Sixth straight day of washout
New Delhi : Parliament remained paralysed for the sixth consecutive day on Monday as the pandemonium that washed out last week’s business continued as the opposition parties and the ruling NDA’s ally Telugu Desam Party and AIADMK created ruckus from the well of both the Houses. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House up to 2 pm in view of the ruckus from the well and then the House was adjourned by the deputy chairman for the day in view of the noisy scenes.
FACE TO FACE: In an interesting development, Congress President Rahul Gandhi stepping out of Parliament’s gate No 4 came face to face with BJP President Amit Shah just entering. Only three days ago, Rahul had said he would hug even his bitterest critic but that did not happen as both pretended not to see each other, not even exchanging smile. Both, however, had smile on their face as they turned their heads to skip any eye contact. Unlike Rahul’s declaration that he does not believe in hating the rivals, Amit Shah is on record at a conclave in Mumbai las week: “It’s true that the relationship with (Gandhis) is not good. As far as I am concerned, it is not good. I do not know about them.”
Biju Janata Dal’s Bhraruhari Mahtab tried to block the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill on the ground that it violated the citizens’ fundamental right by enunciating the premise of ‘guilty till proven innocent.’ His objection was, however, lost in the din as the Speaker admitted the Bill.
Bill to amend Chit Funds Act tabled
The government on Monday introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982, to facilitate orderly growth of the sector and provide more financial products to investors. The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2018, was introduced by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla amid din. The Bill aims to remove bottlenecks being faced by the industry.
AAP moves Private Member’s Bill
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said he submitted a Private Members Bill on Monday to put an end to the sealing drive in the city. “Today I have moved a Private Member’s bill. Since independence, only 14 Private Member bills have been accepted as far as I know,” Singh told the media.
‘No data of fake education boards’
The HRD Ministry on Monday said it does not maintain any data of fake education boards found functioning in the country. The minister of State for HRD, Upendra Kushwaha, said in a written response to a question in Lok Sabha that “some instances of functioning of fake education boards have come to the notice of the Ministry”.
“The Ministry, however, does not maintain any centralised data regarding fake education boards functioning in different parts of the country,” he added. The minister stated that state governments and police authorities have been asked to identify fake education boards functioning in their jurisdiction and register cases against them for misleading people.
SC demands Centre’s response in SSC scam
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to file its response on a lawyer’s plea seeking probe into the alleged leak of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) question papers leak scam.
The SSC examination was conducted in February.
It was later revealed that the examination papers for the commission were allegedly leaked.
The SSC in a notice on February 24 said the exam held on February 21 was delayed due to ‘technical reasons’ and would be re-conducted on March 9.
Meanwhile, youth Congress earlier in the day protested against the alleged leak here at four locations – Lajpat Nagar near Haldiram, Peeragarhi, Noida Gate, and Badarpur Border.
The Centre had on March 5 agreed to conduct a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter after the aspirants took to streets in protest of the alleged leak.