Since the Monsoon Session began on July 18, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha have failed to transact any significant business so far, and the fourth day of the Session also started on a stormy note on Thursday, with both the Houses getting adjourned minutes after assembling.
The Lok Sabha functioned even as majority of the Opposition members walked out. While the Congress MPs did over Enforcement Directorate summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, others like DMK, Left and NCP walked out over price rise and GST. The TMC MPs were not present in the Lower House. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned twice during the pre-lunch period after Opposition members created uproar over issues of price rise and Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike on daily essentials.
;Today, the Lok Sabha was expected to take up the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 for consideration and passing; however, it stands adjourned till tomorrow owing to Opposition protests.
The Upper House commenced its discussion of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 post Lunch Hour. The house was adjourned after V Murleedharan, MoS for Parliamentary Affairs, requested that the bill be discussed when Opposition members were present.
On Wednesday, the third day of the Monsoon Session, both the Houses were adjourned because of Opposition protests on price rise and inflation. The Lower House alone discussed some issues under Rule 377 before adjourning for the day.
Here are the live updates:
House adjourned till tomorrow
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11 a.m, July 22, 2022, after the laying of Committee reports by NCP MP Vandana Chavan pertaining to the Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill, 2021.
Weapon of Mass Destruction Amendment bill discussion postponed till Monday
BJP MP Prakash Javdekar voiced his support of the bill. He said that many wondered if Covid-19 was a biological weapon. He also praised the bill’s tackling of the issue of terror financing.
“It is a small but important bill,” he said, highlighting that it dealt with the nation’s security and the world’s security. “We will end terrorism,” he said, saying that was the object of the bill.
Mr. Javdekar brought up MP Manoj Kumar Jha’s comments about ‘Weapons of mass disruption’ and criticised the Opposition for disrupting House proceedings.
V Murleedharan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, requested that the discussion on the bill be postponed to Monday since the government wished to pass the bill with the participation of the opposition. Saying that the bill deals with important matters, he asked that it be discussed when the opposition members are present.
Weapons of Mass destruction bill discussion continues
Prof Manoj Kumar Jha, RJD MP from Bihar, spoke up in support of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill. He raised the issue of the title of the bill in Hindi.
He pointed out that our country has been vulnerable since World War 2 and raised the issue of cryptocurrency being used to finance illegal activities.
Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow
The Lok Sabha stands adjourned till 11 a.m., July 22, 2022.
RS resumes with discussion of Weapons of Mass Destruction Amendment Bill
House takes up the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 for discussion. Bhubaneshwar Kalita is presiding.
Opposition MPs threaten to stage a walkout over the price rise issue. P Wilson discusses price rise issue during his time for discussing the bill, nothing taken on record.
RS adjourned till 2 p.m. for Lunch Hour
After Question Hour ended in the Rajya Sabha, papers were laid on the table. The House has been adjourned till 2 p.m. The WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 is scheduled to be be taken up for consideration and passing in the Rajya Sabha today.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2.15 p.m.
The Lower House breaks for lunch and the proceedings will resume at 2.15 p.m.
RS resumes amidst coninued sloganeering
Proceedings resume in Rajya Sabha as Opposition MPs continued to protest against GST hike on daily items and other issues.
"If all members go back to their seats, I will take point of orders, otherwise not," says Deputy Chairman. As DMK MP Tiruchi Siva tries to raise Point of Order but the Deputy Chairman said it is not allowed during the Question Hour.
Zero Hour continues in Lok Sabha
Matters of urgent public importace being discussed in the Lower House. Geetha Viswanath Vanga of YSRCP raises the Godavari floods and says there is immediate need to tackle soil erosion, especially in the coastal belt. Rattan Lal Katariya, BJP MP from Ambala, Haryana, demands for enhanced connectivity at the airport in Panchkula. People have to travel till Mohali to catch flights, he points out.
SAD MP from Bathinda, Punjab, Harsimrat Kaur Badal raises the issue of MSP committee formed on 18th July. She says five people in the committee had vociferously supported the farm laws. Punjab’s farmers, government and agriculture university, all have been ignored in the committe, she says, adding that it were the farmers of Punjab who had lost lives fighting the three-agri laws.
