Parliament: Suppression of dissent in our democracy is deplorable, says Digvijay Singh
The Rajya Sabha is expected to vote on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh hit out at the Narendra Modi government in Parliament on Thursday, saying the way it was crushing dissent in a democracy was deplorable.
Stormy confrontations on the contentious agriculture laws are likely to continue in both Houses, with the Opposition demanding a separate discussion on the farmer protests.
The Rajya Sabha is also expected to vote on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
On Wednesday, the Centre and the Opposition parties came to an agreement on the discussion of farm laws. The 15-hour deliberations will take place in the Rajya Sabha, where the Question Hour has been suspended for two days.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, urged prime minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the legislations. The day also witnessed three Aam Aadmi Party MPs, including Sanjay Singh, getting suspended for a day for “creating ruckus” in Rajya Sabha.
Live updates
11.10 am: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia hails the Centre’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, saying the country had “risen like a phoenix from ashes” of the pandemic, reports The Hindu.
“The country followed the lockdown [during coronavirus pandemic] on the request of one person,” he adds, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “There was another lockdown in 1975 when the whole country was converted into a jail.”
11.02 am: Singh also mentions the arrest of activist Sudha Bhardwaj in the Bhima Koregaon case. “She was a Harvard professor and now she is languishing in jail for supporting Dalits in Bhima Koregaon,” he says.
11.00 am: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh hits out at the Narendra Modi government while speaking in the House, reports The Hindu. “We respect the mandate you have, but the way in which dissent which is the backbone of a democracy is being suppressed in our country is deplorable,” he says. “The hoisting of cases against farmers, journalists, activists and such need to stop.”
9.55 am: Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar of the Telugu Desam Party, while speaking on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address, says the government should be “magnanimous in considering the farmers demands,” reports The Hindu.
9.50 am: Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha asserts that India’s democracy “will not be weakened by anyone’s tweets,” reports The Hindu. He is referring to the Centre’s response to tweets by pop star Rihanna and other international personalities in support of the farm laws.
“A country is made of relationships, you have ended so many relationships,” Jha says. “Our democracy is strong, it will not be weakened by anyone’s tweet.”
9.26 am: Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy introduces Bill in Rajya Sabha to replace the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, reports ANI.
9.22 am: Congress MP Manish Tewari has given adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the farm laws, reports The Indian Express.
9.20 am: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh requests that more members be allowed in the Rajya Sabha hall to create an atmosphere of debate, reports The Indian Express. Currently, members are spread across Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha halls due to coronavirus protocols. House Naidu says they will discuss the issue later.
9.19 am: The day’s proceedings begin in Rajya Sabha.
Delhi: Proceedings of Rajya Sabha begin. #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/cxjbsbeYVy
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2021
9.16 am: In Lok Sabha, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 202.
9.15 am: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce a Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 in the Upper House today, reports The Indian Express.
9.10 am: Stormy confrontations on the contentious agriculture laws are likely to continue in both Houses of Parliament on Thursday, with the Opposition demanding a separate discussion on the farmer protests.