The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are having a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement in the forenoon. Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned after doing very little business due to sloganeering and protests.
Live updates
3:45 pm | Rajya Sabha
The Chair takes up the Bill amid chaos. Mr. Kurien asks Subbirami Reddy to move statutory motion against ordinance. As sloganeering continues, the House is adjourned for the day.
3:35 pm | Rajya Sabha
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad the Bill will allow RBI to take action against NPAs. This is an important Bill. It should be taken up, he says.
The ordinance was issued because of threat to financial stability. The greater threat is from different currency notes. Please take it up now, says Jairam Ramesh.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad says let's have a short duration discussion on currency issue.
Chair suggests Bill discussion first, followed by short duration discussion. Derek O'Brein says in all, 90 minutes have gone. Wisdom comes late for some, says Mr. Kurien.
3:25 pm | Rajya Sabha
House resumes. But stand off continues.
Jairam Ramesh requests the Chair not to pass the Banking Regulation Bill in din. Raja joins him. Tiruchi Siva too says the same.
3:15 pm | Rajya Sabha
Fifteen minutes gone. There is no head way. Discussion first, says Opposition. Bills first, says Treasury.
House is adjourned for 10 minutes.
3:00 pm | Rajya Sabha
Kumari Selja speaks on the Chandigarh stalking incident. The accused is son of ruling party leader so they are covering it up, she alleges. Ivestigation is on. There is no cover-up says Mr. Naqvi.
Sloganeering starts. This time on stalking incident. They storm the Well again. "I am not going to adjourn the House," says Mr. Kurien.
2:53 pm | Rajya Sabha
House reconvenes. Mr. Naqvi briefs the Chair the Bill listed for today's business. He urges the Chair to take up the Banking amendments otherwise the ordinance will lapse. He says the Treasury Bench is fine with take up other issues after the Bills are passed.
Anand Sharma suggests the House can have a short discussion on currency notes and then Bills can be taken up.
Minister Naqvi insists Bills first, discussion later.
2:35 pm | Rajya Sabha
Union Minister Meghwal moves Companies Act amendments amid opposition sloganeering.
Chair adjourns House for 15 minutes.
2:30 pm | Rajya Sabha
Mr. Naqvi requests the Chair to pass the Bill in din. They want to make speeches but don't want to participate in legislative business. We have been elected to carry out this very business, he says.
Digvijaya Singh says we have become a laughing stock. How can similar currency notes be printed in various sizes, he asks.
Anand Sharma says it is a serious issue. House will adjourn sine die is a couple of days. We can't wait for Winter Session. No Bills will be passed without getting answer for these questions, says Anand Sharma.
2:15 pm | Rajya Sabha
Kapil Sibal raises the issue of 500 rupee notes available in various dimensions. This issue caused adjournment of Rajya Sabha yesterday. The Chair allows him to speak after he brings it under rule 267.
The Chair rejects suspension notice. Congress MPs shout slogans. They storm Well. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukthar Abbas Naqvi says there is consensus on legislative business and hence Bills should be taken up.
2:00 pm | Rajya Sabha
Ministers are laying papers pertaining to their ministries. Members are submitting reports of various Parliament Standing Committee.
1:20 pm | Lok Sabha
Speaker reads the pledge and the House adopts it unanimously. Speaker read obituary reference of Sanwar Lal Jat. He passed away today. The House pays silent tributes.
Lok Sabha is adjourned for the day.
1:15 pm | Lok Sabha
Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda speaks. Today, forgetting all our differences, this House is going to pledge to remove all our issues. We are ruling ourselves.
1:10 pm | Rajya Sabha
Vice President makes a statement on Quit India Movement. He leads the House to take a pledge on building an inclusive, self-reliant, tolerant, secular and democratic India. The House unanimously agrees.
House is adjourned till 2 pm.
1:05 pm | Lok Sabha
Tathagata Sathpathy (BJD) says those who live for others are fondly remembered all over the world.
"We have to acknowledge that we are a multi-cultural society. We are born as Indians, die as Indians. Tolerance is built in you. We cannot have walls in the country. We cannot afford to give the teenagers a distorted image of the country. In our petty desire, we have forgotten the nation. We have changed do or die as do or we'll kill you."
1:00 pm | Lok Sabha
Karunkaran (CPI-M) says this is our time to inspect our merits and demerits.
In Kerala, 100s of workers were shot dead in Wayalar under British. Acknowledge them as martyrs just like Jallianwallah Bagh.
Prior to independence there was no difference in terms of region or religion. Today, we are losing tolerance and mutual understanding, he says.
