Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned on Thursday after members continued to shout slogans and protest inside the Parliament. Three more MPs — AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sanjeev Kumar Pathak, and independent Ajit Kumar Bhuyan — were suspended from the Rajya Sabha for carrying placards in the House. The three MPs were protesting against and demanding a discussion on Gujarat hooch tragedy. The total number of suspended MPs from the Rajya Sabha has now reached 23. Four Congress MPs from the Lok Sabha were also suspended earlier.
The proceedings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha remained stalled even on the ninth day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament amid continued protests from the Congress-led Opposition over inflation, GST hike. The Opposition members also demanded that the suspension of 20 MPs be also revoked. The 20 suspended MPs are currently holding a 50-hour-long protest inside the Parliament complex near the Gandhi Statue.
In both Houses, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs slammed Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for allegedly insulting President Droupadi Murmu by calling her “rashtrapatni”. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it was “a deliberate, sexist insult” against the President who comes from a tribal background, and demanded an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Ms. Sitharaman said it was a “common understanding that Rashtrapati is a gender agnostic word, representing the leader of the nation”.
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Here are the latest updates:
Tap water coverage for rural households in India as per Lok Sabha data
Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha adjourned for the day
Proceedings will now resume on Friday at 11.00 a.m.
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the fourth time today, to resume at 4 p.m.
As proceedings commenced, acting Chair Bhubaneswar Kalita requested the three suspended MPs (AAP MPs Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sanjeev Kumar Pathak and independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan) to exit the House. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned amid protests until 4 p.m.
Rajya Sabha adjourned until 3 p.m.
The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned until 3 p.m. Both the treasury benches and Opposition members were shouting slogans. Treasury benches were protesting the alleged sexist remarks made by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhury against the President of India.
Opposition members flocked the Well demanding discussion on GST and price rise. The three members suspended earlier in the day continued to be present in the House. They were asked to leave the House by acting Chair Tiruchi Siva. - Vijaita Singh
Rajya Sabha proceedings resume
Rajya Sabha proceedings resumed following the suspension of three MPs. The Chair, Tiruchi Siva, requested the suspended MPs to exit the House. Opposition members flocked the Well of the House with loud sloganeering and placards.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 p.m.
The Lower House has now been adjourned till 4.00 p.m. as protests continue against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks on President Droupadi Murmu.
Two AAP MPs, one independent MP suspended
Rajya Sabha suspends Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sanjeev Kumar Pathak and independent MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan for holding placards in the House. The MPs were demanding a discussion on the hooch tragedy in Gujarat.
Rajya Sabha adjourned until 2 p.m.
Minutes after resuming the proceedings, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh has adjourned the House until 2.00 p.m. as the Opposition members start loud sloganeering and also enter the well of the House with placards on various issues, including price rise, GST, suspension of MPs, and illegal liquor racket in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.
Lok Sabha resumes, adjourned amid protests
Lok Sabha resumes with Rajendra Agrawal in Chair. BJP MPs continue to protest ‘insult’ to President Murmu, demanding Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to apologise for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks. Amid ruckus, the Lower House has been adjourned.
Rajya Sabha resumes after adjournment
Rajya Sabha proceedings resumes after an hour-long adjournment on Thursday even as the Opposition continues its sloganeering. Meanwhile, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal slams the Congress for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s remarks on President Droupadi Murmu.
Rajya Sabha adjourned amid protests from both sides
Rajya Sabha too has been adjourned till 12.00 p.m. as Opposition continues its days-long protest against price rise, GST and other issues.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demands an apology from Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the alleged remarks against President Droupadi Murmu by Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
She says Mr. Chowdhury has used a “sexist insult” toward the President by calling her “Rashtrapatni” while it is a “common understanding that Rashtrapati is a gender agnostic word, representing the leader of the nation”.
“I think it is not a slip of tongue. It is a deliberate, sexist insult against a person who comes from a tribal background and is a self-made woman,” Mr. Sitharaman alleges while demanding that Ms. Gandhi apologised to President Murmu and the nation.
Meanwhile, the Opposition MPs continue raising slogans against suspension of fellow members, price rise and GST. House Chairperson M. Venkaiah Naidu adjourns the House.
