Parliament News Highlights: Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 pm tomorrow

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow while the Lok Sabha resumed at 4 pm. The two Houses are keeping separate timings to ensure social distancing on account of Covid guidelines. Both Houses of Parliament are scheduled to move a motion of thanks on the President's Address on January 31 today. Stay tuned for live updates

Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 pm tomorrow, Feb 4

Idea of India under threat: TRS MP Rao

Alleging that the "idea of India" is under threat in the NDA regime, TRS MP K Keshava Rao on Thursday said his party will no longer support the government as the ruling BJP has attempted to destroy the secular nature of the Constitution.

He was speaking while participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha.

"The idea of India is under threat...ever since the ruling party is in power, the division between secular Indian and radical Hindu nationalist has sharpened," Rao said.

He stressed that democracy is not merely a form of government but is more of associate living.

"Today, we have decided we should not be with you. Why this kind of change? You must ask yourself, not us," he said.

The TRS leader further said polarisation may pay back in some project but when it reaches the heart and starts corrupting the very body, then there will be two nations.

"The conflict between these two (secular Indian and radical Hindu nationalist) identities form the core of polarisation in India. The greatest threat today to this country is the politics of polarisation," Rao said.

Congress leaders defend Rahul's 'two Indias' comment in Parliament

Several Congress leaders came out in defence of party leader Rahul Gandhi after he faced criticism for his "two Indias" comment in Parliament, with Mallikarjun Kharge saying the country has two faces, one for the rich and the other for the poor, and the gap between the two is widening.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Gandhi has only pointed out that no steps are being taken to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

"India has two faces and there is a need to correct this," he said.

Asked about the criticism of Gandhi's comments by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and others, Kharge said he would respond to the prime minister when he replies in Parliament.

Defending the former party chief, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "Rahul Gandhi speaks truth to power and highlights the risks that plague India both from within and outside even as Priyanka Gandhi invokes Congress workers to fight with guts, ideology and stamina."

Country has become surveillance state, run with arrogance: TMC's Jawahar Sircar

The country has become a "surveillance state" and the entire thing is being run with "control and arrogance", Trinamool Congress (TMC) member in Rajya Sabha Jawahar Sircar said on Thursday.

Sircar in his maiden speech in Parliament attacked the government over the current status of the economy, issues of poverty and unemployment, policies and reduction in allocation of funds towards education and health.

Referring to the Pegasus spyware snooping issue, he said this State has become a "surveillance state" as evidence points towards it, but the government does not have the "guts" to come out and say no.

"They send governors with an intention of disturbing the Constitutional mechanism of a state," Sircar said, adding that "the one which we have got, will also be the less said is better".

He was apparently referring to Jagdeep Dhankar, the governor of West Bengal, where the TMC is in power.

BJP keeps up attack on Rahul Gandhi over Parliament speech

The BJP continued to attack Rahul Gandhi on Thursday over his speech in Parliament, with Union minister Kiren Rijiju saying the Congress leader used to behave like India's "yuvraj" and now thinks that he is its king.

BJP vice president Baijayant Jay Panda mocked him saying that the "king of comedy is increasingly turning out to also be the prince of darkness".

"Yes, of course the Constitution defines India as a union of states. No issue there, but to extrapolate from that to say India is 'not a nation' is not merely ludicrous, but downright sinister," he said.

Gandhi had on Wednesday said the Congress smashed the idea of a king in 1947, but now it has come back and the ruling dispensation had created two Indias -- one for the poor and the other for the rich.

Rijiju retorted to it saying that there was indeed two Indias and one of them includes those who go on foreign trips and “rave parties”.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey gives privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday submitted a privilege notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for attempting to "incite" MPs and the nation at large through his remarks during the debate in the House on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

Noting that while every MP has a constitutional right to speak in Parliament and express his/her views on various topics, he said it is also one of the foremost duties of every member to maintain decency and should not speak anything that would lower the dignity of Parliament and categorised as 'Contempt of the House'.

"I have submitted a privilege notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat against Gandhi for his comments relating to the 'Union and its Territories," Dubey told PTI.

