Revoked Suspensions, FM Sitharaman Discusses Inflation: Monsoon Session Day 11

Between the adjournment, protests, sloganeering, and war of words, here's a round-up of what transpired on Day 11.

Soon after the beginning of proceedings, the sessions in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 pm. Following the reconvening of the house, continued sloganeering and chaos led to the houses being adjourned till 2 pm.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the issue of price rise in the Lok Sabha.

Before Sitharaman's address, a discussion was held on price rise and inflation. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, equating inflation to corruption, slammed the central government on price rise and Goods and Services Tax.

Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 and the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022, on Monday.

Between the adjournment, protests, sloganeering, and the war of words, here's a round-up of what transpired on Day 11 of the Monsoon Session:

• Addressing the issue of price rise and reports of the World Bank and other organisations, Sitharaman said, "India has been reduced in terms of the growth it was expected to achieve, but still we remain the fastest-growing. If it was with 8.2 percent (earlier), now it may be 7.4 percent."

• The Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 designed to protect the Antarctic environment along with dependent and associated ecosystems, on Monday.

• Although India has been sending expeditions to Antarctica since 1981, the bill is the country's first domestic legislation related to it.

• Several Shiv Sena MPs held demonstrations during the session and protested the Enforcement Directorate arresting Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in the alleged Patra Chawl land scam case.

• The Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 was passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha during the 2022 Budget Session.

• West Bengal BJP MPs protest in Parliament against CM Mamata Banerjee over the alleged involvement of former state minister Partha Chatterjee in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam. The lawmakers were protesting in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament, holding placards and raising slogans which demanded the arrest of and investigation into this involved.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan had praised the central bank, saying that it had done a "good job" increasing foreign exchange reserves in India, and "insulating India from problems being faced by neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka."

• Suspension of four Congress Lok Sabha MPs, who were suspended for the rest of the Monsoon Session, was revoked on the condition that they will not bring placards into the House.

• After a discussion on price rise on essential commodities, hikes in GST, unemployment and other issues begun in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Manish Tewari slammed the ruling government and said, "Country has double-digit inflation for last 14 months, it's highest in 30 years. Consumer food price index is skyrocketing."

• AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, equating inflation to corruption, slammed the Union government on price rise and GST. "The starving man is questioning the Modi government about why his family is sleeping without food at night. For those going hungry, inflation is corruption," he said.