The Congress, after its parliamentary strategy group meeting on Monday, said that the party was firm on its demand for a JPC probe into the corruption by Adani Group, the latest revelations about which have been made by the US authorities. The meeting was presided over by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and other leaders. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that a JPC probe was necessary in view of the recent revelations made in the US. Apart from this, the party will also raise the Manipur situation, border agreement with China and the challenges it may lead to, social polarisation, riots orchestrated in UP and pollution.
Electronic tabs for MPs to mark attendance
Lok Sabha members attending the winter session of Parliament beginning Monday will have the option of marking their attendance using a digital pen on an electronic tab. Electronic tabs will be kept at four counters in the lobby of the Lok Sabha chamber as part of Speaker Om Birla’s initiative to make Parliament paperless. “Physical attendance registers will continue to be kept at the counters. But members are advised to use the tab as a preferred choice and help make Parliament paperless,” the LS Secretariat said. Officials said the members would have to first select their names from the drop down menu on the tab, affix their signatures with the digital pen, and press the ‘submit’ button to register their attendance. A team of engineers from the National Informatics Centre will be deployed at each counter for assistance.
‘Keep constitution away from politics’
Ahead of the winter session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday morning said that the Constitution should be kept away from politics since it remains a document that is a source of social and economic change. He said this in the backdrop of opposition MPs waiving miniature copies of the Constitution during their oath-taking ceremony in the LS after the general elections in April. The remarks also came a day ahead of the Constitution Day, which will be observed in Parliament on November 26.
ls remembers MPs who are no more
Obituary references of five members were read out in Lok Sabha on Monday. This included references to two sitting members — Congress leader Vasant Chavan from Nanded in Maharashtra and Trinamool Congress leader S K Nurul Islam from Basirhat in West Bengal — who died during the inter-session period. Former members M M Lawrence, M Parvathi, and Harishchandra Chavan also died during the inter-session period. The Speaker expressed grief at the deaths of the five leaders soon after the Lok Sabha met.
For a cause, TDP MP takes a bicycle ride
As the capital chokes on toxic smog, an MP from Andhra Pradesh set an example for others by cycling to Parliament on Monday. Clad in yellow kurta, Telugu Desam Party MP Appala Naidu Kalisetti hogged everyone’s attention by pedalling a yellow bicycle to reach Parliament. “I use the bicycle to create awareness among the public on air pollution. It is hazardous and it should be controlled,” he told media. The national capital is under the fourth stage of curbs under the GRAP.