Lok Sabha proceedings under way, Question Hour begins

TN CM Stalin welcomes Rahul's 'rousing' speech in Parliament

In a Twitter post, the DMK president thanked Gandhi on behalf of "all Tamils" for his parliament speech. "Dear Rahul Gandhi, I thank you on behalf of all Tamils for your rousing speech in the Parliament, expressing the idea of the Indian Constitution in an emphatic manner. You have voiced the long-standing arguments of Tamils in the Parliament, which rest on the unique cultural and political roots that value self-respect," Stalin said.

8.72 lakh vacant posts in govt departments: Centre

There were over 8.72 lakh vacant posts in central government departments as on March 1, 2020, theRajyaSabhawas informed on Thursday.

As many as 9,10,153 vacancies existed as on March 1, 2019 and 6,83,823 as on March 1, 2018, according to a written reply given by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh.

There were 8,72,243 vacant posts in central government departments as on March 1, 2020, the reply said.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow, 4th February

BJP MP moves notice against Rahul Gandhi

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey gives ‘Breach of Privilege’ & ‘Contempt of the House’ notice in Lok Sabha against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for “inciting” people by his speech in the parliament yesterday.

No Pegasus amendment admitted in Rajya Sabha but 8 MPs get nod in Lok Sabha

None of the amendments to the President's Address on Pegasus issue submitted by Opposition MPs were admitted for tabling in Rajya Sabha while eight MPs in Lok Sabha have got permission for tabling it.

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BJP fields MPs from UP, Punjab to open debate on President's address

Keeping upcoming assembly elections in mind, the BJP on Wednesday fielded its MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to move and second the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as the party and lawmakers used the occasion to specially highlight the initiatives taken by the Narendra Modi government in both the states.

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Don't try to lure anyone from BJP: BJP MP Kamlesh Paswan to Rahul Gandhi

We are 24-carat BJP workers. Such things will have no effect on us. It is the BJP that has worked for the development of our community. I want to urge Rahul Gandhi Ji not to try to lure anyone like this: BJP MP Kamlesh Paswan

Rahul Gandhi trying to 'woo' me, says Kamlesh Paswan

After my speech on Motion of Thanks to the President in Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi yesterday said,"Mr Paswan, you spoke very well. I think you are in the wrong party". He is trying to woo me. He should focus on himself and his party first: BJP MP Kamlesh Paswan

Govt deliberately never held up any appointment cases. Due diligence has to be followed while appointing judges because we have to ensure that he is fit to be a judge in the court; the established procedure has to be followed...No delay on our part: Law Minister in a reply to RS

Give preference to women, SC, ST community while recommending names for judges: Law Minister

Out of 1098 judges in HC, we have 83 women judges. Personally, I have been asking the Collegium led by Chief Justices of SC & HC that while recommending names for judges, preferences may be given to women, backward communities, SC, ST: Law Minister in a reply to RS

There's a provision in Indian Community Welfare Fund for responding to situations like deaths. Its usage was expanded in 2017. We've always encouraged Gulf countries for ex gratia payments to be made by Govt or employers: EAM on monetary aid to NRIs' kin who died abroad due to Covid

On Rahul Gandhi's '2 Indias' remark: Mallikarjun Kharge LoP RS says, "2 India means- one for the rich & one for the poor, & the gap is only widening. No provision to reduce it. On one hand, only 100 people own 30% of country's property while 70% people have remaining property."

Yesterday's debate saw assertion of its achievements by ruling site and its contestation by Oppn: RS Chairman

Wednesday witnessed disruption-free proceedings in Rajya Sabha. Delightful to see this. The debate saw the assertion of its achievements by the ruling side and its contestation by the Opposition. This spirit should continue, says RS Chairman

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejects CPI(M) MP Dr V Sivadasan's notice to suspend business to discuss Pegasus issue.

BJP has asked its MPs to explain the Union Budget 2022-23 to people in their parliamentary constituencies on February 5 and February 6: Sources

Rajya Sabha to resume proceedings at 10 am

The Rajya Sabha will resume proceedings at 10 am on Thursday while the Lok Sabha will resume at 4 pm. The two Houses are keeping separate timings to ensure social distancing on account of Covid guidelines.

It's a kingdom where king doesn't listen: Rahul on Modi

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the "idea of kingdom is back" where the "king" does not listen to people but help his industrialist friends, create "two Indias" and put the country at peril by making strategic mistakes on China and Pakistan.

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