After a busy day in the Parliament on Tuesday, where atleast 11 Bills were passed as the Opposition members boycotted the proceedings in both the Houses, the MPs in Delhi gear up for another day where the Upper House will take up business at 9 AM while the Lower House will meet at 6 PM.
However, with rising number of Covid cases within the Parliament premises, the Lower House is likely to be adjourned sine die.
On Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha, in a matter of three and half hours, passed seven key Bills, including one that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list and another that abolishes penalty for certain offences by companies.
Similarly, the Lower House recorded passing of at least four Bills, including the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020. Most of the Opposition, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP and NCP decided to boycott House proceedings in protest against the suspension of eight MPs.
#WATCH Congress in its 10 years in power didn't implement Swaminathan Report. Modi Govt implemented the report & gave 1.5 times higher MSP. Under Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, more than Rs 90,000 Cr was transferred into the accounts of more than 10 Cr farmers: Union Min Smriti Irani pic.twitter.com/Em2NlHr5Kr
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Delhi: Opposition MPs staged a protest against the recently passed agriculture Bills in Parliament premises, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/a4pyiDOTdb
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Lok Sabha adjourned sine die; monsoon session scheduled to go on till October 1st, cut short in the wake of #COVID19 pandemic pic.twitter.com/i5NoL7grBJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Opposition parties have requested President Ram Nath Kovind not to give his assent to the contentious farm bills, and conveyed to him that their passage in Rajya Sabha was "unconstitutional", Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.
In a written reply, the junior health minister said, "The Government has not conducted any study to assess the impact of COVID 19 lockdown on the physical and mental health of children".
"During the Pandemic, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued guidelines for continuity of all essential services including child health. However, realizing the impact that COVID- 19 may have on the mental health of children and may cause anxiety in them, the Government has taken a number of initiatives to provide psychosocial support during COVID 19," he stated.
Bengaluru BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, addressing the House during Zero Hour asked the government to bring new laws to govern social media in a bid to protect freedom of speech of those with nationalist emotions.
Delhi: TMC & TRS MPs protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament premises over agriculture Bills pic.twitter.com/tQKzW9xeZM
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Coming down heavily on Opposition leaders for their behaviour in the Upper House, he said, "it pains me when the Chair is rendered helpless and is forced to take decisions against members".
To protest is the right of the Opposition. The floor of the House is the most effective way, not through boycott, he added.
Chairman Venkaiah Naidu says that in the 10 sittings, 25 bills were passed and 6 bills were introduced. "3.15 hours were lost due to disruptions. 57 per cnt of total functional time of the House was spent on legislative business. House had a productivity rate of 147 per cent. 1,567 unstarred questions were replied to in writing," he says.
The Chairman says he received a letter by Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and other suspended leaders asking not to pass the three labour codes in their absence.
However, he says he has decided to ahead with the Bills after checking precedence.
Rajya Sabha chairman announced that the 252nd session of the Upper House will be concluded today. The Monsoon Session which was initially scheduled to have 18 sittings will end after the 10th day of business.
Money Bills -The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2020 and The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2020 returned in Rajya Sabha.
Using the Opposition's absence in their favour, the Rajya Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020.
Unfortunate that Punjabi isn't being included in this Bill, as an official language in J&K. Punjabi is the richest & oldest language of north India, with its own script Gurmukhi: Shiromani Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral, in Rajya Sabha, on Jammu Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien, Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad and other opposition lawmakers march from Gandhi statue to Ambedkar statue in protest against the recent farm and labour bills. (Photo| PTI)
Rajya Sabha passes the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Lok Sabha had passed the Bills yesterday. pic.twitter.com/fUiUJHXgga
Rajya Sabha passes the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Lok Sabha had passed the Bills yesterday. pic.twitter.com/fUiUJHXgga
73 yrs after independence, labourers are getting the right they'd been waiting for. The Bills guarantee wage, social & health security: Union Minister P Javadekar on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, Industrial Relations Code & Code on Social Security Bill pic.twitter.com/dNAEJc6FKE
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad will meet President Ram Nath Kovind at 5 pm on Wednesday over the farm Bills and the suspension of the eight MPs, sources said.
