For the third day in a row, both Houses of Parliament could barely do any business, with the government refusing to concede to the Opposition’s demand of holding a debate on the farmers’ agitation. Each House managed to pass one bill each amidst din. The Lok Sabha passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill and the Rajya Sabha cleared the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In the Rajya Sabha, commotion began early on, with the first adjournment coming in just 17 minutes after the session began for the day. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notices moved by Congress members Deepender Hooda, Pratap Bajwa and Rajiv Satav, along with DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, and RJD’s Manoj K Jha asking for the suspension of business to discuss the farmers’ agitation.
Parliament proceedings | Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha manage to pass one Bill each amidst din
Here are the latest updates:
Lok Sabha resumes, Meenakshi Lekhi is on Chair. House takes up the Demand for Grants on Railways.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says that since morning they have been trying to raise the voice of farmers.
BJP's Ram Kirpal Yadav is speaking now on Demands for Grant for Railways. He targets the Congress for not discussing important issues. He says Railways helps in cultural nationalism, is the lifeline of the country.
He recounts the contribution of Railways during the fight against corona pandemic, be it transporting PPE kits, sanitizers, essential commodities and so on. He also talks about medical facilities by Railways.
As protests continue, Ms. Lekhi asks Ram Kirpal Yadav to continue on Monday. She adjourns the House until 11 a.m., Monday, March 15, 2021.
Rajya Sabha passes the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021, amidst din. This bill was already been cleared by Lok Sabha.
House adjourns upto Monday, March 15, 2021.
TDP member Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar supports the bill and says, "We have to create a mechanism to see that there is a minimum judicial interference in the award passed through arbitration, whether this proposed amendment will serve the purpose or not. I seek clarification from the honourable Minister."
Smt. Vandana Chauhan says as a matter of protest she does not wish to speak about the bill. "On the one hand, we are agitating for the farmers of this country, on the other side we are passing a bill which favours the industrialists, which is absolutely not okay."
Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad says that this is a national compelling necessity to pass this bill.
Rajya Sabha resumes as members raise slogans. House discusses Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for consideration and passing.
BJD member Dr. Amar Patnaik supports the bill.
YSRCP member Ayodhya Rami Reddy speaks about the amendment, says he supports the bill, as Opposition can be heard chanting slogans.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge speaks about farmers' protests, says farmers have lost their lives.
BJP member Meenakshi Lekhi speaks about unauthorised colonies. "A large number of people living in Delhi's unauthorised colonies are not getting the required amenities. In Delhi, provision for ownership rights to those living in these colonies has been made, which will facilitate loans from banks. The improvement in basic amenities will better their living conditions."
"The Bill is about the future of 60 lakh people [living in unauthorised colonies]. Survey should be conducted and the residents should be registered for providing ownership rights. People who have constructed houses on agricultural land due to space scarcity are being harassed, their problem should be resolved," says BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri.
Dr. Alok Kumar Suman of JD(U) supports the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
MoS, Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri says there is a public perception that the issues of unauthorised colonies were delayed by those who were in office earlier. "In 1947, 17% of the total country's population lived in urban areas, Delhi's population was 8 lakh, after partition and relocations, it went up to 22 lakh....expect that during the 2021 census, the population would be close to 2 crore," he says.
The Minister quotes a letter from Delhi government to Ministry of Urban Development asking for time from August 1, 2017, to July 2019 for survey of unauthorised colonies. In 2019, he says, "they wanted another two years...this is why we brought this Bill."
The Bill gets cleared by the House by voice vote.
House adjourned till 2.30 p.m.
Zero Hour begins.
Shiv Sena Member Vinayak B. Raut raises the issue of alleged suicide by seven-term MP Mohan Delkar, says the Maharashtra Government has ordered an inquiry into it. He demands action against the local administration officials.
JD(U) Member Kaushalendra Kumar says the 16-page note by Mr. Delkar, in which about a dozen officials have been named, should be looked into. The people in Mr. Delkar's constituency have demanded immediate removal of the administrator accused of harassing him, he says.
