Parliament Highlights: Country, not govt loses most due to House disruptions, says Modi
The row over the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) continued to rock both houses of Parliament on Wednesday.The Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned for the day after it was briefly adjourned minutes after it begun as chairman Venkaiah Naidu asked BJP president Amit Shah to conclude his statement on the draft NRC.Here are the highlights:
Democracy our biggest strength: Najma Heptulla
Our democracy is our biggest strength. It has been 70 years since independence, and we have showed the world that there is unity in diversity: Manipur governor Najma Heptulla, after being conferred Outstanding Parliamentarians Award for the year 2013, at Central Hall, Parliament House.
8:30pm ISTGovt has the least to lose due to Parliament disruptions: Modi
The government has the least to lose due to disruptions in Parliament and it is the country which loses the most: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an event at the central hall of Parliament to confer the best parliamentarian awards for the years 2014 to 2017.
7:00pm ISTOutstanding Parliamentarians Award to Ghulam Nabi Azad
President Ram Nath Kovind presents Outstanding Parliamentarians Award for the year 2015 to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, at Central Hall, Parliament House.
6:30pm ISTDelhi: President Ram Nath Kovind presents Outstanding Parliamentarians Award for the year 2015 to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, at Central Hall, Parliament House. pic.twitter.com/kIBUcw1bGo
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Kovind presents Outstanding Parliamentarians Award
President Ram Nath Kovind presents Outstanding Parliamentarians Award for the year 2013 to Najma Heptulla, at Central Hall, Parliament House.
6:00pm ISTDelhi: President Ram Nath Kovind presents Outstanding Parliamentarians Award for the year 2013 to Dr Najma Heptulla, at Central Hall, Parliament House. pic.twitter.com/feS46sKOMc
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Never spoke about civil war: Mamata
I am not BJP’s servant to reply to any of their statements. I didn’t say this (civil war remark), my concern is regarding the 40 lakh people whose names are not in the list (NRC). BJP is politically tensed because they know they won’t come to power in 2019: Mamata Banerjee
5:55pm ISTDiscussed about united opposition with Sonia: Mamata
We discussed current politics and the possibility of all of us contesting elections together in future. We also discussed the NRC issue: Mamata Banerjee after meeting Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
5:45pm ISTRahul present at Mamata-Sonia meet
5:02pm ISTUPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Congress President @RahulGandhi met CM of West Bengal, @MamataOfficial. pic.twitter.com/wShHXX4rvQ
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 1, 2018
Mamata at Sonia Gandhi’s residence
Mamata Banerjee arrives at Sonia Gandhi’s residence, reports ANI.
5:00pm ISTDelhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrives at Sonia Gandhi's residence. pic.twitter.com/8w907q1pPx
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Modi to inaugurate 650 IPPB branches
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon inaugurate India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) operations with 650 branches across the country, communications minister Manoj Sinha said. IPPB will have 1.55 lakh access points, of which 1.30 lakh will be in rural areas, and will work like a bank, he said in the Lok Sabha.
4:50pm ISTAmit Shah, Rajnath Singh not allowed to speak: Javadekar
Today Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh were not allowed to speak in Rajya Sabha. This was a planned strategy by the opposition. Congress and TMC don’t want to let the House run: Union minister Prakash Javadekar.
4:40pm ISTChanging norms for private participation in railways: Goyal
The government is changing the norms for private sector participation in the modernisation of railway stations, railways minister Piyush Goyal says in Lok Sabha.
4:25pm ISTMamata meets Deve Gowda
Mamata Banerjee meets former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda at Karnataka Bhawan in New Delhi, reports ANI.
4:20pm ISTDelhi: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee meets former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda at Karnataka Bhawan pic.twitter.com/d9gUEnz0Zr
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
No border dispute with Myanmar: Rijiju
The government said there is no border dispute between India and Myanmar and the demarcation of nine pillars is being worked out in a complete understanding with the neighbouring country. Rejecting reports about border dispute and destroying of pillars in the Manipur region as false, minister of state for Home Kiren Rijiju said in Rajya Sabha that a high-level central team has already visited the spot and reported that there is no dispute on the issue.
4:10pm ISTNRC restricted only to Assam: Ram Madhav
BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav says NRC is restricted only to Assam.
4:00pm ISTMamata dismisses talks of her being PM candidate
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee seeks to dismiss talk of her being a Prime Ministerial candidate, saying her priority was the ousting of the BJP government at the Centre for which the opposition should come together.
“I am nobody. I am a very simple worker. Let me just continue as a commoner. I want that this government must go, this BJP government. They are doing maximum political vendetta and atrocities with the people. So we want that everybody should be united. Let us work together, don’t think of Prime Ministerial candidate. Think of the country,” she told the media in Parliament House.
3:30pm ISTMilitary faces shortage of over 9,000 officers: Minister
The three armed forces face a shortage of over 9,096 officers, with the Army topping the list, the Lok Sabha was informed today. In a written response to a question in the Lower House, minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre said as on January 1, 2018, the authorised strength of officers in Army was 49,933, but it has 42,635 officers, which is 7,298 short of the sanctioned strength.
3:15pm ISTOnly pro-Dalit party can form govt in 2019: BJP MP
BJP MP and Dalit leader Savitri Bai Phule demanded a debate in Parliament to strengthen the SC/ST Act which, she said, has been made “ineffectual” by the Supreme Court judgement and asserted that only a pro-Dalit party will form the next government at the Centre.
3:00pm ISTNRC will destroy Indo-Bangla friendship: Mamata
Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of playing vote-bank politics, warns NRC issue will “destroy” India’s relationship with Bangladesh.
