Rajya Sabha Passes Disabilities Bill but Loses Decorum Over Rijiju
The winter session has been a washout due to a standoff between the BJP and the Opposition over demonetisation.
advertisement
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice president, claims to have corruption-related “personal information” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Rajya Sabha passed Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill with 119 amendments.
- Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after Opposition members created ruckus over graft allegations against Minister of State (Home), Kiren Rijiju.
- Lok Sabha adjourned for the day as members from both sides create ruckus over AgustaWestland.
- Huge amounts of money in old and new currency were seized in different parts of the country.
Rajya Sabha in a Tizzy Over Graft Allegations Against Kiren Rijiju
The Opposition members raised slogans in the Rajya Sabha after Congress member Anand Sharma raised his notice to discuss the graft charges against Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State (Home).
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley dared the sloganeering members to allow Sharma to make his point and then listen to his answer over “gross allegations” against Rijiju.
Rajya Sabha Passes on Disabilities Bill
The Rajya Sabha passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill with all of the 119 amendments.
As Rajya Sabha reconvened at 2 pm after being adjourned at 12 noon and resumed the vote on amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 moved by Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Prakash Javadekar Takes a Dig at Rahul Gandhi
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar held a press conference to address questions raised after Rahul Gandhi claimed to have “personal information” related to corruption against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Watch the press conference here.
BJP Members Refute Rahul Gandhi’s Claim
Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s statements about Prime Minister Narendra Modi being scared of letting him speak in the Parliament.
As Rahul Gandhi joined the United Democratic Front (UDF) from Kerala at Jantar Mantar to protest against demonetisation, government members questioned the ruckus created by the Opposition throughout the Winter Session.
Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of the Lok Sabha indirectly agreed with the Centre’s argument by saying:
“I Have Personal Information Against PM Modi,” Says Rahul Gandhi
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi claims to have “personal information” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi said that the government is afraid to let him speak in the Parliament.
Speaking at a joint media briefing of the Opposition parties, Gandhi also said that the Prime Minister has to allow discussion.
Trinamool Cogress (TMC) member Sudip Bandyopadhyay also said that 16 parties have united against Modi’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
Opposition Against Land Bill
Opposition members rose in protest as Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju laid papers on the table in the Lok Sabha.
Further, the Opposition raised slogans against the government’s request to increase the time provided to the joint committee to present a report on the Land Acquisition Bill.
The Opposition members raised the matter of SP Tyagi in AgustaWestland case and government criticised the Opposition members for running from a discussion over demonetization. The sloganeering from both sides created ruckus in the House.
“Please Don’t Adopt Jekyll and Hyde Personality”
“Please do not adopt a Jekyll and Hyde personality in the House,” says Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Hamid Ansari.
As Ansari took over for the Question Hour, members wanted to continue discussion, which is slated to be resumed at 2 pm. The House was adjourned till 2pm.
Meanwhile Lok Sabha members laid papers on the table amid slight opposition.
Disabilities Bill Discussed in the Rajya Sabha
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 is being discussed in the Rajya Sabha. Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, initiated the discussion about the Disabilities Bill.
Members move the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014 to be passed in order to be returned to the Lok Sabha.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad, ask the House to pass the bill without discussion. However, Communist Party (Marxist) member Sitaram Yechury seeks discussion on the matter.
Seizures in Chandigarh, Pune
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized Rs 2.18 crore from Chandigarh in new currency notes worth Rs 17.74 lakhs and Rs 100 notes worth Rs 52 lakh on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra police arrested 4 people in Wakad region, on the outskirts of Pune, for possession of Rs 67 lakh in cash.
D Raja Raises Matter of Cyclone Vardah
D Raja raised the issue of destruction caused by cyclone Vardah in the state of Tamil Nadu.
P Chidambaram commends government’s effort to make NDRF units available to the state but seeks material help and refilling of the ATMs in the cyclone-stricken state.
Tiruchy Shiva seeks an expert team and Rs 10,000 crore to be sent to Tamil Nadu from the Centre in order to gauge the loss caused by the cyclone.
Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon within two minutes as the members of Opposition create ruckus.
Rajya Sabha began with 2 minute silence for an obituary to former member Shiv Lal Balmiki whereas Lok Sabha was convened with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House.
Opposition Parties Meeting Underway in Parliament
The Opposition parties are having a meeting to discuss their approach in the Parliament on Wednesday.
The Congress is expected to raise Kiren Rijiju's issue in Rajya Sabha.
Old and New Currency Seized in Mumbai, Goa and Delhi
Delhi Police raided a hotel in Karol Bagh in Delhi and recovered Rs 3.25 crore in demonetised notes from five persons, police said.
Based on secret information, the Crime Branch conducted a joint raid with Income Tax officials late on Tuesday night at Taksh Inn in Karol Bagh and found five persons in two rooms of the hotel carrying a total amount of Rs 3.25 crore, said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime).
The I-T department seized Rs 2.25 crore in new notes in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
In yet another case, Rs 68 lakh in new notes were seized in Pandim, Goa.
The Parliament is set to resume after a four-day break on Wednesday to a possibly stormy session.
The winter session has so far been a washout due to a standoff between the BJP government and the Opposition over demonetisation.
The Opposition is supposed to meet at 9:30 am to discuss issues which will be raised says Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Apart from demonetisation, the Opposition might also corner the government on their alleged involvement in a hydel project scam in Arunachal Pradesh.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)