilities for wage component under Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme stood at Rs 4,720.22 crore as on July 21, 2022, the Ministry of Rural Development informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question, Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti informed that the pending liabilities for wage component under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS was highest for West Bengal (Rs 2620.87 crore). The state was followed by Bihar (Rs 1067.83 crore) and Uttar Pradesh (Rs 447.87 crore). Read more
TMC member Saugata Roy on Wednesday questioned Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri raising his hand every time a clause in a bill was put for voice vote, saying a member of the Rajya Sabha cannot do so in the Lower House. "Hardeep Puri is a member of Rajya Sabha and he is raising his hand during voting. This should not be done," Roy said.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) member raised the matter during the passage of the National Anti-Doping Bill in Lok Sabha. (PTI)
The rush for government jobs continued unabated over the last eight years but less than 1 per cent of applications received were selected. Of the 22.05 crore applications received from 2014-15 to 2021-22, only 7.22 lakh or 0.33 per cent, were recommended for appointment in different Central government departments, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, informed the Lok Sabha that the maximum number of candidates — 1.47 lakh — recommended for appointment was in 2019-20, the year before the full outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The year, which also saw elections to the Lok Sabha, accounted for a little more than 20 per cent of the total 7.22 lakh selected during the eight years. Read more
Twenty suspended Rajya Sabha members Wednesday started a 50-hour relay protest inside the Parliament complex, with sources saying the Opposition declined the Chairman’s offer that they express regret over their members’ behaviour in the House to get the suspension revoked, PTI reported. he 20 MPs, suspended over the last two days, include seven from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), six from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). (PTI)
Good morning! Welcome to today's Parliament live blog. We bring to you the latest updates from the ongoing monsoon session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Stay tuned!