Parliament proceedings | Row in LS over Cong members’ aggression towards Irani, BJP

A heated debate in Lok Sabha on the burning of a rape victim in Unnao snowballed into a massive political row on Friday as the BJP accused two Congress members of showing aggression towards Union minister Smriti Irani and demanded an apology, leading to the adjournment of the House proceedings.

December 06, 2019 11:06 am | Updated 05:26 pm IST

Yesterday, the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to lower corporate tax rates .

The Lok Sabha was scheduled to discuss the International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019, and the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019, today.

The Rajya Sabha undertook private members' business.

Here are the live updates:

Rajya Sabha | 5.10 p.m.

Dr. Narendra Jadhav moves the foreign investment in financial services, critical infrastructure and technology affecting national security bill, 2018.

Members take up their special mentions.

House adjourned till Monday, December 9, 2019.

Rajya Sabha | 4.30 p.m.

P.L. Punia (INC), Ashok Bajpai (BJP), G.V.L. Narasimha Rao (BJP), Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP) discuss on further consideration of The representation of the people amendment bill, 2014.

V. Muraleedharan, MoS Parliamentary Affairs suggests, "If the rules permit and if the Minister is willing to speak whenever the Bill comes up, if the House decides so, we may take up the next bill in priority."

Rajya Sabha | 3.30 p.m.

Further consideration on The constitution amendment bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 51A)

Hardeep Singh Puri, MoS, Housing and Urban Affairs, lists the statistics in terms of what was done under the previous scheme and under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen. "14 crore citizens were involved in the Swachhta movement this year alone. Rural India is now open defecation free (ODF). 20 states and UTs have become ODF. 99% of our statutory towns are ODF."

Rajya Sabha | 2.55 p.m.

Bill moved and introduced by Derek O'Brien:

The elder person care and protection bill, 2019

Bill moved and introduced by Amar Patnaik (BJD):

The right of children to free and compulsory education bill, 2019

The deposit insurance and credit guarantee corporation amendment bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Kumari Selja (INC):

The national commission for senior citizens bill, 2019

The right of persons with disabilities bill, 2019

Bill moved and introduced by GVL Narasimha Rao (BJP):

The representation of the people amendment bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Vijaysai Reddy (YSRCP):

The Indian Penal code amendment bill, 2019 insertion of new sections 379A and 379B

The advocates amendment bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Dr. Sasmit Patra (BJD):

The trafficking of persons, protection and rehabilitation bill, 2019

The state recognition bill, 2019

Bill moved and introduced by K.K. Ragesh of CPI(M):

The constitution amendment bill, 2019 (Amendment of article 16)

Bill moved and introduced by Naresh Gujral (SAD):

The national commission for foodgrain bill, 2019

Bill moved and introduced by P. Wilson (DMK):

The constitution amendment bill, 2019 (Amendment of article 217 and 224)

Bill moved and introduced by Ramkumar Varma (BJP):

The constitution amendment bill, 2019 (Introduction of new article 44A and Amendment of article 51A)

 

Lok Sabha | 2.30 p.m.

BJP continues to press for apology by Congress members for their behaviour towards Union minister Smriti Irani.

Anubhav Mohanty (BJD): "Few of our members create disturbance and it can be checked on CCTV cameras. All of us are agitated, not just women members."

S.S. Ahluwalia (BJP): "Due to the incident today, the members should apologise in the House. Today is Friday, he must have left, but on Monday he should apologise. If not, action needs to be taken."

Many others members also ask for action to be taken.

AAP’s Bhagwant Mann joined BJP leaders in condemning the two Congress MPs and sought strict against them.

Several BJP members said justice for the woman minister must be ensured in Parliament.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the two members had deliberately not come back to the House and demanded that they either apologise or be suspended.

Chowdhury rose to speak but Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, expressed her unhappiness at the absence of the two members and then suspended the proceedings for the day.

Speaking to reporters later, Ms. Irani expressed her shock at the behaviour of the two Congress members and asked if it was her fault that she as a woman member of the BJP spoke in the House.

“I have to see what more punishment the opposition gives to me in the House on Monday after I spoke in the interest of women,” she said. - PTI

Lok Sabha adjourned for the day.

Rajya Sabha | 2.30 p.m.

Bills moved and introduced by Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy:

The Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019

The nationalisation of inter-state rivers bill, 2019

The right to adequate housing bill, 2019

Deputy Chairman asks Anil Desai to move The Indian Penal Code Amendment, 2019 (Insertion of new sections). He wasn't present in the House.

Bills moved and introduced by Rajkumar Dhoot (Shiv Sena):

The mangrove forest special bill, 2019

The victims of flood caused by heavy rains, cyclones and other regions rehabilitation and welfare bill, 2019

The compulsory periodical desiltation of dams, reservoirs and rivers bill, 2019

Bill moved and introduced by Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi:

The population control bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Shanta Chhetri (AITC):

The e-commerce regulation bill, 2019

The de-carbonisation bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Vijay Goel (BJP):

The old Delhi conservation authority bill, 2019

The provision of multi digit lottery bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Ajay Pratap Singh (BJP):

The Hindu shrines and religious places management and regulation bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Rakesh Sinha (BJP):

The Public registry of India bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Ronald Sapa Tiau (INC):

The Single use plastic bill, 2019

Bills moved and introduced by Javed Ali Khan (SP):

The prevention of insult to the father of the nation and other icons of freedom movement bill, 2019

Bills to be moved and introduced by Derek O'Brien:

The elder person care and protection bill, 2019

Derek O'Brien asks if he can introduce the bill without the Cabinet Minister in the House. Deputy Chairman says he has gone to the washroom and he will be back. Mr. O'Brien asks for the House to be adjourned for a bit till he comes back.

