The stalemate between the government and the Opposition over the Pegasus snooping row has failed to end for the past two weeks now. While the government has managed to get some of the key Bills cleared, both Houses are yet to see a proper discussion this monsoon session.
Rajya Sabha suspended six members for the day.
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Lok Sabha resumes, BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal is in the Chair.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moves The Cocunut Development Board (Amendment) Bill. The Minister says the bill seeks to pass on the benefits of be technology to coconut growers. He said once the bill is passed, coconut farming will see a lot of growth.
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Lok Sabha is now taking up clause by clause for passage, skipping discussion.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says passing bills without debate is now the new normal. "The Opposition wants discussion but the government doesn't agree."
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Meghwal says the government wants to discuss issues like Covid and farmers' issue but the Opposition is obstructing.
The bill is passed by a voice vote. Lok Sabha is adjourned until 11am, Thursday.
Civil Aviation Minister thanks the members who gave their opinions on the Bill.
Airports Authority of India will handle airports in small cities too now, says Mr. Scindia adding that the Modi government has doubled the number of airports in six years. We are going to democratise air travel.
Rajya Sabha passes Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 amid protests from Opposition.
House is adjourned for the day.
Rajya Sabha resumes its discussion on Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
AIADMK MP M. Thambidurai says "this Bill is a very nice Bill" and he supports the Bill. YSRCP MP V. Vijaisai Reddy says his party supports the Bill. It will promote development of more airports in low volume areas like rural areas.
This Bill has been brought with the intention of selling out the country, says CPI (M) MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha promises he will speak on the Bill, but speaks on Pegasus. Deputy Chairman moves to the next speaker, saying Mr. Jha did not stick to the Bill.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia moves motion for consideration and passing of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Deputy Chairman warns those members who were recording proceedings on their phones.
House adjourned for 15 minutes.
DMK MP Tiruchi Siva raises point of order, saying raising allegations against members cannot be allowed. Any remarks made against Opposition members should be expunged, he says.
The Minister's reply should be on the Bill, not on members, he says.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh says the issue will be examined from all sides.
The Bill is passed.
The House now takes up the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh tells the MPs that they have to speak on the subject.
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha says this is a very important Bill and wish we would speak to the FM in detail. He continues the protest.
Finance Minister replying, says the Opposition is not interested in solutions. She says the Bill is in interest of small depositers. She asks how many Opposition members have not met her to discuss the PMC Bank issue.
Modi government has increased the insurance from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.5 lakh. By not cooperating, the Opposition is denying the depositers this insurance, she says.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh disallows CPI(M) MP John Brittas to speak on the bill after his comments that the government is out to destroy the democratic polity of the country
AAP MP Shushil Kumar Gupta says this bill has been brought without any thought, just like the government brought in the three far laws. Mr Gupta said, raising a placard. He was immediately cut short.
Nirmala Sitharaman replies. She says the Bill will benefit chartered accountants and cost accountants.
The Bill is passed by voice vote amid noisy protests.
Opposition blame government for the impasse
In a joint statement Opposition parties has said they stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, since it has national security dimension.
"The opposition has also unequivocally conveyed that the discussion on the farmers' issues... should follow the discussion on Pegasus," the statement said.
Accusing the government of unleashing a misleading campaign, the statement said the onus is on the government to run the House but "it remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the opposition's demand for an informed debate in both the houses."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moves The Limited Liability Partnership Bill, 2021, in Rajya Sabha.
BJD's Sujeet Kumar supports the bill. He is barely audible as opposition members surround him and chant slogans.
Live telecast of the proceedings have stopped due to protests.
Another Bill passed without discussion
Lok Sabha proceedings resume. Amid sloganeering, the House takes up The Commission for Air Quality Management of NCR and adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 for voting. Another Bill being passed without discussion.
MoEF minister Bhupender Yadav says the Bill being moved for the management of issues related to air quality and pollution over Delhi. We know that for many years various courts have been seized of the matter and also the fact that Delhi's air quality is affected by activities in its adjoining area. This Bill addresses the need for a robust institutional framework to address these issues holistically and in a permanent, organised way, he says.
