Wednesday, 20 November 2019

Parliament LIVE Updates: 'Electoral bonds way for rich corporations to influence political parties, BJP in particular'; Congress stages walkout in Lok Sabha

12:29 (IST)

Lok Sabha Latest Update

Congress MP Manish Tewari raises electroal bond issue during Zero Hour

 

During zero hour, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari raised the electoral bond issue in the Lower Hosue alleging there was no clarity on donor or their identity.

"This is cover-up over corruption under this scheme," Tewari argued that right before election, at the instruction and direction of PMO, the whole process of electoral bonds was channelised.

"I want to draw the attention of the House towards electoral bonds. The electoral bond scheme was limited to elections. RTI in 2018 reveled that government overruled Reserve Bank of India on electoral bonds," he said. 

12:10 (IST)

Electoral bonds a way for big corporations to influence political parties: Shashi Tharoor 

Taking a swipe at the BJP, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said after the introduction of electoral bonds, serious objections were raised as it would act advantageous for big corporations or individuals to influence political parties, the ruling party in particular.

12:01 (IST)

Congress to stage walkout from Parliament if govt does not allow discussion on electoral bonds, say party sources

As the issue of electoral bonds intensified in both the Houses, the Congress is likely to organise a walkout if the government doesn’t allow discussion on the scheme. The Grand Old Party will also hold a protest at the Gandhi statue, according to top party sources.

"We will not let the issue of electoral bonds die down. We will make the government answerable. We are reaching out to Opposition parties to build a floor strategy against the government. we want a detailed discussion on it," a party source said.

11:51 (IST)

Rajya Sabha Latest Update

RECAP | CPI gives Suspension of Business notice, questions govt's push for sale in five PSUs

 

In the Upper House, the CPI has given Suspension of Business notice under rule 267 over "selling of entire stake in 5 PSUs including BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited)".

11:39 (IST)

Lok Sabha Latest Update 

Speaker Om Birla lambasts Opposition leaders for sloganeering on electoral bonds

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reprimanded the Opposition leaders for sloganeering. The members, mostly from Congress were raising slogans on the electoral bonds issue in the House during question hour. The Speaker said, "It is our duty to maintain the dignity of the House. Please do not come to the well of the House. I have always given all a chance for debate and discussion."

11:26 (IST)

Lok Sabha Latest Update

Congress issues Adjournment Notice over Electoral Bonds Scheme

 

Citing "lack of transparency" in the scheme of electoral bonds, the Congress issues adjournment motion notice in the Lower House. According to ANI, Congress MP Manish Tewari is likely to speak on the matter 

11:21 (IST)

Allegations of corruption in sale of electoral bonds echo in both Houses

Media reports alleging corruption in sale of electoral bonds echoed in both Houses of Parlieament today. While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned immediately after convening as Chairman Venkaiah Naidu dismissed adjournment notices submitted on the subject. 

Likewise in Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla also quashed the adjournment notices and started the question hour which prompted Congress MPs to move in the Well and protest loudly. 

11:11 (IST)

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm

11:10 (IST)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to address Lok Sabha at 12 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting with top ministers in the Parliament. He is expected to address the Rajya Sabha at 12 today. 

11:08 (IST)

Lok Sabha takes up Question Hour amid ruckus

Question Hour was underway in Lok Sabha, where MPs asked questions to Minister of States (Independent Charge) Kiren Rijiju. Meanwhile, several Opposition MPs are raising slogans "Desh k Bechna Band Karo (stop selling the country) and Pradhan Mantri Jawab do (Prime Minister, answer us)" apparently in reference to the recent controversy over the sale of electoral bonds. 

11:03 (IST)

Parliament proceedings begin in both Houses

10:29 (IST)

Pragya Singh Thakur nominated to the Parliamentary panel on defence

Meanwhile, in a surprising turn of events, BJP Lok Sabha member and an accused in the Malegaon blasts case, Pragya Singh Thakur, has been nominated to the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defence.

The Bhopal MP, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,had gained over former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. 

The 21-member parliamentary panel on defence is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Pragya was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on health grounds in April, 2017, after charges against her under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act were dropped by the National Investigation Agency. She is currently under trial for multiple charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

10:17 (IST)

Congress likely to raise electoral bonds issue in both Houses

The Congress demanded on Wednesday that the government must disclose all details about electoral bonds before Parliament, alleging that the scheme resulted in money laundering and destroyed transparency in the funding of political parties.

 
Describing electoral bonds as a "political bribery scheme", the Opposition said it was a scam that tarnished the image of the Indian democracy.
 
 
"What we are talking about today leads straight to the prime minister's office. The BJP government is running 90 percent of the business in this country with a few industrialists," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
 
 
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Azad, along with party colleagues Randeep Singh Surjewala and Anand Sharma, said under the electoral bonds scheme, the donor buying the bonds could hide his identity and at the same time, a political party needed to share the details as regards from whom it got how much money.
 
 
"Our demand is that the prime minister must intervene and the government must disclose full donor information, who donated crores to the BJP coffers, and place this information before Parliament. The Parliament is in session and the government should make the disclosure before both the houses, Sharma said.

09:44 (IST)

RECAP | Rajya Sabha Latest Update

 

Amit Shah pitches for nationwide NRC 

 

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Upper House on the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir and also announced that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be implemented nationwide.

Shah told the Rajya Sabha that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list. "There is no provision in the NRC that people belonging to other religions will not be included in the register," he added.

09:42 (IST)

RECAP | Lok Sabha Latest Update

Lower House passes Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill raising monetary limits

After a lengthy debate that spanned three days, the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lower House. The Bill raises the monetary limits for chit funds and introduces a higher commission for "foremen," or the officials who are responsible for managing the chits.

