PM Modi in Rajya Sabha on Monday. (ANI)Parliament Today Live Updates: Replying to the Motion of Thanks on President Kovind’s address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said the newly-passed farm laws should be given a chance and that the MSP system is here to stay. Requesting the protesting farmers to go back, he reiterated that the government is open to talks.
The Prime Minister said that there is a need to protect the nation from a new FDI which he referred to as ‘Foreign Destructive Ideology’. “The nation is making progress and we are talking about FDI but I see that a new FDI has come to the fore. We have to protect the nation from this new FDI. We need Foreign Direct Investment but the new FDI is ‘Foreign Destructive Ideology’, we have to protect ourselves from it,” he said.
Modi said opposition to the Centre’s newly passed farm laws lacks in substance and that they have been stalled for decades. Reiterating that his government is working for the small farmers, he said that the government has initiated changes in the agriculture sector aimed at empowering the farmer since 2014.
The Prime Minister called India as the “mother of democracy.” Expressing gratitude to all the parliamentarians, PM Modi said the credit for battling the pandemic goes to the citizens and not to the government. He also said that the world has recognised India’s potential to tackle the pandemic. Taking a jibe at the opposition for boycotting President Kovind’s address, PM Modi said, “It would have been better had the Opposition heard the President’s address. But it is the power of his speech that without hearing his speech, the Opposition spoke a lot about it.”
TMC MPs meanwhile, staged a walkout, as PM Modi began his reply in Rajya Sabha to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
Congress MPs Manish Tewari, Jasbir Gill and CPM MP AM Arif Monday gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha and demanded the repealing of three farm laws in the wake of farmers’ agitation.
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 9 am on 9 Feb, 2021.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday expressed sadness when his non-partisan approach was questioned by an MP, but said he would not be cowed down by attempts to make the Chair dysfunctional, PTI reported.
When the Rajya Sabha met for the day, Vijai Sai Reddy of the YSR Congress sought to raise certain remarks made by a TDP member a few days ago and demanded action.
Without naming anyone or pointing to the remarks, Reddy raised the issue through a point of order. He said objectionable parts should be expunged from the records.
Naidu said this was not a point of order issue and the member should write to him. He promised to examine the record and expunge anything that is found objectionable.
Reddy, however, was not satisfied and continued to speak despite his mike being turned off and the Chair ordering that nothing would go on record. During this time, Reddy cast aspersions on the Chair. "You are saying the chairman is biased," Naidu remarked.
Naidu said he felt "really sad today." "Never has it happened (before)," he said.
Responding to PM Modi's Motion of Thanks in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Rakesh Tikait said, "When did we say that MSP is ending? We said that a law be formed on MSP. If such a law is formed, all the farmers of the country will be benefitted. Right now, there is no law on MSP and the farmers are looted by traders."
Congress MP Hibi Eden Monday gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha."I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely: The ongoing spread of the new corona virus has become one of the biggest threats to the global economy and financial markets. I would like to highlight certain areas that the government must pay attention in order to comprehensively address the present reality. In the wake of the spreading of Covid-19 virus the Kerala Tourism Sector suffering extensive loss. The current situation affected those working in such sector as well as entrepreneurs, small and medium business and those that have been employed by them. For those people who are working in these sectors will affect not just their incomes but also their ability to address recurring costs such as monthly installments on existing loans. And it is vital that the government looks into a range of interventions such as offering a temporary aid, resource packages and postponement of GST payments for Tourism sector in Kerala. The government needs to give special packages to the tourism sectors. The survival of businesses throughout the tourism ecosystem is at risk without continued government support," he said.
Leader or Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad is speaking in Rajya Sabha right now. He raised the question of development in Jammu and Kashmir after its bifurcation into two union territories in August 2019. He requested the govt the grant statehood to the newly-formed union territory.
All avenues of dialogue with agitating farmers are open, PM Modi said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday praised Ghulam Nabi Azad and said, "Ghulam Nabi ji always speaks decently,never uses foul language. We should learn this from him,I respect him for it. He praised elections held in J&K... I believe your party will take it in right spirit,& not commit mistake of doing opposite by listening to suggestions of G-23."
The Prime Minister Monday said in Rajya Sabha that a new 'Andolan Jivi' entity has come up in the country. "They can be spotted wherever there is a protest, be it agitation by lawyers, students, or labourers, explicitly or implicitly. They cannot live without 'andolan', we have to identify them & protect nation from them," he added.
PM Modi Monday said tha India is proud of every Sikh. "What have they not done for this country? Whatever respect we give them will always be less. I've been fortunate to spend crucial years of my life in Punjab. Language used by some for them & attempt to mislead them will never benefit nation," he added.
"The nation is making progress and we are talking about FDI but I see that a new FDI has come to the fore. We have to protect the nation from this new FDI. We need Foreign Direct Investment but the new FDI is 'Foreign Destructive Ideology', we have to protect ourselves from it," the Prime Minister said in Rajya Sabha
Taking an aim at the foreign entities talking about farmers protests, PM Modi said, India must save itself from 'Foreign Destructive Ideology'
PM Modi said in Rajya Sabha on Monday, "We mustn't forget what happened with Punjab. It suffered the most during partition. It cried the most during 1984 riots. They became victims of most painful incidents. Innocents were killed in J&K. Business of weapons was carried out in northeast. All this affected the nation."
PM Modi Monday said the MSP system is here to stay and said, "MSP tha, MSP hai aur MSP rahega.
"We mustn't forget what happened with Punjab. It suffered the most during the partition. It cried the most during the 1984 riots. They became victims of the most painful incidents. Innocents were killed in J&K. Business of weapons was carried out in the northeast. All this affected the nation," PM Modi said, adding that the country is proud of contributions made by Sikh community
"Sharad Pawar ji, and those from Congress, everyone... all governments have stood for agricultural reforms. Whether they were able to do it or not, but everyone has advocated that it should be done," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister on Monday read out a quote by former PM Manmohan Singh and said, 'Those taking a U-Turn (farm laws) will perhaps agree with him. 'There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get highest rate of return...'
PM reitertes in Rajya Sabha 'MSP tha, MSP hai aur MSP rahega.'
Stressing that protesting is farmers' right, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to them to go back. "We want to assure that MSP system won't be done away with. Our government is open to talks."
PM Narendra Modi said in Rajya Sabha, "Sharad Pawar ji, and those from Congress, everyone... all governments have stood for agricultural reforms. Whether they were able to do it or not, but everyone has advocated that it should be done."
"Manmohan ji is here, I'd read out his quote. Those taking a U-Turn (farm laws) will perhaps agree with him. "There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get highest rate of return......It is our intention to remove all those handicaps which come in the way of India realising its vast potential at one large common market" PM Modi said