Parliament session highlights: Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 pm, Feb 8 amid ruckus over farm laws

Lok Sabha proceedings were a virtual washout today as relentless protest by opposition members against the Centre's three farm laws continued for another day. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, the members of opposition parties attacked the government for dubbing the farmers protesting against the farm laws as "anti-nationals" and for "defaming" their agitation. Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will resume proceedings on February 8 at 9 am and 4 pm respectively.

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Lok Sabha resumes proceedings. Opposition continues to raise slogans over farm laws.

Persons above 50 years of age and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities will be administered the vaccine in phase 3: Harsh Vardhan

I would like to thank our scientists: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

They made such advanced vaccines in a short span of time and made India proud across the world. I hope that they will continue to make their contributions just like this in the future too: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

(ANI)

Third phase of Covid-19 vaccination to begin next month: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tells Lok Sabha.

In the Union Budget, Rs 35,000 crores has been allocated for vaccination and saving people's lives. The Minister has also said that the amount will be increased if needed: Dr Harsh Vardhan in Lok Sabha

We've received requests for vaccine supply from 22 nations so far. Out of these, supply has already been made to 15 nations -- as grant assistance as well as contract doses. 56 lakh doses given as grant assistance & 105 lakh as contracts doses: Union Health Minister in Lok Sabha

(ANI)

Watch the live session of the Lok Sabha here

Lok Sabha begins proceedings. Dr Harsh Vardhan briefs the House on Covid-19 vaccination in the country amid sloganeering over farm laws.

Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha demand repeal of farm laws

Various opposition parties like the Shiv Sena, SAD, NCP, Samajwadi Party and Left parties on Friday demanded in Rajya Sabha that the three new farm laws be repealed and fresh ones brought after wider consultations.

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BJP defends farm laws, Congress seeks their repeal

The ruling BJP on Friday defended the three new farm laws in Rajya Sabha, while the opposition Congress sought their repeal and a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the violence during the Republic Day tractor rally by protesting farmers.

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House adjourned till 9 am, February 8.

Discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address has concluded. Decison on it will be taken on it on January 8, 2021.

Farm laws enacted in undemocratic manner, PM should repeal them: Bajwa

In a vociferous attack on the Centre, Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa on Friday compared the barricades set up at the farmers' protest site at Ghazipur with the Berlin Wall and concentration camps and took a strong objection to farmers being branded as anti-national and Khalistanis.

Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, the senior Congress leader also demanded setting up a committee headed by a Supreme Court judge to conduct an impartial probe within two months into the incidents on January 26 that led to violence.

(PTI)

Watch the Budget Session in the Rajya Sabha LIVE here:

N K Premachandran, RSP MP has given adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha 'demanding discussion on the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi borders'.

Saugata Ray, TMC MP has given adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over alleged 'repression of farmers by Police with the use of bar wires, spikes, trenches.'

Uproar in Rajya Sabha over farm laws

I made it clear that if Govt is ready to make amendments, it doesn't mean there is any problem in farm laws. People in a particular state are misinformed, adds Tomar

Farmers are being misled that others would occupy their land if these laws are implemented. Let me know if there is a single provision in Contract Farming law which allows any trader to snatch away the land of any farmer, he said.

Our focus is to bring positive change in farmers' lives. Who would have thought that fruits &vegetables will be transported by rail? 100 Kisan Rails, that are in a way mobile cold storage, have been started. They are helping farmers get fair price of their produce, Tomar said.

Our efforts are that farmers' incomes are doubled & contribution of agriculture to GDP increases rapidly. These agriculture laws are also an important step in this direction. I want to tell his House & farmers that PM Modi is committed towards welfare of farmers, the agriculture MInister added.

We continuously increased the fund for MGNREGA. When Covid-19 hit the country, we raised the fund allocation to MGNREGA from Rs 61,000 crores to Rs 1.115 lakh crores. More than 10 crore people were provided employment, Tomar says in Rajya Sabha

The pro-poor schemes of the government have brought a change in the lives of the people living in villages, he added.

15th Finance Commission has recommended for providing Rs 2.36 lakh crores to gram panchayats, which has been accepted by the Cabinet: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Rajya Sabha

Around Rs 43,000 crorehave been sanctioned for healthcare in rural areas. Rs 2.8 lakh crores will be spent via gram panchayats in 5 years, he added.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar addresses the Rajya Sabha over farmers' issues in the ongoing Budget session of the Parliament

Notice of amendments to Motion of Thanks on President’s address given by Digvijay Singh, KK Ragesh, T Siva, M Shanmugam, KC Venugopal, V Vijaysai Reddy, Deepender Hooda, Vishambhar Prasad Yadav, Chhaya Verma, and Elamaram Kareem in Rajya Sabha

Farmers were forced to fight for their rights and to get justice. Government of India is responsible for the situation that has arisen. I want to pay tributes to the 194 farmers who died during the protests: Congress MP Anand Sharma in Rajya Sabha

Govt would not have made this kind of preparation at Pakistan border as it is doing at Delhi borders, said BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra.

Nails have been fixed near the protest sites. I think govt would not have made this kind of preparation at Pakistan border as it is doing at Delhi borders, said BSP MP Satish Mishra in the Rajya Sabha.

Annadatas are being called the enemy of the nation. I urge you to shun ego & repeal the three laws, he added.

There is no news on Deep Sidhu, the one who hoisted the Tricolour atop Red Fort on Jan 26, but protesting farmers have been named 'anti-national': Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Rautbroughtup the issue of people being tagged 'anti-national' over the farmers' protests. He mentioned the FIRs slapped on journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, protestinf farmers, among others.

"Who is a nation-lover then? Arnab Goswami? Kangana Ranaut?" asked Raut.

BJP has issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House from till Feb 12 to support government's stand. | ANI

The Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas is scheduled to meet today to hear views on energy security, specifically about hydrocarbons and electric vehicles

The meetingwhich will be chaired by Ramesh Bidhuriwill also be considering draft Action Taken Report.

Rajya Sabha proceedings begin; debate on the Motion of Thanks on President's address continues for the third day.

Government banned 296 mobile apps since 2014, says Union Minister Sanjay Dhotre

As many as 296 mobile apps have been blocked by the government since 2014 in the interest of the country's sovereignty, security, and public order, Union minister Sanjay Dhotre told Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

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Opposition tears into govt handling of farmer protest, says monologue should stop

Opening the second day of discussion on a motion thanking the President for his address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD said the government has lost the patience to hear and any criticism is painted as anti-national.

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