It has been an eventful day in the Parliament, with proceedings being adjourned multiple times due to protests by opposition parties amid the passage of the NDPS (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. Come back tomorrow to follow continued proceedings for the day.
After detailed explanations by Nirmala Sitharaman, the bill is put for a vote and passed unanimously.
RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha points out that the Hindi translation of the NDPS Act is "incorrect," following which the Speaker pulls up Nirmala Sitharaman and says that the necessary correction will be taken up.
Amid opposition ruckus, the Speaker adjourns the House proceedings till 5 pm.
SP Member of House Jaya Bachchan questions how the Speaker is protecting the House, while 12 members continue to remain outside. She takes a strong view on the matter and shouts against the ruling party members, while the Speaker threatens to move to the next member.
Despite the Speaker's pleas, members continue to obstruct fellow members from speaking and crowd the Well of the House in protest. Slogans occasionally continue to break out, with pandemonium reigning in the Rajya Sabha.
Chants of "khooni mantri to hatao" (remove the accused minister)cloud the speeches being made by BJP members.
The Speaker moves to strike all statements made "outside" the subject, with regard to opposition demands. BJP members seek that the word "khooni" be struck from the records.
Singh expresses regret that it has taken six years for the mistake to be identified. And taking the protest further, alleges that an "accused" is sitting inside while those who have "done no wrong" are left outside. He was referring to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
As Mandaviya concludes his speech, the Speaker appeals to all members to vacate the Well and protest from their seats.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya details the oxygen production facilities, genomic sequencing capacity and other measures to tackle a possible case surge due to the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 passed in Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to allow electoral registration officers to seek the Aadhaar number of people who want to register as voters "for the purpose of establishing the identity".
LokSabhaon Monday cleared the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants authorising the government to spend an additional Rs 3.73 lakh crore during the current fiscal amid protest by the opposition over various issues.
Protests over Lakhimpur Kheri incident ring out loud in the Rajya Sabha, even asMansukh Mandaviya continues to talk about the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
Law Minister Kiren Rijiju questions how proceedings can go an amid the opposition din and that the opposition then questions how bills can be passed without discussion, while obstructing the same currently.
As the Speaker continues to call out the names of members, most of them try to shift the conversation to the missing MPs, questioning the aim of passing bills in such a backdrop.
Even as ministers raise questions pertaining to the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, loud chants of "we want justice" continue to ring out in the Parliament House.
Proceedings resume in Lok Sabha. The House is now taking up the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for consideration and passing.
Banks recovered about Rs 13,109 crore from asset sale of defaulters such as Nirav Modi, Vijaya Mallya, saysFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharamanin Lok Sabha.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman claims that states are in a 'fairly comfortable position' financially. As of 30 Nov 2021, the overall cash balance of states was 3.08 lakh crore approx. "Out of 28 states, only 2 states have negative cash balance," Sitharaman added.
"Aadhaar only meant to be proof of residence, it's not proof of citizenship. If you're in a position asking Aadhaar for voters, all you're getting is a document that reflects residence, not citizenship. You're potentially giving the vote to non-citizens,"Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Anurag Singh Thakur, Narendra Singh Tomar, Kiren Rijiju, and Bharatiya Janata Party President JP Nadda are attending the meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi in the Parliament on various issues. (ANI)
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not admit notices to suspend business to discuss the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The Opposition wanted to raise it.
"We will not attend the meeting called by the government. We will demand the resignation of MoS Home Ajay Kumar Misra and revocation of suspension of 12 opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha. We will not let both Houses of Parliament function,"Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. (ANI)
Earlier, Congress' P Chidambaram and Anand Sharma have submitted a notice seeking revocation of suspension of MPs but it was rejected by the Chairman as it was not accompanied by a motion.
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev gives Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha demanding a discussion on Lakhimpur Kheri violence in the House. (ANI)
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi has submitted notice in Lok Sabha "to oppose Election Laws (Amendment), Bill 2021 which proposes to link Aadhaar to electoral roll enrolment." (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore gives Adjournment Motion notice in Lok Sabha over Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh, demands "immediate resignation of MoS Home Ajay Kumar Teni". (ANI)
After Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader Elamaram Kareem and CPI's Binoy Viswam have shot off a letter to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi urging him to call a meeting of all Opposition parties insteadof selective invitation, saying if the government is "sincere" in resolving the impasse over suspension of 12 MPs, it should do so.
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