On Thursday, the fifth day of the Winter Session of the Parliament, the Rajya Sabha again saw disruptions by Members of the Congress, who have been demanding an apology from the Prime Minister for his comments on former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and former Vice President Hamid Ansari.
The House was repeatedly adjourned as MPs shouted slogans to this effect, and finally, as nominated Member Sachin Tendulkar rose to make his maiden speech, sloganeering reached a fever pitch , leading to the House shutting down for the rest of the day.
The Lok Sabha, on the other hand, has been functioning despite protesting MPs.
Supplementary Demands for Grants (second batch) for 2017-18 are passed.
House adjourned till 11 a.m. on Friday, December 22, 2017.
Arun Jaitley replies to the discussion held in Lok Sabha on Supplementary Demands for Grants 2017-18:
"When crude prices increased to 64/65, the burden on consumer increased. In Centre, we reduced the duty. We asked our state govt to reduce it. All the BJP states reduced it. All the UPA states said they would refuse.
₹3,96,000 crores of these taxes has been spent on infrastructure. This year, ₹64,000 crores has been allotted for highways and ₹55,000 crores for Railways has been provided.
80% of all the GST goes to the states. Not one state can say that he has been given less money. But they say Centre is responsible.
In all organisations, there is always a right time to privatise.
If there is loss of life, property and infrastructure in Ockhi, we'll give immediate relief and the Home Minister has already sanctioned it. He is very liberal in sanctioning such reliefs.
The lending capacity of banks has to be maintained. The expenditure has started on the first week of April itself. The tax collections are spread out. We've maintained the glide path. The govt will protect every depositor. There is a 2011 G20 commitment given when UPA was in power. So what is the system we have? We are open minded but very clear that the level of protection that the govt would want is much higher than the current level of protection."
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says: "2003 to 2008 was a boom period for the world economy. So the very force of global economy was pushing it up. Now fortunately, in the last few months, there is a reversal rate. The curve is moving up. It will help Indian economy.
The Indian normal rate of growth is 7 to 8%. This year, the percentage of commodity export have constantly on the increase. Structural reforms can temporarily take you back and then take you forward.
The lending capacity of banks has to be maintained. We need not start questioning; when IMF gives sanctity to our data, atleast our INC shouldn't question it. People remembered Gabbar Singh only when the tax became 18%. I had decided that we'll tax petroleum only when we all decide together."
"Present allocation for commodities is not enough. Sabarimala railway project has been pending for such a long time. I urge the railway ministry to expedite the process," said Advocate Joice George, Independent MP from Idukki, Kerala.
RSP MP from Kerala, N.K. Premachandran says, "Inequality among the rich and poor is widening. Because of GST and demonetisation, there is no growth. A white paper is to be issued. Kindly compare the petrol diesel prices with what used to be during UPA regime. I would support Mr. Shashi Tharoor and my suggestion is that let us have an Ockhi rehabilitation package."
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says that under the circumstances, the impact on GDP is clear. "The CAG has underlined several flaws in the government's accounting procedures. He says the revenue deficit has been severely understated."
Mr. Mahtab speaks about rise in food and core inflation. Vara Prasadarao Velagapalli of the YSR Congress has questions pertaining to MGNREGA.
Kirit Somaiya speaks for the BJP. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is in the Chair.
Mr. Maganti goes on to speak about funds necessary to build Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh's new capital city.
Jithender Reddy of the TRS rises to speak. He says Telangana's demands pertain to irrigation.
Mohammad Salim of the CPI(M) asks what the government is doing for farmers.
Bhartruhari Mahtab, the Cuttack BJD MP says the Finance Ministry has not allocated any money for bank recapitalisation.
Saugata Roy of the Trinamool Congress speaks next. He speaks about Arun Jaitley's financial policies — GST, linking Aadhaar to multiple services and the FRDI Bill.
He says, "The government has cut expenditure drastically on social sector schemes." He adds that while Moody's may have improved India's rating, the IMF has said that the "economy needs to be looked in to."