"The President has given us time and the LoP in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad will meet him at 5 pm," a senior Opposition leader told PTI.(READ FULL REPORT HERE)
Opposition parties stage joint protest in Parliament premises over farm bills. Placards of 'Save Farmers' and 'Save Farmers, Save Workers, Save Democracy' seen.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad, TMC's Derek O'Brien, and NCP's Praful Patel present, among others. pic.twitter.com/aRufnzHfy8
Rajya Sabha passes the Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on 20th September. pic.twitter.com/Knqy7rlUyy
Rajya Sabha on Wednesday bid farewell to 11 of its members who will retire in November this year.
When the House met, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu mentioned that 11 MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be retiring in November.
They include Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, BSP's Veer Singh and Raj Babbar of Congress.
Others who will retire are: Javed Ali Khan (SP), P L Punia (Congress), Rajaram (BSP), Neeraj Shekhar (BJP), Arun Singh (BJP), Ravi Prakash Verma (SP) and Chandrapal Singh Yadav (SP).
Rajya Sabha passes The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on 21st September. pic.twitter.com/HgyaSENF6Q
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020 is a law for the national and internal security. Its main motive is to ensure that foreign funds don't dominate the political and social discourse of India: Minister of State MHA Nityanand Rai, in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/oiCiqha2QW
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
The meeting has been called by opposition parties, that boycotted Rajya Sabha session, to discuss further strategy on the farm bills passed in Parliament.
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
It will be held at the office of Leader of Opposition in the House, Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Parliament later today. https://t.co/DQQ9TIOq58
I've to inform members that the Govt has decided to recommend adjournment of the House sine die today. But some important legislative business passed by Lok Sabha has to be disposed off before adjournment of the House sine die: MoS for MEA & Parliamentary Affairs, V Muraleedharan pic.twitter.com/aUtCju652C
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Wednesday broke his one-day fast, he has started on Tuesday to protest the unruly behaviour towards him by some Opposition members during the passage of agriculture Bills in the Upper House on September 20.
Janata Dal (U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh offered juice to Harivansh to help him break the fast.
The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 has been passed in the Lok Sabha within minutes.
The Lok Sabha will convene at 6 PM tomorrow are is likely to be adjourned sine die.
Lok Sabha introduces Bill to add Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi, apart from the existing Urdu and English, to be the official languages in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Amid Opposition boycott, Lok Sabha passes the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security Bill, 2020.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday lauded Deputy Chairman Harivansh for showing restraint when opposition members were agitating in the House and disapproved of the conduct of the protesting leaders, saying the "my way or the highway" approach is unacceptable. (READ MORE)
Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar in Lok Sabha said, "this government gives importance to the plight of migrant workers. Several initiatives for workers' benefit have been introduced. The government will bring a provision for database on migrant workers".
Both the Houses of the Parliament is likely to be adjourned sine die on Wednesday, eight days ahead of the scheduled end of the Monsoon Session, amid concerns of spread of coronavirus among lawmakers, sources said on Tuesday. (READ MORE)
TDP's Jayadev Galla extended his party's support to the three labour codes.
"COVID-19 has resulted in migration of large number of workers from destination states to the home-states,” Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh told Lok Sabha in a written reply. As per the data compiled by Ministry of Labour and Employment, more than 1.06 crore migrant workers, including those who travelled on foot during the lockdown, returned to their home states, he said. (PTI)
Five Opposition MPs including Jairam Ramesh and Derek O'Brien to boycott the meeting of the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee scheduled at 6 PM today.
BJD leader Pinaki Misra and YSRCP leader Margani Bharat extended their support to the labour safety Bills.
The Lower House will consider the Occupational Safety, Health And Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is holding a meeting with members of Opposition parties after they announced boycott of the session in solidarity with suspended Rajya Sabha MPs and in opposition of the farm Bills.
Opposition MPs, including Congress' Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and NCP's Supriya Sule, hold a meeting in Parliament premises after boycotting the ongoing Lok Sabha session.
Former J&K chief minister and Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah says, " if the government does not take back steps taken on August 5 in 2019 , normalcy can never be restored".
Congress' Adhir further demands withdrawal of the three Farm Bills referring to them as anti-farmer. Speaker Om Birla says Bills passed in the Rajya Sabha will not be discussed in the Lower House.