Chair asks the members who have been allowed to make their submissions under Rule 377 to place their statements on the table of the House.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri moves for consideration and passing the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill.
Lok Sabha resumes.
Chair turns downs the adjournment motions on various issues, Opposition members resume protest, raise slogans.
Papers are being laid on the Table.
Rajya Sabha adjourns for the second time in the day as Opposition continues to raise slogans against the three farm laws.
It will now resume at 2 p.m.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pauses daily business, and requests sloganeering members to keep the dignity of the House intact.
He again urges the protesting the members to go back to their seats, and assures that they will be given ample time to discuss the issues raised by them.
As sloganeering continues, he adjourns the House till 12.30 p.m.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 12.30 p.m.
BJP, Shiv Sena spar over bullet trains
Shiv Sena Member Prataprao Jadhav asks the government about plans to introduce a bullet train between Mumbai and Nagpur.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal says the first high speed train is being brought on Mumbai-Ahmedabad line, expresses dismay over the delay in acquisition of land (only 24% till now) in Maharashtra for the project, whereas it has already been done in Gujarat. If the work is expedited, the government may also bring a high speed train on Mumbai-Nagpur route, he says.
Despite efforts, the land for setting up the station in Mumbai has not been acquired, says Union Minister.
Shiv Sena's Arvind Ganpat Sawant raises the issue of ₹1 lakh crore due to the State from Centre.
Mr. Goyal says this is not correct, will provide information about how much the State owes to the Railway. He says the previous governments (i.e. those before 2014) only announced projects without any allocations. But this government is now working on completing those projects, he says. With the support of respective State governments, the projects can be completed at the earliest, he adds.
Rajya Sabha adjourned
Ruckus in Rajya Sabha as Chairman Venkaiah Naidu denies request by opposition members.
The opposition members had moved motion under Rule 267 to suspend business of the day to discuss the farmers' agitation.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu disallowed it saying that there was a discussion on this during the first part of the Budget session. "You are not doing the farmers justice," he said.
"If you have the numbers you can prevail over the government. But if you don't, how can you disrupt the proceedings?" he adds.
He asks the members, who have risen to their feet and is in the well, to return to their seats.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 p.m.
Member Nishikant Dubey raises the issue of theft of power grid wires in Deoghar, Jharkhand. He also raises the issue of Universal Service Obligation Fund funding.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says he will seek more details and take appropriate measures.
In Rajya Sabha, business begins as scheduled as members lay reports of committees on table.
Motion of election of seven members to the Committee on Public Undertakings moved by MoS Parliamentary Affairs Minister V. Muraleedharan.
Lok Sabha begins business amidst sloganeering from Opposition members. Question Hour is under way.
Lok Sabha
Bills for Consideration and Passing
- National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Discussion and Voting on the Demands for Grants of the M/o Railways for 2021-22
Discussion and Voting on the Demands for Grants of the M/o Education for 2021-22
Rajya Sabha
Bills for Consideration and Passing
- Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021
- National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2019
Discussion of the working of M/o Railways
Discussion of the working of M/o Jal Shakti
Over 72% rise in number of UAPA cases registered in 2019
There has been over 72% increase in the number of persons arrested under the anti-terror law UAPA (Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act) in 2019 compared to 2015, data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the Lok Sabha shows.
As many as 1948 persons were arrested under the UAPA in 1226 cases registered across the country in 2019. Such cases registered in 2015-2018 stood at 897, 922, 901 and 1182 and the number of those arrested was 1128, 999, 1554 and 1421 respectively.
Parliament proceedings | Over 72% rise in number of UAPA cases registered in 2019
Parliamentary panel anguished over delay in 888 road projects
There are 888 road projects delayed under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture noted with anguish.
In its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the panel said these projects were worth ₹3,15,373.3 crore and covered 27,600 km.
“The Committee desires the Ministry to focus and prioritise completion of ongoing delayed projects instead of announcing and awarding new road projects,” the report said.
Parliamentary panel anguished over delay in 888 road projects
