Parliament Winter Session Day 17 Highlights: ‘PM Modi should apologise to people for misleading them by ‘twisting’ Nehru’s letter to states,’ says Mallikarjun Kharge in RS

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday raised serious concerns about the "state of Indian democracy", criticising the current political landscape and warning about potential threats from global technological powers.

Speaking in the Upper House during a debate to commemorate 75 years of the Indian Constitution, Sibal highlighted what he described as systemic failures in the country's democratic framework.

"India is not about one man, India is about people of this country," he said, taking apparent aim at the current political leadership.

The veteran politician outlined multiple challenges facing the nation's democratic institutions. He pointed to economic disparities, stating that one per cent of the population owns 40-50 per cent of the country's wealth. Sibal also raised concerns about social justice, referencing incidents of violence against dalits and ongoing civil unrest. - PTI

Six newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs, including former National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma and industrialist Sana Sathish Babu, took oath as members of the Upper House of Parliament on Monday.

BJP's Sharma and Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) Babu were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana and Andhra Pradesh respectively last week.

TDP's Beeda Mastan Rao and BJP's Ryaga Krishnaiah were also among those who took oath on Monday. Both of them were elected unopposed from Andhra Pradesh.

BJP's Sujeet Kumar and TMC's Ritabrata Banerjee, who was elected from West Bengal, also took oath.

The newly elected MPs signed the members' register and greeted Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. - PTI

Admitting that the Emergency in 1975 was a "mistake", Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said on Monday that while it lasted for 18 months, there is no time limit for the "undeclared emergency" in the country today.

Participating in a debate on the 75-year glorious journey of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, he termed the Emergency period in 1975 as a constitutional distortion for a specific time frame while noting that the current undeclared emergency has no time limit and goes on unabated.

"Speaking for the emergency, there were mistakes committed, I mean it and Congress has also said it before. Now 90 per cent of speeches start from the first amendment in 1950. What about the distortions which have creeped in today... what is the answer? If Nehru committed a mistake, we will also do it, is this the way? It is not logical," Singhvi said. PTI

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Monday hit out at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his remarks on EVMs, asking why he had changed his approach towards INDIA bloc partners after becoming the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.

He said parties such as the Samajwadi Party (SP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have also spoken against electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In an exclusive interview with PTI, the NC leader dismissed the objections to EVMs, saying it cannot be that the Congress celebrates its win in polls held through the machines and then raises questions on their reliability when it loses.

He allTIeged it is a government "by Adani, of Adani, for Adani". P ns against the SEBI chairperson Madhabi Buch and claimed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's "failure" to act decisively on it has not only tarnished the credibility of the government but also jeopardised the financial governance framework.

Attacking the government over the Adani issue during the discussion on the supplementary demands for grants in Lok Sabha, Congress MP K C Venugopal said a joint parliamentary committee must probe the entire matter.

He alleged it is a government "by Adani, of Adani, for Adani". PTI

Several Congress MPs led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a protest in the Parliament premises on Monday, demanding justice for Hindus facing atrocities in Bangladesh and the alleged removal of a photo of Pakistan surrendering to India from the Army headquarters.

Priyanka Gandhi said she had given a notice to talk about Vijay Diwas in the Lok Sabha. The Wayanad MP claimed that after initial approval, she was allegedly told that she could not talk on it as the government would.

"Till then, they did not remember and I guess then they gave a chance to Nishikant Dubey who raised the issue and said something. Then I spoke. I was raising only two issues. First, I wanted to pay tributes to all the martyred soldiers and the people who stood by the Army," she told reporters in the Parliament premises.

"I also wanted to remember Indira Gandhi because of her ability to act decisively. Under her leadership, we fought the war and won," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi also raised the issue of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.

"The fight that we had fought (in 1971) was about principles, for democracy, against the atrocities that were being committed. These principles made India great. Our independence struggle was also based on these principles. We were alone at that time.

"She (Indira Gandhi) travelled across the globe, saying this atrocity must be stopped. Nobody stood up but our country did. Indira ji did, our army did and our people stood up," she said. - PTI

"Even when Hemant Soren was forming govt, he said he could have won more seats if EVM was not there. Akhilesh Yadav said today that even if he wins all 80 seats (in UP), he will continue to oppose the EVM. BJP is not openly celebrating after the Maharashtra poll results, that makes it evident that people believe that the EC is not conducting free and fair elections...," says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Opposition's EVM tampering charge. PTI

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday claimed in Lok Saba that a photograph of Pakistan surrendering before India has been removed from the Army headquarters.

In her Zero Hour reference, Priyanka Gandhi said the picture has been removed on Monday, which also happens to be Vijay Diwas.

"Today, that picture has been removed from the Army headquarters where the Pakistan Army is surrendering before the Indian Army," she said.

The Wayanad MP remembered the role of soldiers and martyrs who fought the war of 1971 between India and Pakistan.

Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on December 16 to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. The war also resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh.

Responding to the BJP criticism of her carrying a 'Palestine' bag," Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Tell them to do something over the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, talk to Bangladesh government, and not say stupid things..."