2:50pm IST24,000 second appeals pending with CIC: Govt
Nearly 24,000 second appeals and complaints are pending with transparency watchdog Central Information Commission (CIC), the government said today. “The CIC has informed that 23,978 second appeals/complaints are pending as on July 26, 2018,” minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
2:40pm ISTBill in Lok Sabha to bring down commercial dispute value
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday took up for discussion a Bill that seeks to bring down the specified value of commercial disputes from the existing Rs 1 crore each to Rs 3 lakh for improving India’s standing in the ease of doing business.
2:30pm ISTMamata Banerjee meets Jaya Bachchan, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee meets Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan in Parliament.
2:12pm ISTDelhi: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee met Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan inside Parliament. pic.twitter.com/eO4yMVxGEC
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Rajya Sabha adjourned following uproar by TMC members
Rajya Sabha is adjourned for the day as Trinamool Congress and other opposition members raise slogans in the Well of the House. Home minister Rajnath Singh attempts to reply to the debate but he cannot be heard as some MPs protest loudly.
2:10pm ISTSeems like conspiracy in not letting House function: Naidu
It seems a conspiracy... not letting the House function by creating controversy... You are doing something which is not acceptable in parliamentary system: Venkaiah Naidu.
2:00pm ISTTMC protests in the Well, demands PM Modi to speak
Trinamool Congress members protest in the Well of the House and demand PM Modi to speak on the Assam NRC draft list. Members are not allowing Amit Shah to speak. Chairman says the move is “unbecoming of Parliament members”.
2:00pm ISTRajya Sabha resumes
Rajya Sabha proceedings resume.
1:05pm ISTLok Sabha adjourned till 2:05 pm
Lok Sabha is adjourned, to meet at 2:05 pm.
1:00pm ISTRS adjourned to meet at 2 pm
Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu says statement on the Assam NRC draft will be heard after the House reassembles at 2 pm. Naidu informs a total of 12 questions were taken up during Question Hour.
12:40pm ISTCong MP alleges Bengalis beaten up along Assam-Meghlaya border
Congress MP from Assam’s Silchar, Sushmita Dev, enters the Well and alleges that some Bengalis were beaten up along the Assam- Meghalaya border after the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published and sought their safety.
“Bengalis are being beaten up along the Assam-Meghlaya border. We want security to 40 lakh people who were excluded from the NRC. What is the government doing? People are scared. Who will give them security,” she asks.
12:35pm ISTIs Mamata aware there are illegal immigrants in WB, asks Roopa Ganguly
12:20pm ISTIs she aware that there are a lot of illegal immigrants in West Bengal? As it is what is happening in West Bengal today, is it any less than bloodbath or civil war? Doesn't she know that every other day BJP karyakartas are being killed: Rupa Ganguly, BJP on WB CM #NRCAssam pic.twitter.com/adF4PAHwio
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Mamata meets LK Advani, Congress leaders in Parliament
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee meets veteran BJP leader L K Advani.
Suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad also came to meet her at the TMC office in Parliament, followed by Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel, and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
12:15pm IST#WATCH: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee meets senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani in Parliament. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/5YbkKDUXj3
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Mamata Banerjee outside Parliament building
The Centre and the industry favour inclusion of petroleum products in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) but the GST Council will take a final call on it, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan says in Rajya Sabha.
12:00pm ISTQuestion Hour starts in Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha reassembles after uproar in the House over the Assam NRC draft. Opposition calls for Home minister Rajnath Singh to address the House, chairman proceeds with Question Hour.
11:55am ISTCompanies cannot use data to influence elections: Ravi Shankar Prasad
IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, replying to question on action taken against companies for data breach, says companies cannot use data to influence elections in India. He says govt supports freedom of social media, but tough action will be taken against elements that are related to terrorism. The minister says all social media platforms should comply with Indian laws and no fake news can be circulated in India.
11:25am ISTSushma Swaraj says no specific issues discussed in Wuhan
In Lok Sabha, TMC member Sugata Bose asks if Doklam issue was raised during PM Modi’s informal summit in China.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj says the Wuhan summit was to increase mutual trust and cooperation and no specific topic was discussed. “Doklam issue has been resolved through diplomatic maturity,” she adds.
11:20am ISTPM Modi present in Lok Sabha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi present in Lok Sabha today.
11:15am ISTRajya Sabha adjourned
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm as uproar breaks out after RS chairman Venkaiah Naidu asks Amit Shah to conclude his statement from yesterday. Shah says Congress can raise more Point of Orders after he finishes speaking before House is adjourned.
11:05am ISTRajya Sabha chairman appeals for smooth functioning of House
Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu appeals for smooth functioning of House citing instance of yesterday’s adjournment.
11:05am ISTI was very upset yesterday when some members ran menacingly towards the well of the house, I hope it will not be repeated. I don't want to name anybody, house should function smoothly: Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu #NRCAssam pic.twitter.com/DCV8bBgSmq
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Congress wants Amit Shah’s Tuesday’s speech on NRC expunged
Without naming anyone, Congress member Anand Sharma raises a point of order and insists on removal of certain comments made by Amit Shah yesterday in the Upper House.
Sharma says Shah, during his speech on the NRC debate, had termed all prime ministers in office after late Rajiv Gandhi as “buzdil’ (cowards).
11:00am ISTParliament proceedings begin
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings begin
10:40am ISTTDP MPs continue protest demanding special status for AP
9:40am ISTTDP MPs continue their protest in Parliament demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh. #MonsoonSession pic.twitter.com/WICTaeNw1Q
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018
Congress MP gives zero hour notice in LS over NRC draft
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has given zero hour notice in Lok Sabha over NRC Assam draft, reports ANI.
