Parliament Winter Session Day 15 LIVE Updates: Uproar in LS over Mahua’s reference to judge Loya’s death, sparks row

Debate on Constitution is underway in Lok Sabha. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav says, "Govt should give figures on per capita income of those below poverty line." On alleged Chinese transgressions, Yadav says, "Our borders are shrinking."

Priyanka Gandhi took a swipe at the Centre and said such a sense of fear existed in India during British rule. There is palpable fear in the society and journalist, professor, farmer, activist, they are being attacked... Sometimes, its I-T, ED who attacks them....A teacher in Uttar Pradesh was named anti-national....Even those who instill fear are also afraid. They are afraid to even debate, give reply."

Slamming the BJP, Priyanka Gandhi says, "All responsibility rests upon Jawaharlal Nehru, why don't you talk about the present...Agriculture laws are framed for powerful people...All airports, road, railway works are being given to one person. Government is favouring Adani....People used to believe that Constitution will protect them, but now they have lost trust."

Priyanka Gandhi says she has witnessed hope and dreams in the minds of people in India. Referring to her visit to Unnao rape victim's residence, Gandhi says her father wants justice delivered for his daughter.

"Our Constitution is a shield of protection, a shield of justice."

Slamming the grand old party, Rajnath Singh says, "Whenever Congress had opportunity to choose between Constitution and power, it has always favoured power."

Rajnath Singh cited autobigraphy of former SC judge Justice HR Khanna during his speech in Lok Sabha. Singh said, "Today there are people are talking about protecting the Constitution. But we need to remember who respected the Constitution and who insulted it.

I will refer to the autobiography of former Supreme Court judge Justice HR Khanna Neither Roses Nor Thorns. He said he told his younger sister that he had prepared a judgment that would cost him the Chief Justice’s post. This happened in 1976. In ADM Jabalpur vs Shivkant Shukla case he had given a dissenting judgment against the then Congress government. He was not willing to cede to government anyone’s right to life and to move court. He had to pay a price for it."

During his speech on Constitution, Rajnath Singh mentioned about Mahabaharat. Singh said, "Mahabharat has asked the king to follow Raj Dharma. His powers are for the good of the people. Our Constitution is also committed to the good of the people. In Part IV, the Directive Principles of State Policy, this thing becomes clear."

"Our Constitution enables a person from a poor family to become PM or President. This was ignored after independence but our government is committed to it. We have broken colonial shackles and brought new penal laws.

Today, poor people are getting pucca houses, free treatment and free ration, tap water, and toilets. Our government is working for women-led development and has passed the Naari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Our government gave constitutional status to the OBC Commission. We have also brought EWS quota. All these are concrete expressions of our constitutional values.

We also implemented the Constitution in a state where it was not applicable. People there have voted in large numbers and the election was violence-free.

In the original copy of our constitution, in Part III, where the fundamental rights are discussed, there is a depiction of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman. Ajanta Caves paintings and the lotus is also depicted. The latter depicts coming out of centuries of slavery…" he said.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh mentioned Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh during his speech, "Some people consider our Constitution as colonial and some other say it is borrowed. Some claim that one party gave it. The fact is that our Constitution is an expression of our civilisational values. It carries the legacy of our freedom struggle.

There were also people who were not members of the constituent assembly whose legacy is part of the constitution. We should remember that Pandit Malaviya, Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar have also contributed to its ethos."

Singh said, "The truth is that our Constitution is the expression of our civilisational values."

Constitution debate begins in Lok Sabha. Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh says, "Constitution was an expression of general will of people."

In Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs moved a notice seeking the impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge over his controversial statement against minorities. Citing Rajya Sabha rules, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar declined four notices submitted today. Sources say 55 Opposition MPs have signed the notice.

Citing a report made by an IPS officer on disengagement by China, Congress MP Manish Tewari asked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar whether the patrolling stations which were inaccessible have become accessible to Indian forces. Jaishankar reiterated the statement he made earlier in the Parliament and said, "The understanding envisages that Indian forces will be going to all patrolling points at Depsang and other stations where they have been patrolling."

House proceedings have started. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pays tributes to the martyrs of 2001 Parliament attack.

As the Constitution debate is set to begin shortly, lets take a look at the views of Congress party. After making "Constitution under danger" its key poll pitch, Congress strategists believe that the party should continue to press on the issue linking it to the social justice architecture. The hope in the party will be that the narrative, which appeared to not work effectively in the Maharashtra and Haryana elections, will get a shot in the arm with these debates in Parliament.

With Priyanka Gandhi likely to kickoff the debate from the Opposition camp, lets wait and watch if she will reshape the grand old party's narrative, add more elements to it, or largely follow the Rahul line?

The debate on Constitution is set to be held today to mark the beginning of the 75th year of its adoption. The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949 and it came into effect on January 26, 1950.

While January 26 is celebrated as Republic Day, since 2015, November 26 is annually observed as the Constitution Day of India, or Samvidhan Divas. The Constituent Assembly, the body meant to draft the Constitution of India, held its first session on December 9, 1946, attended by 207 members. Initially, the assembly had 389 members, but after Independence and the Partition of India, the strength was reduced to 299.

The assembly took over three years to draft the constitution, spending over 114 days considering the content of the draft alone. A range of sources were consulted for the draft, including the Constitutions of other countries, and suitable amendments were made to adapt the provisions to what India needed at the time.

Another major source was the Government of India Act of 1935. It introduced bicameralism — upper and lower Houses — at the Centre and in six provinces along with direct elections to these chambers. At the time, it was one of the longest pieces of legislation passed in the British Parliament. On December 13, 1946, Nehru moved the “Objectives Resolution” that was later adopted as the Preamble on January 22, 1947, to encapsulate the basic philosophy of the Constitution.

As House proceedings are set to begin at 11 am today, the Congress party is planning to nominate newly-elected MP Priyanka Gandhi as the first speaker from the Opposition camp for the Constitution debate. This will be Gandhi's first speech in the Parliament after being elected as the Wayanad MP.

Congress MP and general secretary in charge (organization), KC Venugopal, said that the Congress is happy there will be a discussion on the Constitution in both Houses.

Hello and welcome to Parliament Winter Session Live blog! After a week-long standoff between Opposition MPs and BJP MPs, both House of the Parliament will witness debates on Constitution today. Stay tuned here as we bring you latest news from Parliament.