PM Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Union Ministers outside Parliament on Monday. (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain)
The second half of the Budget Session of Parliament commenced today after a month-long recess, with both houses witnessing adjournment after protests by opposition members over the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and other issues. The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow, while the upper House was first adjourned till 11.20 am, and after reassembly, it was again adjourned till 2 pm.
The government and the Opposition are likely to lock horns on a host of issues including the on-going investigation into a Rs 11,000 crore bank fraud case. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, which was approved by the Union government last week, is likely to be the centre of the discussion among other issues like triple talaq bill, which is pending in Rajya Sabha. Congress will also talk about Karti Chidambaram’s arrest by the CBI in the INX Media alleged bribery case, which it has termed as “political vendetta”.
The session begins two days after the Northeast election results that saw the BJP securing a victory in Tripura. The first part of the budget session was held from January 29 to February 9.
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сергей галинMar 5, 2018 at 12:31 pmCHAIWALA SABKO TOPI PEHNAHA RAHA HAI.LOG PAHNI JA RAHE HAI.THERE IS VERY INTERESTING PHRASE IN A VERY INTELLIGENT LANGUAGE ITS NOT IMPORTANT HOW PEOPLE VOTE ITS IMPORTANT HOW VOTES ARE COUNTED.THT GIVES ANSWER TO BHARAT JALAOO PARTY SUCCESS.PRINTING MACHINE ON.ACCOUNTS SOARING HIGH WITH MONEY.BIG MONEY SENT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES THROUGH FUGITIVES.SO COUNTING OFFCOURSE IN YOUR FAVOR PLETE SUCCESS STORY.SLUM DO MILLIONER FOR OSCARS NOMINATIONS.Reply- Mar 5, 2018 at 12:49 pmIt is Democracy itself which they are both fooling and failing.Reply
- Mar 5, 2018 at 12:03 pmAUR EK QUIZ----IN TRIPURA BJP GOT 50 PER CENT VOTES AND CPM GOT 46 PER CENT-------WAS THE TOTAL POLLING PERCENTAGE 96 PER CENTReply
- Mar 5, 2018 at 12:02 pmTHIRD FRONT-----NON CONGRESS NON BJP NON CPMReply
- Mar 5, 2018 at 12:01 pmAUR EK QUIZ IN TRIPURA BJP GOT 50 PER CENT VOTES AND CPM GOT 46 PER CENT--------WAS THE TOTAL POLLING PERCENTAGE IN TRIPURA 96 PER CENT------Reply
- Mar 5, 2018 at 11:57 amQUIZ HO JAI-----------[1] WILL THE NEXT LOK SABHA ELECTIONS BE HELD BEFORE THE NEXT HOLI OR AFTER THE NEXT HOLI? [2] WILL THE NEXT LOK SABHA ELECTION BE HELD BEFORE REPUBLIC DAY OR AFTER REPUBLIC DAY [3] WILL NEXT LOK SABHA ELECTION BE HELD BEFORE CHRISTMAS OR AFTER CHRISTMAS [4] WILL THE NEXT RAJYA SABHA ELECTION BE HELD BEFORE NEXT DIWALI OR AFTER NEXT DIWALI [5] WILL NEXT ASSEMBLY ELECTION BE HELD BEFORE NEXT JANMASTAMI OR AFTER JANMASTAMIReply
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Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid opposition uproar over PNB scam and other issues.
Soon after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made obituary references, members from the Congress, TRS and other parties as well as from the TDP trooped into the Well raising various issues.
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow after protests by opposition members over various issues.
Telugu Desam Party MP N. Siva Prasad dressed as Lord Krishna during TDP protest demanding 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh. (Source: Express photo by Praveen Jain)
Rajya Sabha also adjourned till 11.20 am after the protest by TDP over 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon after protest by TDP over 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh.
The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill 2017 and the Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill 2017 will be tabled in the Lok Sabha. And the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 and the State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill 2017 will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
O'Brien also claimed that the BJP had gone 'overboard' with its victory in Tripura. 'If their target is West Bengal our target is Red Fort. BJP did not win Tripura, the Left surrendered it,' he said, claiming that Prime Minister Modi will not deliver his address from the Red Fort in 2019.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien had said on Sunday that his party is for a debate and a discussion in Parliament, and would evolve a joint opposition strategy soon. "We will coordinate with other opposition parties to expose this BJP government that has not delivered on their promises. I don't want to name any particular issue as there are many. We have issues for everyday in Parliament," he said.
CPI leader D Raja had yesterday said the issue of PNB fraud will be taken up and the new bills that the government proposes to bring would also be discussed. "We will demand answers from the government on how the fraud happened. The banking sector is in a deep crisis and its credibility is at stake," PTI quoted him as saying.
The government has also listed some other bills for consideration and passage in both Houses.
In the Lok Sabha, it intends to bring 'The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017', ' The Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill, 2017' tomorrow, and 'The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2017', on Tuesday.
In the Rajya Sabha, the government has listed 'The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017', and 'The State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017', for the first day of the session.
The passage of the OBC bill, that seeks to provide constitutional status for the OBC commission, is another issue high on the government agenda.
PM Narendra Modi arrives in Parliament, welcomed by BJP Chief Amit Shah and Union Ministers. (Source: Express photos by Praveen Jain)
BJP President Amit Shah, Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Mahesh Sharma, Smriti Irani among others outside Parliament. (Source: Express photos by Praveen Jain).
CPI Leader D Raja gives adjournment motion notice in Rajya Sabha over PNB scam.
SP MP Naresh Agarwal gives adjournment motion notice in Rajya Sabha on PNB fraud case.
RJD MP JP Yadav gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over PNB fraud case.
The second part of the session would primarily see the passage of the Union budget for 2018-19 and discussions on the demand for grants for various ministries. The BJP, which is energised after its emphatic victory in Tripura and impressive performance in Nagaland and Meghalaya polls, is likely to adopt an aggressive posture in Parliament. The ruling party will rake up scams taking place during the Congress times and pin it down, PTI quoted party sources as saying.
Other issues that the opposition is likely to raise include those relating to crimes against Dalits and women. The issues of farmers distress, slowdown of the economy and rising unemployment were also expected to be raised by opposition benches.
The legislation, once passed, will grant powers to the government to attach assets of persons declared fugitive. This will include benami assets too. The BJP has claimed that the PNB scam had started during the UPA rule and its government has acted swiftly after the fraud came out in the open.
Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma has given a notice for a discussion under rule 267 of the House on the bank fraud issue. The government, on its part, is seeking to counter the opposition offensive by bringing the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, that seeks to confiscate and sell all assets of absconding economic offenders.
Opposition parties would demand answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on how the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and other banking scams took place under his watch and how the government failed to stop them.
The second half of the Parliament session begins today. Follow our Live blog to get the latest updates.