House gets adjourned for 10 minutes.

Lok Sabha | 1:30 p.m.

House reconvenes.

Meenakshi Lekhi is in the Chair.

Pralhad Joshi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury should ask two Opposition MPs to apologise for taking a threatening demeanour towards Smriti Irani.

Mr. Chowdhury says since he was not present in the House at the time, he cannot commit to procuring the apology.

Ms. Lekhi suggests that he discuss the matter with the two MPs concerned and adjourns the House till 2:30 p.m.

Rajya Sabha | 1:00 p.m.

House is adjourned till 2:30 p.m.

Lok Sabha | 12:30 p.m.

Congress MPs stage a walkout over the Unnao rape incident.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh, JD(U), speaks on the killing of those accused in the rape and murder of the Hyderabad woman veterinarian. Laws for expeditious justice need to be framed he says.

Anupriya Patel, Apna Dal, says rapists have no fear of the system. The entire system is responsible for it. Precedent needs to be set through the death penalty, she adds.

Smriti Irani, Woman and Child Welfare Minister, without naming anyone, says a Member from West Bengal, has tried to politicise the rape cases of Hyderabad, Unnao but kept mum on the rape incident in Malda.

Rape was used as a political weapon in West Bengal panchayat elections, she alleges.

Commotion ensues in the House.

Nishikant Dubey, BJP, alleges that a fraudulent business agreement was signed by the Congress government in 2005 and demands that a CBI probe be conducted into the matter.

The House is adjourned till 1:30 p.m.

Rajya Sabha | 12:00 p.m.

Question Hour is underway.

Surge in prices of edible oil is being discussed.

P.L. Puniya, INC, asks if a roadmap is in place to make India self-reliant when it comes to edible oils.

Shanta Chhetri, AITC, cites the onion price hike and asks what the government is doing to help the common people struggling to buy daily food items.

The next question pertains to waiving of loans for farmers.

Kailash Choudhary, MoS, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, responds to a member's question on the PM-KISAN scheme, saying in M.P. 45 lakh farmers have received benefits under the scheme and so have an equal number in Rajasthan. West Bengal's State government has not cooperated and has not received benefits, he says.

Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, says loan waiver does not ensure farmers' welfare. All the same, PM-KISAN scheme is proactive to make farmers independent, he adds.

Mr. Choudhary also says loan waiver is not the ultimate solution to farmers' distress. The end goal is to make farmers strong enough to not have to take loans.

K.K. Ragesh, CPI(M), mentions the onion price hike and asks whether the government will consider enacting a legislation that allows farmers to decide the price of their produce.

Parshottam Rupala, MoS, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, responds, saying MSPs are being declared at 50% profit and if in spite of it, such a legislation is felt necessary, the House can discuss the matter.

Lok Sabha | 11:30 a.m.

Question Hour continues.

Treatment for rare diseases is being discussed.

Supriya Sule, NCP, asks if a programme on preventive oncology and sickle cell anaemia awareness can be conducted.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, assures her that if upgrade of facilities is required in primary health centres, the collector or the State government can be "forced" to send a proposal to the centre.

Conservation of environment is discussed.

Prakash Javadekar, Minister, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, responds to a member's question, saying when removal of mangroves from one place is ordered, thrice the number is asked to be planted elsewhere. Total mangrove cover in India is increasing, he says.

Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, AITC, cites a report, claiming that the average lifespan of every individual has been decreasing by four years due to environmental pollution and asks what is being done to mitigate it.

Mr. Javadekar, in context of the study, says "Let's not create a fear psychosis... Indian studies conducted show no correlation between shortening of lifespan and pollution".

The next question is on menopause policy.

Smriti Irani, Women and Child Development, responds to a member's question, saying the health impact of menopause includes osteoporosis and mental health issues like anxiety. Ayushman Bharat scheme has had a huge impact, she says.

Ramcharan Bohra, BJP, asks if the government will take any steps to curb malnourishment among women and children from tribal areas. Ms. Irani says necessary steps are being taken under Poshan Abhiyan.

Rajya Sabha | 11:00 a.m.

Chairman Venkaiah Naidu is in the Chair. Zero Hour commences.

Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya, BJP, speaks on the issues faced by workers of the unorganised sectors like safai karamcharis who work under high-risk conditions.

Sarojini Hembram, BJD, speaks in Santhali.

P.L. Punia, INC, speaks on the issue of child labourers and child trafficking. Child labour has not been completely eradicated from the country, he says.

Deputy Chairman Sukhendu Sekhar Ray is in the Chair.

Dr. Sasmit Patra, BJD, calls for special focus on States impacted by natural disaster. Odisha, A.P. West Bengal an Tamil Nadu are the four States that face the maximum brunt of natural disasters, he says. They should be given special focus status, giving them time to recover, he says.

Kahkashan Perween, JD(U), asks that one day per week be designated as Nari Shakti Divas.

Lok Sabha | 11:00 a.m.

Speaker Om Birla is in the Chair. Question Hour is underway.

Prakash Javadekar, Minister, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, answers questions posed in the House.

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