The Opposition parties led by Congress has decided to boycott the remaining Lok Sabha session.
Lok Sabha reconvenes after an hour. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demands retraction of Farm Bills.
Lok Sabha was adjourned for an hour after the Opposition MPs started sloganeering over the contentious Farm Bills.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP's oldest ally, on Tuesday announced road blockades across Punjab on September 25 to protest against the contentious farm Bills passed by Parliament. Rajya Sabha passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 during the day. (READ MORE)
Indian Youth Congress activists shout slogans as they protest against the rise in unemployment and against #FarmBill2020 in New Delhi.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) September 22, 2020
Express photo | @parveennegi1 @TheMornStandard @shibasahu2012 pic.twitter.com/NIof3J4YZW
Rahya Sabha returns Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation & Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020.
The House is adjourned for the day.
Amid Opposition boycott, the Upper House of the Parliament passed the sixth Bill- Rashtriya Raksha University Bill, 2020.
The seventh Bill has been introduced.
Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, which was approved by the lower house on September 15, was approved by a voice vote in Rajya Sabha. (READ MORE)
The Rajya Sabha passes the National Forensic Sciences University Bill, 2020, within minutes.
The Rajya Sabha amid Opposition boycott passed the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Many coop banks came under stress during COVID; their finances being closely monitored by regulator RBI: FM in Rajya Sabha
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 22, 2020
Rajya Sabha passes the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2020 pic.twitter.com/lAKHdqxFmE
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
I will also take part in their (eight suspended Rajya Sabha MPs) movement. I will fast for a day to show support: Sharad Pawar, NCP (File Photo) pic.twitter.com/bawRVcxwxJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
Parliament passes bill to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from list of essential commodities
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 22, 2020
Rajya Sabha has taken up the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 for passage pic.twitter.com/j2tgLNQEd2
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
Parliament passes the The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, with RajyaSabha clearing it today
The Bill seeks to declare 5 IIITs set up under the PPP mode in
Surat
Bhopal
Bhagalpur
Agartala
Raichur as institutions of national importance.
So all the opposition parties boycotted the rest of the session. They appealed to all the people who were sitting at the dharna to finish it & join them in boycotting the rest of the session. That is how we have ended this dharna: Syed Nasir Hussain, Congress Rajya Sabha MP https://t.co/iDptDbqAgj
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
NCP chief Sharad Pawar will address the press today at 12.00 noon at NCP office, Mumbai. Sharad Pawar likely to clear his party stand over the controversial #FarmBills2020 @NewIndianXpress @Sunday_Standard @NCPspeaks @PawarSpeaks
— Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) September 22, 2020
Expressing his deep anguish and pain at opposition members' "humiliating" conduct towards him, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh on Tuesday announced a 24-hour long fast, hoping that this may inspire a feeling of "self-purification" in them.
In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu, Harivansh recounted the ruckus in the House on Sunday during the passage of farm bills. (Read full report here)
I am a senior Member of Parliament, I have apologised for what happened in the House, but I didn't get any response. I found this very insulting. My party has decided to boycott the entire session: Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav pic.twitter.com/M9ooWWprN7
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu urges Opposition leaders to "rethink, introspect, return to the House to take part in discussions". https://t.co/4LDv5gWBiX
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
Opposition denies their mistake and is holding Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman responsible for ruckus during passage of #FarmBills: Leader of House @TCGEHLOT @NewIndianXpress
— richa sharma (@richa_TNIE) September 22, 2020
I am not happy about the suspension of the members. The action has been taken on their conduct. We have nothing against any member: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu pic.twitter.com/dDguuc2wbw
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
To personally serve tea to those who "attacked and insulted" him a few days ago as well as those sitting on dharna, Modi tweeted, shows that Harivansh has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart.
It shows his greatness, the prime minister said and added that he joins the people of India in congratulating Harivansh. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
Delhi: Opposition leaders stage walk-out from Rajya Sabha; protest before Gandhi statue in Parliament premises, demanding revocation of suspended MPs pic.twitter.com/840pdRVJMl
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
Till our demands which include revocation of suspension of the 8 MPs and Govt to bring another bill under which no private player can purchase below MSP are not met, the Opposition will boycott the session: LoP & Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad https://t.co/lqwgTGj4KK
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
