Parliament Winter Session Day 9 Highlights: Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm; Rajya Sabha takes up Aviation Bill for discussion and passing

The parliamentary panel on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has written to state governments, seeking details of the disputed Waqf properties within their jurisdiction. This was disclosed by Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, after a meeting of the panel here on Thursday.

The meeting was the first after the panel was granted an extension of tenure till the last week of the Budget Session next year.

Pal said the committee would also call chief secretaries of state governments to appear before it if required. The chairman said officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Law and Justice appeared before the committee on Thursday and submitted responses to queries posed by various members of the panel.

"The replies run into 887 pages and will be scrutinised over the next few days," Pal said, adding that the next round of meetings will be held on December 11 and December 12.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill has faced flak from opposition parties and Muslim groups for its alleged attempts to interfere in religious matters. Pal said the parliamentary panel has decided to get an update on the points made by the Sachar Committee on the Waqf properties that are allegedly in unauthorised occupation of state governments or their official agencies. The Sachar Committee was informed by various state Waqf boards during 2005-06 about the alleged unauthorised occupation.

(PTI)

Congress MP Manickam Tagore wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday, expressing deep concern over BJP's Sambit Patra allegedly using "slanderous language" against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at a media interaction, and sought stringent action against the ruling party leader.

In his letter to Birla, Tagore alleged that Patra's conduct was a "clear violation" of the decorum and ethics expected of a member of Parliament. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs K Laxman and Patra cited a report published by French media outlet "Mediapart" to target Gandhi, after the ruling party raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. Patra claimed that billionaire investor George Soros and some US-based agencies, investigative media platform "Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)" and Gandhi occupy three sides of a "dangerous" triangle trying to destabilise India and stoke public disaffection for a regime change in the country. (PTI)

Parliament on Thursday passed a bill to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act to further improve the ease of doing business in the fast-growing aviation sector. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024 was passed in the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote. It was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha on August 9.

The bill seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, of 1934, which has been amended 21 times.

Replying to the debate on the bill in the Upper House, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the change in title of the bill from English to Hindi, to which many members raised objections, was done to "showcase India's heritage and culture", and "there was no violation of Constitutional rule".

The bill focuses on enhancing safety, regulatory oversight, and consumer protection while aligning with international standards. The bill also promotes self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing, encourages investment, and establishes robust governance structures for civil aviation authorities. (PTI)

An environmental compensation of over Rs 1.47 crore has been collected from farmers for burning stubble in Punjab and Haryana until November 30, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.

Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that to curb paddy residue burning, officials inspected 10,791 agricultural fields in Punjab and 1,406 in Haryana, imposing penalties in 5,525 and 638 cases, respectively.

The cumulative amount of environmental compensation imposed in Punjab is Rs 2,16,97,500 and in Haryana, it is Rs 21,12,500. In view of the Supreme Court's tough stance on the issue due to the deteriorating air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, the Centre last month doubled the fine for farmers burning crop residue, increasing the penalty to Rs 30,000 for those with more than five acres of farmland.

Farmers with less than two acres of land will now pay an environmental compensation of Rs 5,000, up from Rs 2,500, while those with land between two and five acres will be fined Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 5,000. (PTI)

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm amid uproar by Opposition MPs.

"I think they (BJP) used the Zero Hour in a well-planned manner to speak against the opposition, called us 'anti-national'. This shows that the floor of Parliament is being used by the BJP to shut the voice of the voiceless (opposition). It is unfortunate," says Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on House being adjourned till 2 pm.

The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 has been taken up for further consideration and passing in Lok Sabha amid slogans by the Opposition MPs.

The Rajya Sabha has taken up The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 Bill for consideration and passing.

Following Question Hour, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 PM.

Opposition MPs are raising slogans of "we want JPC" in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition has been demanding a JPC probe against the Adani Group into the allegations of bribery and fraud levelled by the US Department of Justice.

Rajya Sabha has resumed and the Question Hour is on.

Opposition MPs raise slogans for a discussion on Sambhal in Lok Sabha.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm following an uproar over BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi's zero hour intervention. Trivedi said that there was a concerning effort to attack India ever since India's strategic and economic stature has grown under PM Modi.

Citing French publication Mediapart's recent investigative report on OCCRP investigative journalism organisation, Trivedi said that they receive foreign funding, they have connections to George Soros and their focus is on India.

Trivedi alleged that there is a concerted effort to publish news reports timed around Parliament proceedings and important events.

He cited a report on farmers, Pegasus software, Hindenburg report, COVID vaccines, BBC Documentary on Narendra Modi and Gujarat as well. He also said that the controversial video from Manipur was released ahead of parliament session.

In Lok Sabha, the Opposition MPs raised slogans as BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that concerted efforts by foreign hands are halting the progress of Viksit Bharat. Tiwari said: "Since 2021, reports on farmers, Hindenburg, Pegasus, Manipur rape video, Adani Group were released just before when Parliament session about to begin in India."

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon, minutes after resuming on Thursday.

Opposition MPs, including LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi are protesting over Adani matter, at the Parliament premises.

Question Hour is on in Lok Sabha.

Debating the Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Lok Sabha, Opposition members on Wednesday said that the Bill would have a negative impact on the autonomy of railways and that it increases the potential for its privatisation.

Moving the Bill, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Wednesday said that the first passenger rail service in India was started in 1853, and in 1890, the Railways Act was enacted. The Railway Board Act was passed in 1905. Now the government has decided to merge the Indian Railways Board Act, 1905 with the Railways Act, 1989 into the one unified law — the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Congress MP Manoj Kumar said that this Bill, if passed, will have a negative impact on the autonomy of railways. This Bill also increases potential for privatisation, he said. Read more

In Lok Sabha, the discussion on Railways Bill will resume. Other than that, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also expected to move the Bill to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for consideration and passing.

In Rajya Sabha, the new Aviation Bill is slated for discussion.

Good morning! We will be covering the happenings at Parliament's Winter Session on this blog.