
Parliament today HIGHLIGHTS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Lok Sabha Wednesday that the Union Cabinet has cleared the formation of a trust for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The trust has been named as Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Shetra. This was one of the rare occasions when the prime minister spoke in Lok Sabha before the Zero Hour. Since Parliament is in session, the government decided to inform the House on the important decision taken by the Cabinet. PM Modi added that the Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to give five acres of land to the Sunni Wakf Board as directed by the Supreme Court in Ayodhya matter.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam introduced on Wednesday the Direct Tax ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ Bill in the Lok Sabha. Under the scheme announced in the Union Budget, taxpayers whose tax demands are locked in dispute in multiple forums can pay due taxes by March 31, 2020, and get a complete waiver of interest and penalty.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Motion of Thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind’s speech, which was moved by senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav Tuesday, will be further considered today. Initiating the debate, Bhupender Yadav had accused the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of giving “moral support” to Shaheen Bagh stir and said young minds were “poisoned through hate-filled speeches” in the name of freedom of expression during the anti-CAA protests.
Highlights
The leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacked the government over the NRC and CAA, saying it was a "sinister design" foiled by the people.
"Our people are coming out to save the Constitution from you," he said in the lower house while participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. Referring to the CAA and NRC, he said: "It was your sinister design foiled by the common people." (PTI)
Moments after Delhi High Court rejected Centre's plea against the postponing the execution of four convicts of the December 16 gangrape case, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad assured the Lok Sabha that they will be hanged soon."We are very strict...justice will be given to her. Convicts will be hanged soon," he assured the House.The culprits are trying to delay punishment which is not justified, he said. Expressing deep anguish over such incidents, Prasad said, "I have deep concern in this regard."
Raising the issue of detention of NC leader Farooq Abdullah in Lok Sabha, leaders from opposition parties on Wednesday attacked the government for "illegally" detaining an old leader and walked out of the House. Abdullah, the National Conference leader and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has been under detention from August 5 last year since the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A. (PTI)
According to ANI, The Ministry of Home Affairs Wednesday said, "According to police, they entered chasing violent congregation of students/mob, to nab/disperse offenders, control situation&protect govt/private property, save lives of innocent students residing in Campus."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday introduced a bill in Lok Sabha which seeks to provide for the resolution of disputed tax cases involving Rs 9.32 lakh crore. Introducing the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill, 2020, the minister said this bill emphasises on trust building. The scheme, she said, will not be an open-ended scheme and can be availed for a limited time. The bill seeks to provide a formula-based solution without any discrimination, she said. Giving the rationale behind the scheme, Sitharaman said it will reduce the litigation expenditure for the government and at the same may help in generating some revenue. (PTI)
The Lok Sabha, as well as the Rajya Sabha, were adjourned till 2 pm.
Union Cabinet approved Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Five IIITs in PPP mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur will be declared as Institutions of National Importance
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said no foreign country has the right to interfere in the internal matters of India, and this message should be sent out loud and clear. He said this in response to a mention by Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai of the resolution in the European Parliament against the amended citizenship act. Raising the issue in the House in the morning session, Desai suggested that a resolution should be passed that India will not tolerate any interference from other countries in its internal matters. Naidu said no other country has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of India. (PTI)
Congress staged walk out in Lok Sabha earlier today, demanding the release of Farooq Abdullah & other J&K leaders from detention.
As many as 320 corrupt officers have been given premature retirement by the government in the past five years, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. As on January 30, 2020, based on the information uploaded by various ministries, departments and cadre controlling authorities on the probity portal operated by Department of Personnel and Training, provisions of FR 56(J)/similar rules have been invoked against 163 Group A officers, (including all India services officers) and 157 Group B officers during the period July, 2014 to December, 2019, he said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. (PTI)
Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on setting up of Ram Temple trust. "Session of Parliament will end on 11th February, the announcement could have come after 8th February. Seems like BJP is worried over Delhi Elections", Owaisi was quoted as saying by ANI.
The government on Wednesday said there is no proposal to link social media profiles of users with their Aadhaar numbers and asserted that steps are being taken to curb spreading of fake news and pornography through social media platforms. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that pornography, particularly child pornography, is a "serious menace" and measures are being taken to curb it. "Revenge porn is also rising in the country", he told Lok Sabha during Question Hour. (PTI)
Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi said, 'Today we take a historic step ahead towards building a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya!'
Under the scheme announced in the Union Budget, taxpayers whose tax demands are locked in dispute in multiple forums can pay due taxes by March 31, 2020, and get a complete waiver of interest and penalty.
Following Prime Minister's announcement on setting up of a trust for construction of Ram Temple, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath thanked him on Twitter.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Wednesday said in Lok Sabha that pornography, particularly child pornography is a serious menace. 'Revenge pornography is rising in the country. We are taking a lot of measures. Central Government, state governments and state police are working together to curb it.', he added.
In a rare occasion, PM Modi spoke in the Lok Sabha before the Zero Hour and said that the government is moving forward with ‘sabka sath sabka vikas’ policy so that everyone is happy. “In India, be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi or Jain, everyone is a part of one family. Development must take place for every member of the family,” he said. The move bears significance in the wake of November 9 judgment of the Supreme Court which allowed construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodha. Read more here
Soon after the meeting of the Union Cabinet ended, PM Modi reached Lok Sabha to make a statement in this regard. Just before the Question Hour began, he said the trust has been named as the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Shetra. He said the Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to give five acres of land to the Sunni Wakf Board as directed by the Supreme Court in Ayodhya matter.
PM Modi in Lok Sabha said, " After the verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue came out, the people of India displayed remarkable faith in democratic processes and procedures. I salute the 130 crore people of India." This was one of the rare occasions when the prime minister spoke in Lok Sabha before the Zero Hour.
PM Modi said in Lok Sabha, "In India, be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi or Jain, everyone is a part of one family. Development must take place for every member of the family. Our govt is moving forward with 'sabka sath sabka vikas' policy so that everyone is happy."
PM Modi in Lok Sabha said, "We have readied a scheme for the development of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A trust has been formed, it is called 'Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirath Kshetra.'
The union cabinet has cleared the formation of a trust for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
BJP MPs from Jharkhand protest in front of Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises, over the killing of tribals in the state.
BJP MP Parvesh Verma Wednesday protested against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal at Parliament House. Verma was barred by the Election Commission last week for four days for his controversial remarks made during an interview and at an election meeting.
Express photo: Anil Sharma
Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh has given a zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha, over 'demand to give international status to Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna'. Also, Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa has given notice over ‘need to ensure airline safety’.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam is slated to introduce on Wednesday the Direct Tax ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ Bill in the Lok Sabha. Under the scheme announced in the Union Budget, taxpayers whose tax demands are locked in dispute in multiple forums can pay due taxes by March 31, 2020, and get a complete waiver of interest and penalty.
BJP MP YS Chowdary has given a short duration discussion notice in Rajya Sabha, over 'development of the capital of Andhra Pradesh under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014'
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