‘Govt aware of China funding in neighbourhood’
The Modi government on Thursday informed Parliament that the government is aware that China-funding for ports, highways and the aviation sectors in some south Asian countries. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan in a written reply informed the House about India’s commitment towards the neighbouring countries. “India is committed to developing friendly and mutually beneficial relations with all its neighbours under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy,” the minister said, adding that the government is monitoring of all developments .
No consensus on setting up of AIJS
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said there is no consensus on the proposal for setting up the All-India Judicial Services (AIJS) to fill the vacancies in the higher judiciary and give representation to marginalised sections of the society therein. Responding to a question put forth by MP Masthan Rao, Rijiju said although the proposal for setting up AIJS was deliberated upon in 2012, 2015, 2017, a divergence of opinion has always existed between major stakeholders. The government is committed to fill up judicial vacancies in time bound manner, Rijiju said, adding that a total of 118 proposals recommended by HC collegium is under processing.
Lok Sabha adjourned as Govt, Oppn remain at loggerheads
The Lok Sabha was adjourned Thursday with proceedings lasting just three minutes through the day as the Opposition and treasury benches remained at loggerheads over Rahul Gandhi’s democracy remarks and the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Adani issue. As the House reconvened at 2 PM, Rahul Gandhi was present in the House for the first time since the controversy around his remarks in the UK broke out. Kirit Solanki, who was in the chair, urged members to be seated and stop the sloganeering if they want a debate but the Opposition and treasury benches continued with their slogan-shouting and the House was adjourned for the day just a minute after reconvening. In the morning session, the House proceedings had lasted only for two minutes. Speaker Om Birla said:“I want to run the House, I want to give you enough opportunities and time to speak. You have to go to your seats. You come to the well and then go outside and tell that you don’t get a chance to speak. This is not right.”
Live-in relationships covered under Domestic Violence Act: Rijiju
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that live-in-relationship which is in the nature of marriage is covered under the provisions of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. Responding to a question by MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in the Upper House on whether government intends to legally recognise and register live-in relationships in the light of recent incident of murder of a live-in partner in Delhi, Rijiju said, “The sub-section (f) of section (2) of ‘The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005’ (PWDVA), enacted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, provides for more effective protection of the rights of women who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
150 cases related to pangolins
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has registered 150 cases related to Pangolin during the last five years. Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, tabled the year-wise data related to the seizure of live/dead pangolin information in the Rajya Sabha. Pangolins is one of South East Asia’s largest illegal trafficked animals. The Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) are listed in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby the highest degree of protection against poaching and illegal trade. According to the data, in the year 2021, there were 45 cases registered, the highest in the past five years.
Compiled by Rajesh Kumar Thakur,Shruti Kakkar & Jitendra Choubey