Rajya Sabha Chairperson warns Opposition MPs against recording House proceedings
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu warns the members against using their mobile phones to shoot the House proceedings and give the videos to others. He says, action will be taken against those who are again carrying placards and shooting videos on their phones. Mr. Naidu asks the House staff to note down the names of the MPs carrying placards.
The Opposition MPs object to Mr. Naidu’s warning and begin sloganeering against the suspension of their colleagues.
Lok Sabha adjourned to 12 noon
Amid massive protests from both BJP and Opposition, the Lower House has been adjourned till 12 noon
Lok Sabha resumes proceedings, BJP protests insult to President Droupadi Murmu
As Lok Sabha resumes proceedings for the ninth day, Union Minister Smriti Irani slams Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for referring to President Droupadi Murmu as “Rashtrapatni”. Reminding that Ms. Murmu is a ‘poor, tribal woman who has risen to the highest office’, Ms. Irani demanded an apology from both Mr. Chowdhury and Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi for the Congress MP’s remarks.
“Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman in the highest constitutional post,” said Ms. Irani. She added, “Congress’ male MP has shown the party’s sexist, anti-tribal mentality. He must apologise to the nation. Sonia Gandhi must apologise”.
Rajya Sabha resumes
Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha resumes on Thursday. Union Ministers are laying the papers on the table.
Suspension notice issued demanding discussion on price hike
CPI(M) MP Elamaram Kareem has given notice under rule 267 to suspend the business and discuss the issue of price rise and demanded for the withdrawal of suspension of 19 MPs who sought the same discussion
Suspended MPs continue protest
TMC MPs Shanta Chhetri, Mausam Noor and AAP MP Sanjay Singh who have been suspended from the Rajya Sabha protest at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises. They have demanded a discussion on price hike, GST and Gujarat hooch tragedy
Bills to considered
Lok Sabha: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav to move that the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 be taken into consideration.
Read more about the amendments to the Bill here.
Rajya Sabha: The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 which provides for the national measures for protecting the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems and to give effect to the Antarctic Treaty, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty will be moved by Union Minister Dr. Jitender Singh for consideration.
Read all about the Indian Antarctic Bill here.
Parliament watch podcast for Day 8
In this episode of the Parliament Watch podcast, we cover the suspension of the 20th Rajya Sabha MP, written replies, and the passing of the National Anti-Doping Bill 2021.
More than 1.30 lakh people killed, 3.48 lakh injured in road accidents in 2020: Nitin Gadkari
A total of 3,48,279 persons injured in 3,66,138 road accidents across the country during the calendar year 2020, causing 1,31,714 deaths, Parliament was informed on July 27.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said as many as 4,51,361 people were injured in road accidents in India during 2019, while the total number of accidents stood at 4,49,002.
According to the Minister, the Road Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on education, engineering (both of roads and vehicles), enforcement and emergency care.
Rajya Sabha may take up price rise next week
Rajya Sabha is likely to discuss the price-rise issue next week after a broad consensus between the Government and Opposition members was established in a meeting chaired by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday, said a source who was aware of the deliberations at the meeting.
The Monsoon Session that commenced July 18 has seen little legislative work and witnessed disruptions as the Opposition has demanded a discussion on inflation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) under Rule 267 by suspending business of the day. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal had earlier said that government was ready for a discussion under a different rule and were waiting for Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to recover from COVID-19. Ms. Sitharaman is back at work.
Trinamool MP Saugata Roy urges relook at Agnipath
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy on Wednesday asked the Centre to review the new armed forces recruitment scheme, Agnipath, stating that young people are in the dark over what would happen to their careers after the four-year tenure in the armed forces is over. He was raising the issue under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
“Soldiers would be recruited for four years only under the Agnipath scheme, with no retirement benefits like pensions. After four years only 25% of recruits would be absorbed as regulars for a period of 15 years, while 75% will be relieved. The youth feel that the government’s policy of recruitment to the armed forces is playing with their career. Youth are questioning as to what will happen to their careers after four years as there is so much unemployment in India,” he said.
He added that the move should be re-looked in view of the economic and social impact it will likely have.
Opposition demands revocation of suspension of four Congress members in Lok Sabha
In a show of solidarity with the four suspended Congress members, Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on July 27 demanded the revocation of their suspension but the government insisted that it would request Speaker Om Birla to withdraw only if it got an assurance that members would not enter the well or display placards in the House.
The demand was made by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
The Congress members were not present in the House as they walked out soon after the House assembled at 11 a.m.