12:50 pm | Rajya Sabha
Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena, recalls the contribution of Veer Savarkar. He points at Congress and says a visit to Andmans will make you realise how life was in Cellular jail.
Naresh Gujral (SAD) recalls how his entire family was jailed for participating in the movement. This included children, he says. Today we breathe free, thanks to them. But are we realising their dream of a tolerant India, he says.
D. Raja (CPI) recalls the contribution of Communists in the freedom movement. He recalls the contribution of M. Singaravelu. Gandhiji, in his prison had a copy of Gita, Quran and Charkha . I leave it to the House what it means, he says.
12:50 pm | Lok Sabha
Thota Narasimham says in this opportunity we should work for corruption, poverty, terrorism, communalism and castiesm to Quit India.
Jithendar Reddy says today we require orderly withdrawal of social evils. Gandhian ideology can ensure this. The English have left but the legacy remains. We should revamp the colonial bureaucracy and draconian taxation, he says.
12:40 pm | Rajya Sabha
Kanimozhi recites Subramania Bharati's verse and recalls the contribution of Tamils in freedom struggle. There were many freedom fighters who are not Hindus, who didn't follow any religion, who didn't speak Hindi, and ate what a certain section felt they shouldn't eat. Are they lesser Indians?
It is a shame that untouchability and 'honour' killing are being practiced even today. The temple carts still don't visit Dalit streets. Is this the freedom we wanted? She talks about the Chandigarh stalking incident, how leaders indulged in victim blaming.
What is the point of passing Bills without adequate representation of women in both the Houses? she says.
12:35 pm | Rajya Sabha
Majeed Memon says today must be celebrated as a National festival, just like how we celebrate Independence Day.
Even though we gained political independence, the freedom from poverty, hunger, discrimination, violence and hatred have not been gained. We have to raise above politics and get 'total freedom,' he says.
12:30 pm | Rajya Sabha
Veer Singh (BSP) recalls the contribution of B.R. Ambedkar. It is sad that both the Leader of the House and Leader of Opposition didn't name him. We talk about Rani Laxmibai. It is Jhalkaribai who actually fought in the battle. But her name is not highlighted because she is a Dalit.
12:25 pm | Lok Sabha
Mr. Bose continues. Like the Divide and Rule politics of the British, the BJP is dividing the nation, he says. The PM asked us to use 2017-2022 to go from Sankalp to Siddhi. But let us acknowledge that in 1947, we had independent India, not a united India. Gandhiji said division masquerades as religion. No Muslim should ever feel unsafe in India. These words of Gandhi should be relevant even today. He appeals the PM to "stop engines of coercion in its tracks."
He joins with Thambidurai saying all languages should be treated equal. "Treasury benches may have their own Gurujis but let us all travel together on the highway of Gandhiji's halo," Mr. Bose says.
12:17 pm | Rajya Sabha
Sitaram Yechury says we achieved independence through unity — the Dalit, the Brahmin, the Rajput, the cow eater, cow worshipper all were together, he says. A.K. Gopalan hoisted the tricolour from a jail in Vellore. The five years from Quit India to Independence, the nation saw partition, communalism, riots.... Mr. Yechury says. "Why not talk about unemployment and poverty," asks Ravi Shankar Prasad.
You have to quit the economic policy that is creating two Indias, the policies that is creating poverty and unemployment. Today 69% of GDP is with 1% population, he says.
The Chair rings bell indicating Yechury to end speech. He says British rung several bells but Gandhi didn't stop!
12:15 pm | Lok Sabha
Saugata Bose (Trinamool) says the Quit India Movement is the greatest uprising since 1857. It was led by middle-rung leaders as the seniors were jailed. It began as an urban movement and slowly the peasants and ruralfolk and adivasis joined hands. Women played crucial role in the movement, he says recalling how his father was wounded in the movement.
12:00 noon | Lok Sabha
M. Thambidurai (AIADMK) speaks in Tamil. Members complain that they are not able to get the translation. Mr. Thambidurai speaks in English. He says the translations are available only in English or Hindi. When we want to speak in any other language, we have to get prior permission. This should be changed. Translations in all official languages should be made available, he says while Speaker agrees.
The Quit India movement instilled new confidence among masses, he says. The most important part of the movement is that the British realised they could no longer colonialise India.
Even prior to 1857 revolt, the Panchalamkurichi revolt was the first rebellion against the British, he says. He recalls the Marudhu brothers' rebellion.
He recalls the importance of Khadi in the freedom movement, how brides and grooms chose to wear khadi instead of silk during their weddings. He recalls the contribution of Tamils in freedom struggle.
He ends speech saying every language should be made official language. He gets support from other MPs.