I want the House’s support for the passage of the Bill, he says. Saugata Roy moves amendment, which is not taken on board.
The Bill is passed. House adjourned till 3.30 pm.
6 TMC MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha for the day
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu suspended six TMC MPs for the day for carrying placards while protesting along with other opposition MPs over the Pegasus spying issue.
A Parliamentary Bulletin identified the six MPs suspended for the day as Dola Sen, Md. Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri, Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor.
These "members of the Rajya Sabha who entered the well of the Hosue displayed placards, disobeyed the Chair and whose conduct was grossly disorderly in the House this morning (August 4, 2021) have been directed to withdraw immediately from the Council under rule 255 by the Chairman," it said.
The six MPs, it said, "shall absent themselves during the remainder of the day's meeting."
Lok Sabha reassembles. Rajendra Agarwal, who is in the Chair, says the Speaker has not allowed any adjournment motions.
Opposition MPs raise slogans protesting against the Pegasus row and the contentious farm laws.
House adjourned till 2 pm
House adjourned in minutes
Lok Sabha reassembles with Rajendra Agarwal in the Chair. He takes up Question Hour.
He tells the protesting MPs that bringing placards before the Chair is unseemly. You are all senior enough to know rules of conduct, he adds.
He asked MPs to go back to their seats, urges continuance of Question Hour.
House adjourned till 12 noon.
Naidu warns of suspending MPs
Hardeep Puri rises to lay report. As soon as Mr Puri rises, the opposition members start hooting. Mr Puri is accused of attempting to assault TMC MP Shantanu Sen. Dr Sen had snatched and torn the statement by the IT minister. The opposition has demanded a probe into Mr Puri's actions.
Mr Naidu informs the house that he has received a notice on Rule 267 on farmer's agitation. This is an ongoing issue and important. Therefore I am admitting it.
Mr. Naidu says the members storming the well will be named and suspended for the day. TMC members begin protests. "Discuss Pegasus" they demand. "All those who are holding the placards need to leave the house," says Mr. Naidu.
House is adjourned to meet at 2 pm
Pending rail projects
Silence ends in Lok Sabha after obituary reference. Sloganeering begins. The Speaker proceeds with Question Hour. Dharambir Singh (BJP) poses a question on stalled railway projects in Haryana.
MoS railways Rao Saheb Danve responds that HIDF has deemed particular projects as unviable.
Anubhav Mohanty (BJD) - we’re told passenger trains for Kendrapara districts not viable but the railway should reconsider for people. Minister Danve says will share info with MP.
As protests continue, House is adjourned till 11.30 am
Jawahar Sircar takes oath
Lok Sabha assembles. Speaker reads obituary reference. The House pays silent tribute to the departed former members.
In Rajya Sabha, Jawahar Sircar takes oath as a Member of Parliament. He recently got elected unopposed from West Bengal as a Trinamool Congress member.
MOS Parliamentary Affairs MinistersV Muraleedharan lays government papers on behalf of his colleagues. Congress MP Anand Sharma has raised a point of order, saying that while the members are present in the house, they can not have the luxury to have some one else do the job for them. At this Mr Naidu says, that the protocol has been amended because of the COVID pandemic.
Bills for consideration and passing
Lok Sabha
- The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021
- The Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Rajya Sabha
- The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
- The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
- The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.
Govt, opposition parties agree to take up statutory resolution, seven bills in Rajya Sabha
With a stalemate in Parliament over the Pegasus spyware issue continuing for the 11th day, the government and various opposition parties agreed on Tuesday to take up a statutory resolution and seven bills in the Rajya Sabha.
Sources said at a meeting to chalk out the work to be taken up in the Upper House of Parliament, it was decided to allot 17 hours to a discussion on these bills.
The meeting was chaired by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who again appealed to all sides to enable the House to function normally. - PTI
Opposition cries foul as 12 Bills were passed in 10 days
In the first 10 days of the monsoon session, 12 Bills were passed spending seven minutes on an average on each bill.
All the Bills were passed amid din, with neither the comments from the Minister or clarifications sought by members audible to others. All the Bills were passed by voice vote. The Opposition has said division asked by them on important bills have been ignored by the chair in both Houses of Parliament.