09:35 (IST)

Lok Sabha Latest Update

Delhi's air quality dips to 'very poor' category, likely to enter 'severe' zone by Friday 

Meanwhile, the National Capital's air quality entered 'very poor' category on Wednesday and is likely to turn severe over the next two days due to prevailing calm winds and increased incidents of farm fires, officials said.

The government's air quality monitoring and forecasting service SAFAR said the air quality in Delhi may enter the severe category in some parts of Delhi by Friday.

 

Delhi's  Air Quality Index (AQI) was 301 at 4 pm on Wednesday, up from 242 at 4 pm on Tuesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).​

09:27 (IST)

Rajya Sabha Latest Update

 

Dam Safety Bill to be tabled for consideration and passing  

The Dam Safety Bill, 2019, will also be tabled in the Upper House by Union Minister in Jal Shakti ministry, Gajendra Sisngh Shekhawat, for consideration and passing.

The Dam Safety Bill, 2019, provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of dams for prevention of dam failure-related disasters and to provide for institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning.

09:18 (IST)

Rajya Sabha Latest Update

Upper House to take up Transgender Bill, Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill for further discussion

In the Upper House, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, will be taken up for further consideration along with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.

Union minister Harsh Vardhan will move The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019. This Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned to them at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra, according to PRS Legislative Research. "The Bill is to provide protection for the rights of transgender persons and their welfare and hence should be taken into consideration," said Vardhan.

09:16 (IST)

Lok Sabha Latest Update

Debate on pollution crisis in Delhi-NCR region to continue

The Lok Sabha, on the fourth day of the Winter Session of Parliament, will discuss on the pollution crisis in Delhi and NCR region. Congress' Manish Tewari and BJD’s Pinaki Misra will initiate the debate, followed by a reply from Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Parliament LATEST Updates: During zero hour, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari raised the electoral bond issue in the Lower Hosue alleging there was no clarity on donor or their identity.

"This is cover-up over corruption under this scheme," Tewari argued that right before election, at the instruction and direction of PMO, the whole process of electoral bonds was channelised.

As the issue of electoral bonds intensified in both the Houses, the Congress walked out after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla dismissed plea for discussion on scheme. The Grand Old Party will also hold a protest at the Gandhi statue, according to top party sources.

"We will not let the issue of electoral bonds die down. We will make the government answerable. We are reaching out to Opposition parties to build a floor strategy against the government. we want a detailed discussion on it," a party source said.

Citing "lack of transparency" in the scheme of electoral bonds, the Congress issues adjournment motion notice in the Lower House. According to ANI, Congress MP Manish Tewari is likely to speak on the matter.

Question Hour was underway in Lok Sabha, where MPs asked questions to Minister of States (Independent Charge) Kiren Rijiju. Meanwhile, several Opposition MPs are raising slogans "Desh k Bechna Band Karo (stop selling the country) and Pradhan Mantri Jawab do (Prime Minister, answer us)" apparently in reference to the recent controversy over the sale of electoral bonds.

The Congress is expected to raise the issue of electoral bonds in both the Houses after demanding on Wednesday that the government must disclose all details about electoral bonds before Parliament.

The Opposition party alleged that the scheme resulted in money laundering and destroyed transparency in the funding of political parties. Describing electoral bonds as a "political bribery scheme", the Congress said it was a scam that tarnished the image of the Indian democracy.

Meanwhile, the National Capital's air quality entered 'very poor' category on Wednesday and is likely to turn severe over the next two days due to prevailing calm winds and increased incidents of farm fires, officials said.

The government's air quality monitoring and forecasting service SAFAR said the air quality in Delhi may enter the severe category in some parts of Delhi by Friday.

Entering the fourth day on Thursday, the Winter Session of Parliament will commence at 11 am, when the discussion on the pollution crisis in Delhi and NCR region will be taken up by the Lower House. Congress' Manish Tewari and BJD’s Pinaki Misra will initiate the debate, followed by a reply from Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

In the Upper House, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, will be taken up for further consideration along with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.

Union minister Harsh Vardhan will move The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019. This Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned to them at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra, according to PRS Legislative Research. "The Bill is to provide protection for the rights of transgender persons and their welfare and hence should be taken into consideration," said Vardhan.

The Dam Safety Bill, 2019, is also scheduled to be tabled for consideration and passing. The Dam Safety Bill, 2019, provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of dams for prevention of dam failure-related disasters.

What happened in the Lok Sabha on third day of Winter Session of Parliament?

After a lengthy debate that spanned three days, the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lower House. The Bill raises the monetary limits for chit funds and introduces a higher commission for "foremen," or the officials who are responsible for managing the chits.

The Bill also introduces words such as "fraternity fund", "rotating savings" and "credit institution" to make chit funds more respectable, said Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur.

No question of any discrimination in NRC, says Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Upper House on the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir and also announced that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be implemented nationwide.

Shah told the Rajya Sabha that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list. There is no provision in the NRC that people belonging to other religions will not be included in the register, he added.

He said the Centre accepts that refugees – Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis - who left Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious atrocities should get Indian citizenship.

"The process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be carried out across the country. No one irrespective of their religion should be worried. It is just a process to get everyone under the NRC," he said replying to a supplementary during Question Hour.

The controversial WhatsApp snooping case was also taken up by a parliamentary standing committee while Rajya Sabha witnessed uproar over the withdrawal of Special Protection Group (SPG) cover to the members of the Gandhi family.

The Indian Youth Congress organised a Parliament gherao to oppose the government's move while Congress' Anand Sharma raised the issue in Rajya Sabha.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2rWXulJ

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