Ram Kripal Yadav, BJP MP from Pataliputra in Bihar, demands for a Krishi Vigyan Kendra in his district, saying people have to travel 80 km to gain scientific knowledge about agriculture. JD(U) MP from Supaul, Bihar, Disleshwar Kamat demands restoration of old pension scheme for Navodaya teachers. BSP’s Ritesh Pandey raises the issue of unemployment in the start-up sectors.
Rajya Sabha adjourned for 10 minutes
Deputy Chairman requested AAP MP Sanjay Singh to return to his seat as Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans against the price rise and GST holding placards in the well. Following the ruckus, the House has been adjourned for 10 minutes till 12.35 p.m.. The Opposition even demanded to know why Punjab has not been represented in the MSP panel.
Opposition MPs in the well as proceedings resume
Question Hour is currently under way in the Rajya Sabha amid sloganeering by the Opposition MPs. Deputy Chairman requests MPs to go back to their seats and let the proceedings continue. Opposition MPs are raising slogans seeking a debate on price rise and GST on certain items of daily use.
Opposition MPs are in the well with placards.
Keep one day of the week for any matter Opposition wishes to discuss: Kapil Sibal’s suggestion to avoid logjam in Parliament
Amid the logjam in Parliament, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal suggested that the rules of procedure may be altered to have one day of the week for any matter the Opposition wishes to discuss with the government having no right to veto this.
“Logjam in Parliament. For a start: Alter rules of procedure: One day of the week for any matter the opposition wishes to discuss. Government should have no right to veto on this,” Mr. Sibal said in a tweet. “No legislation should be passed without discussion. On this opposition to cooperate,” he added.
Congress MPs stage a walkout
As the Lower House reassembled at 11.30 a.m., Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans against price rise and the Enforcement Directorate summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for questioning in a money laundering case. Later, as the Chairman refused to entertain their demands, the Congress MPs staged a walkout from the House. Congress MPs are marching from Parliament to the AICC office over the ED action by buses kept outside the Parliament complex.
The House proceedings, however, continue during the Question Hour.
Sloganeering continues as Lok Sabha reassembles
After getting adjourned till 11.30 a.m. over Opposition protests over rising prices and the Enforcement Directorate summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for questioning in a money laundering case, the Lok Sabha reassembles again, but the sloganeering by Opposition MPs continue.
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, talking about the Godavari floods during the Question Hour, says the Central Government already provides flood-related assitance to all the States and is ready to extend support to all the States.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 11.30 a.m.
Amidst unrelenting sloganeering from Opposition members, BJP MP Prahlad Joshi says that we have already agreed to discuss price rise. “When Nirmala Sitharaman has recovered from COVID, we will have a discussion,” he says. “Do the Opposition members want the House to funstion or not,” the BJP MP asks.
As sloganeering and protests continue, Speaker Om Birla says House is adjourned till 11.30 a.m.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 p.m.
As proceedings began in Upper House for Day 4 of the Monsoon Session 2022, Opposition MPs continued to protest against rising prices and other issues. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu objected to members bringing placards and other items in the House and adjourned the session till 12 noon today.
Earlier, he wished Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on the latter’s 80th birthday.
Proceedings begin in Lok Sabha
Amidst continued sloganeering by Opposition leaders, Day 4 proceedings in the Lower House begin. The Speaker urges the Opposition MPs to raise their demands after the Question Hour, but sloganeering continues.
Amidst unrelenting sloganeering, BJP MP Prahlad Joshi says that we have already agreed to discuss price rise. “Do the Opposition members want the House to funstion or not,” the BJP MP asks.
Cong. MP gives adjournment motion notice in LS to discuss ‘misuse’ of ED
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday gave a notice of adjournment in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on the alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate and “targeting” of “innocent” Opposition leaders.
The notice by Mr. Tagore comes on a day Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is set to be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering investigation the agency is carrying out into the affairs of the National Herald newspaper.
In his notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General, Mr. Tagore sought a discussion on the alleged misuse of the ED and “list of scams” of the BJP government pending with the Enforcement Department.
He alleged that the ED functions as the “Enemy Destroyer (ED)“ of the BJP government.
“The House shall also advise the ED to abandon the behaviour of calling the public representatives of Opposition party, especially targeting the opposition leaders,” he said. - PTI
Monsoon Session Day 3: continued protests, written replies, and more | Parliament Watch podcast
In this episode of the Parliament Watch podcast, we cover the continued protests and sloganeering against price hikes, written replies to critical questions, and UPSC candidate recommendations.