BJP leader Saumitra Khan seconds TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on EVM issue, he says, "Congress thinks that EVM is not up to mark, I want to say to them that they think that EVM is alright when they win, and it is not when they lose. Abhishek Banerjee is a senior politician. It is also a big thing, who will be leading the INDIA bloc, Mamata Banerjee or Rahul Gandhi? If anybody is having a doubt on EVM, they should rather talk to the Election Commission. What Abhishek Banerjee has said is correct."

There have always been concerns about electronic products, and these issues will continue. Many have questioned the fairness of electronic voting machines (EVMs), with irregularities and even re-elections in some places. Machines can get damaged, replaced, or even disappear, raising doubts. The real concern is that the government should take responsibility. If BJP, RSS, and Modi Ji keep winning, they should prove the fairness of elections by conducting a ballot paper election and demonstrate that they win based on their work," Azad Samaj Party MP Chandra Shekhar Azad on J&K CM Omar Abdullah's comments on EVM.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressing the Rajya Sabha on Monday, asserted that the Constitution of India has stood the test of time in the last 75 years since it came into existence, even as over 50 countries that had their Constitution written at the same time had to change their entire features.

She began the discussion on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India’ in the Rajya Sabha, by paying homage to the 389 members of the Constituent Assembly, including 15 women, who, “in less than 3 years, together, took up the arduous challenge and prepared, in a very challenging environment, the Constitution for India, which has stood the test of time.”

Marking the historic occasion, Sitharaman said, “It is time, I think, to reaffirm our commitment to build India, that is Bharat, that shall uphold the spirit enshrined in this sacred document.” Read More

Mallikarjun Kharge alleged in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that our government will implement women’s reservation more swiftly than the BJP, which opposes reservation and, for this reason, is against the caste census.

Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha, questioned the BJP's intentions, asking whether the party truly supports the Constitution. He also accused the BJP of lacking interest in solving basic issues.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking in the House on Monday, remarked, “Today is the Bangladesh Liberation Day. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saved our nation, she has been the Iron Lady, maybe the BJP leaders can be motivated by her to help the minorities there.” 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her debate in Rajya Sabha alleged that the Congress failed to introduce the GST amendment themselves, “and now, when we implement it, this is how they choose to shout about it."

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for a written apology from Congress MP Jairam Ramesh after he accused her of "lying," a charge she firmly denied, stating, "I never lie." She further remarked, "Accusing others of lying seems ingrained in the Congress DNA." Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman highlighted that Maharashtra, under Congress rule, had opposed certain provisions of the GST. "They failed to introduce the GST amendment themselves, and now, when we implement it, this is how they choose to shout about it," she said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, stated that poet Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni were both imprisoned in 1949. She explained "during one of the meetings organized for the mill workers in 1949, Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem that was written against Jawaharlal Nehru and therefore he had to go to jail. He refused to render an apology for the same and was jailed."

Initiating the debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised the Congress for its amendments to the Constitution, calling the process invalid and aimed at protecting those in power rather than strengthening democracy. She remarked, “The amendments were not about strengthening democracy but about protecting those in power.” She accused the Congress of using these changes to consolidate familial power and highlighted that the party had once jailed the entire opposition.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, criticised the Congress for its amendments to the Constitution, calling the process invalid and aimed at protecting those in power rather than strengthening democracy. She accused Congress of using these changes to consolidate familial power and highlighted that the party had once jailed the entire opposition.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman initiated the debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Monday with special recognition to its 15 women members. Highlighting the resilience of the Indian Constitution, she noted that “Post Second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and had their Constitution written. But many have changed their Constitutions, not just amended them but literally changed the entire feature of their Constitution. But our Constitution has stood the test of time, of course, yielded itself to very many amendments”

Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday in Rajya Sabha said that "within one year of the adoption of the Constitution, the first constitutional was brought in by the Congress to "curb the freedom of speech."

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman initiated the debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Sitharaman outlined four key criteria to evaluate any amendment:

1. Whether the social intent behind the amendment was genuine, resulting in an equally genuine outcome.

2. Whether the economic intent and outcome of the amendment have benefited society at large.

3. The process followed in enacting the amendment.

4. The alignment of the amendment with the constitutional spirit.

Both Houses resumed proceedings on Monday, with the newly elected members of the Rajya Sabha taking their oaths.

A constitutional amendment bill for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, referred to as the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, is set to be introduced in Parliament on Tuesday. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will introduce the bill, which is expected to be referred to a joint parliamentary committee for further consultations. The committee will be constituted based on the proportional strength of MPs from different parties, with the BJP likely to chair it. This move follows the Union Cabinet's approval of the proposal, which aims to reinstate the practice of simultaneous elections last held between 1951 and 1967. (PTI)

With both Houses resuming proceedings for the week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to initiate the same in the Rajya Sabha today. As per the list of business of the Upper House, there will be a “discussion on the glorious journey of the 75 years of the Constitution of India”. This follows the two-day high-octane debate that took place in the Lok Sabha last week with Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi speaking from the Opposition and Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluding the discussion on behalf of the government on Saturday.