11:52 am | Lok Sabha
Next to speak is Sonia Gandhi. This is her first speech in the monsoon session. She recalls how people proceeded with the movement even after police excess and police firing. We shouldn't forget that there were people who were against the freedom. Are the dark forces regrouping again now, she wonders.
We should remember that our leaders fought for a peaceful and progressive nation. But there's a sentiment of hate and violence today. We should move towards a future keeping in mind the sacrifices of them, she says while ending the speech.
11:50 am | Lok Sabha
Mr. Modi says the passage and implementation of GST was possible because of every State and every member in parliament. It is a classic example of how unity can transform India, he says.
In 1942 Gandhi said do or die. In 2017, we will join hands to say we will eradicate corruption, illiteracy, poverty, hunger; empower the women; and stay with our armed forced. Let us recall our martyrs and take forward their dreams. Mr. Modi ends speech.
11:45 am | Rajya Sabha
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav recalls the contributions of Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan in the freedom struggle. He recalls partition. Dr. Lohia was against partition. Today, we've lost Tibet. We are taking visa to visit holy Kailash mountains, he says.
11:40 am | Lok Sabha
Mr. Modi says breaking the rules have become a way of life. This can be little ones like crossing the road despite the red signal to serious ones like violence unleashed at hospitals if a patient dies there.
Building toilets is one part but educating people to use it is a major part, he says.
11:35 am | Lok Sabha
It is not a difficult task to fulfill the wishes of Gandhi when the country stays united, says Mr. Modi. The world learnt a lot from us in 1942. The world can learn a lot from us even today. The nation is above politics, says Mr. Modi.
Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose may have ahd different ideologies but they joined hands because for them gaining independence was utmost importance.
Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of the self sufficient villages. He thought India was in its villages. But today villagers are migrating to cities. We have to revive Gandhi's vision to revive villages, he says.
11:30 am | Rajya Sabha
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad recalls the crucial Congress Working Committee meet that decided on Quit India Movement. Indian leaders including Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru urged the UK to grant freedom and India will fight the World War II as an ally but not as a slave. The British were silent. Maulana Azad, the then president of Congress was presiding the meet. But the hero was Mahatma Gandhi who said 'do or die'.
Both Gandhi and Nehru said that if Hindus and Muslims combine forces, we are sure to attain independence.
11:30 am | Lok Sabha
Mr. Modi continues. "Every citizen was part of the movement. It was a now or never battle. Gandhiji, known for passive resistance said "Do or Die". It surprised many. "I will not settle for anything other than poorna swaraj [total freedom]," Gandhi had said.
This didn't mean he left ahimsa, says Mr. Modi.
11:20 am | Lok Sabha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks for the first time in the monsoon session. He recalls the "August revolution", the other name of Quit India Movement. The British would have not thought of a revolution of this scale. When senior leaders were imprisoned, new leaders like Shastri, Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan rose and took the movement forward.
There have been several phase in the freedom movement between 1857 and 1947. But August Kranti was like the final battle. It was matter of time that we got independence. Mr. Modi recalls key events of freedom struggle.
11:15 am | Rajya Sabha
Mr. Jaitley lauds the parliamentary democracy, of how individuals and political parties with different ideologies join hands to work for the development of the nation.
"We need to work on our social infrastructure, health, education, rural economy, taxation," he says.
11:10 am | Lok Sabha
Speaker is continuing her speech. She recalls the contributions of freedom fighters. She names some lesser known freedom fighters. ""It was on this day, Gandhiji in his 90 minute address mentioned do or die," she says.
She recalls how a woman donated her gold bangles when Ms. Mahajan was trying to crowdfund a movie on Veer Savarkar. She says the spirit of patriotism is alive even today and it has to be nurtured.
She calls members to participate in the discussion.
11:02 am | Rajya Sabha
Leader of the House Arun Jaitley recalls the Quit India Movement, where several leaders including Mahatma Gandhi was jailed. The Indian National Army was also trying to gain independence for the country, he says.
Mr. Jaitley recalls partition and subsequent conflict in Kashmir. The conflict is on even today, he says. We learnt the importance of strengthening armed forces after the 1962 war.
Mr. Jaitley, who is also the Defence Minister talks about Left Wing Extremism, people who donot believe in democratic and electoral politics.
11:00 am | Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha Speaker welcomes a delegation from Seychelles who will observe the parliamentary proceedings. She recalls the Quit India Movement. It's a full House with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in attendence.
11:00 am | Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin. Vice President Hamid Ansari is in the Chair. He begins by telling the House it is the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement. Let us reaffirm our commitment to uphold the sovereignty, and integrity of the nation, he says. The House pays silent tributes.