Mr. Roy appeals to the Deputy Speaker citing Tamil Nadu fishermen suffering from cyclone Ockhi.
Vinayak Raut of the Shiv Sena rises to speak. He requests the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister to keep in mind farmers' welfare.
Rajahmundry TDP MP Murali Mohan Maganti speaks next. He refers to the Polavaram irrigation project saying that the Finance Minister had promised funds for it.
Mr. Pokhriyal, the MP from Hardwar, praises GST and calls it "revolutionary."
He says the committee system should not be politicised. He brings up the FRDI Bill. "Except Cyprus, no other country has included this deposit clause in regulatory laws."
He goes on to speak about GDP. "How can you say there is progress?"
Ramesh Pokhriyal of the BJP rises to speak next.
House reconvenes. Deputy Speaker is in the Chair.
Discussion and voting on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants is on now. Chikkballapur Congress MP M. Veerappa Moily says that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana scheme has been "given up on."
House reconvenes. M. Venkaiah Naidu is in the Chair.
Papers are laid on the table. Opposition MPs continue sloganeering.
The House moves to a short duration discussion now.
Sachin Tendulkar rises to speak in Rajya Sabha.
Sachin Tendulkar rises to speak for the first time in Rajya Sabha. But Congress MPs protest.
House is adjourned for the day.
Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai is in the Chair.
Zero Hour continues. Topics range from security of the Aadhaar database to anti-terrorism.
House is adjourned till 2.10 p.m.
Mr. Trivedi's next supplementary is on how the government is going to manage the grid. Mr. Singh says the govt. is going to have a green energy corridor — inter-state and intra-state — at a cost of Rs. 28,000 crore.
Question Hour ends. Speaker disallows all adjournment notices.
Papers are laid on the table.
Sloganeering by Congress MPs gets even louder.
The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Condition of Services) Amendment Bill, 2017 is introduced by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Zero Hour begins.
Kirron Kher makes the first submission.
Mr. Gadkari now answers a question on over-exploitation of ground water. "We have asked industries to recycle water. Water conservation programmes are being done. We have installed check dams."
Kalyan Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde asks about rain water harvesting as a supplementary to a question on fluoride in drinking water. "Will the government bring a national policy for rain water harvesting?"
The Water Resources Minister says that schools have guidelines on rain water harvesting. "We need to make this a public movement."
Slogan shouting still continues.
B.N. Goud, a TRS MP from Bhongir, Telangana says he appreciates the government's efforts in removing fluoride from drinking water. "At least, fluoride- mukt Bharat is happening."
Dinesh Trivedi, a Trinamool Congress MP asks a supplementary to a question on solar energy. He says the government needs to have a realistic target, as they might not meet what they have set for themselves now. "At the moment, your bids are itself very low. While it's laudable that we talk about 'Make in India,' will the government consider giving enough importance to the indigenous industry?"
Raj Kumar Singh, the New and Renewable Energy Minister reassures him that not only will the government meet its target, it will cross the goal.
House reconvenes. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is in the Chair.
She reads out obituary references to former Members Purushottam Kaushik, Mahendra Singh and S.S. Kothari.
Question Hour begins.
A question on construction of airports kicks it off. Ashok Gajapati Raju, Civil Aviation Minister answers.
The next question is on artificial recharge to ground water. Sloganeering slowly gets louder. Mysore BJP MP Prathap Simha asks about the National Water Policy. "We don't see visible changes on the ground. Rainwater harvesting should be made mandatory for all 'above budget' houses." He says private initiatives like 'Rally for Rivers' and those by 'Art of Living' are getting more attention.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says the government has appealed for innovative suggestions from the public. "Our department is organising a workshop on water conservation. We will then formulate and finalise the policy."
House reconvenes. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu is in the Chair.
Papers are laid on the table.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad rises to ask for suspension of Question Hour for a discussion. Chairman disallows it. Opposition MPs march to the Well of the House. Chairman asks Mr. Azad to call his Members back, but to no avail.
Members eventually go back to their seats. But the din of slogans continues.
House is adjourned till 2 p.m.
