A week after it began, the Monsoon session of the Parliament has so far failed to function fully on any single day following protests from the Opposition parties on issues ranging from the “Pegasus” controversy to the farmers’ agitation.
On Monday too, the two Houses saw brief adjournments as the respective Chairs tried to conduct planned business.
In Rajya Sabha Trinamool Congress MP Shantanu Sen was suspended for the remaining part of the Monsoon Session for snatching and tearing off the statement on Pegasus which the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy) Ashwini Vaishnaw was reading. The motion seeking his suspension was moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan and passed by a voice vote.
Here are the latest updates:
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge reiterates the demand for a discussion on Pegasus issue. The Chair reminds him that his adjournment motion has already been rejected by the Chairperson.
MoS Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan says the IT Minister has already given his reply on the issue.
I can't allow anything on Rule 267, rules the Chair. He asks Mr. Lokhandwala to continue his speech.
Even before Mr. Lokhandwala resumes his speech, sloganeering continues.
House is adjourned till 5 pm.
Rajya Sabha resumes. Sasmit Patra is in the Chair. Jugalsinh Lokhandwala speaks in favour of the Bill. He compares the lighthouse with Narendra Modi. He says just like a lighthouse guides a sailor, Mr. Modi is guiding the nation.
Opposition members chant slogans from the well of the House.
Mr. Lokhandwala elaborates how ancient mariners used indigenous techniques to track their path.
Pashupati Paras moves the National Institutes of Food Technology , Entrepreneurship and Management Bill.
This Bill is also being taken up for clause by clause voting without discussion.
Even as sloganeering continues, voting takes place.
The Bill is passed by voice vote.
House is adjourned for the day.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman kickstarts the discussion on Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says the Factoring Regulation Act 2011 was to expedite payments to MSME.
We are trying to bring amendments as per U K Sinha committee, she explains. The Bill has already passed standing committee's scrutiny and we have accepted their suggestions, he says.
This Bill is a very important Bill. MSMEs will be benefitted through this Bill, she says.
The Bill is taken for voting without discussion. The Chair says she has no choice but to take up for voting as members are not cooperating for a discussion.
Amid din, the Bill is passed by voice vote.
Lok Sabha reconvenes. Sloganeering continues. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi requests the members to allow running the House. "Five days have already gone without any business." "Public money is getting wasted," he adds.
Meanwhile Rajya Sabha is adjourned again, till 4 pm
Lok Sabha reconvenes. Rama Devi is in the Chair. Opposition members shout slogans from the well of the House.
Do you want another adjournment? Please go back to the seats, the Chair says.
What have you people come here for? To serve the people. How is this kind of protest serving that purpose? she asks.
She adjourns the House till 3 pm.
In Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduces a Bill to amend the Insolvency Bankruptcy Code.
As sloganeering continues, the House is adjourned till 2.45 pm
Rajya Sabha resumes. WCD Minister Smriti Irani withdraws The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012.
Surendra Singh Nagar, who is in the Chair, proceeds with discussion on Marine Aids Bill.
Disruptions continue. House is adjourned till 3 pm.
Question Hour in progress
Deputy Chairman Harivansh asks MPs to start Question Hour, says nothing else will go on record.
MP Rakesh Sinha asks if the government is ready to give community forest rights to adivasis.
BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav asks about the benefits of bio-toilets that were developed by DRDO. Opposition MPs continue shouting slogans as MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt replies.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh asks the protesting MPs to return to the seats and let Question Hour function. As protests continue, the House is adjourned till 2 p.m.
Rajya Sabha resumes.
Opposition MPs continue to raise slogans. A placard saying "big brother is watching" is held by an MP in the well, in front of the Chair.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lays a paper on the table, while Opposition MPs continue to shout slogans with regard to the Pegasus issue.
Scenes from inside the Lok Sabha:
Inside the Lower House, Congress MPs were protesting in the well of the House. Party leader Rahul Gandhi was on the aisle along with other senior leaders Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari. They were raising slogans on the Pegasus issue, and demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation.
The Congress members were joined by MPs of other Opposition parties like DMK, NCP, Left and IUML.
When the Lok Sabha was paying tribute to Kargil martyrs, Congress leader Manish Tewari asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not in the House.
On high fuel prices
Member Uday Pratap Singh asks the government if steps are being taken to bring uniformity in prices of petrol and diesel.
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says the recommendation has to come from the GST Council. "The Centre levies tax on fuel... we are providing 80 crore citizens free meals, free vaccinations... we are providing MSPs to farmers. Meanwhile, the States charge VAT as high as 39%," he said.
As Opposition continues sloganeering, the House adjourned till 2 p.m.
On support for MSMEs
MP from Rajampet P.V. Midhun Reddy raises a question related to the liquidity support to small banks.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says stress in case of MSMEs was addressed through a guarantee scheme, which is now being extended by ₹1.50 lakh crore more.
On a query related to restructuring of loans, the Finance Minister says the RBI has come up with a scheme wherein a three-year lending is made available to MSMEs.
On education in regional languages
Member of House Bidyut Baran Mahato seeks information on steps being taken under the National Education Policy to impart education in regional languages.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says in the new Education Policy, the use of regional languages is being given prominence. AICTE has started a course to promote use of regional language in the first year of engineering, he adds.
Opposition continues sloganeering.
Report of Parliamentary committee on transport, tourism and culture presented.
Zero Hour begins. Chairman calls on Sushil Kumar Modi to speak, but Opposition disrupts the speech with slogans.
Chairman says he has received notices on issues that have been discussed already, and so they have not been accepted.
Opposition continues shouting slogans. The Chairman says many matters could not be raised due to disruptions. "We are becoming helpless," he says.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12.
Lok Sabha proceedings begin.
Speaker Om Birla pays tributes to the security personnel who laid down their lives during the Kargil conflict.
The Speaker congratulates Saikhom Mirabai Chanu for winning Silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic.
Question Hour begins, Opposition members raising slogans
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin.
Chairman Venkaiah Naidu says today is the 22nd anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, and pays tributes to spirit and sacrifice of brave soldiers.
Members rise to observe a moment of silence.
The Chairman congratulates Mirabai Chanu, says she ended a long wait of 21 years for a medal for India in a weightlifting event.
Rahul Gandhi arrives on tractor
Rahul Gandhi drives a tractor to Parliament. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in the Parliament on Monday driving a tractor to protests against the farm laws. He demanded that the contentious laws be repealed. He was accompanied by MPs from Punjab and Haryana.
Mr. Gandhi says,"The entire country knows gir whose benefit it [farm laws] is being done. The government has to take back these laws".
Congress MPs also have also given notice in the Lok Sabha on Pegasus spyware.
Lok Sabha
Bill for Introduction
- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Bills for Consideration and Passing
- Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020
- National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021
Rajya Sabha
Bill for Withdrawal
- Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012
Bills for Consideration and Passing
- Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021
- Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021