 "Nari Shakti sets sail: 10 women officers from 3 forces on historic voyage around the world")
 "CP Radhakrishnan takes oath as Vice President of India")
Parliament latest updates: Amid ruckus in the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar appealed to the Opposition to stop obstructing the working of the Parliament. Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day while Rajya Sabha will reconvene at 3.30 pm. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm. The Lok Sabha was also supposed to discuss the Punjab National Bank fraud case from noon onwards, say reports. The discussion is expected to go on for at least four hours today. Both Houses of Parliament saw adjournments on the first day of the second-half of budget session, with opposition members seeking to corner the government on a range of issues, including the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh and demand for increasing quota beyond 50 percent in Telangana. While the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after an earlier adjournment, the Rajya Sabha saw three adjournments. As the upper House was reconvened at 2 p.m after two earlier adjournments, the opposition MPs were on their feet and many of them trooped near the Chair’s podium, shouting slogans “Nirav Modi ko wapas laao (Bring Nirav Modi back)”. Diamantaire Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi of Geetanjali Gems are the main accused in the Rs 12,600-crore PNB fraud case. Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien asked the agitating members to return to their seats but they kept shouting slogans. On the other side of the podium, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs protested demanding special status to Andhra Pradesh, since Telangana was carved out of it. [caption id=“attachment_4378183” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the Parliament. PTI[/caption] Kurien said he was ready to allow a short duration discussion on the PNB frauds and asked Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to start it. But, Azad said that discussion could be started only if the other parties agreed to it. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to bring back black money. The black money hasn’t come, while the white money flew out of the country,” Azad said. Amid the din, Kurien adjourned the House for the day. In the morning, as soon as the House met for the day, opposition MPs protested against the multi-crore PNB scam forcing two adjournments. Several opposition MPs including Azad, Samajwadi Party’s Naresh Agarwal and Trinamool Congress’ Sukhendu Shekhar Roy had given notice to discuss the PNB scam under Rule 267 by suspending all listed business for the day. From the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) side, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe had given notice under the same rule for discussion on relatives of former Union Ministers allegedly found involved in scams. The Chair rejected the notices and asked them to raise the issues under other relevant rules. In the Lok Sabha, opposition members from several parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the AIADMK, were on their feet raising different issues after the House met for the day. Several members, including those from the TDP and the TRS, were displaying placards. While most of the TDP MPs were wearing yellow scarves, party MP Naramalli Sivaprasad from Chittoor was dressed as Lord Krishna. The AIADMK members were demanding constitution of Cauvery Management Board. Amid din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that she had accepted resignation of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neiphiu Rio as a member of the House with effect from February 22. As the sloganeering continued, Mahajan adjourned the House for the day. Earlier, when the House met in the morning for its first sitting of the second-half of budget session, similar protests were witnessed. The Trinamool Congress and left paeties raised slogans in protest against the alleged bank fraud. The members also paid tributes to four former members who had passed away.
Budget Session updates: Lok Sabha adjourned for the day; Rajya Sabha to reconvene at 3.30 pm
Both Houses of Parliament saw adjournments on the first day of the second-half of budget session, with opposition members seeking to corner the government on a range of issues, including the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh and demand for increasing quota beyond 50 percent in Telangana.
 "Budget Session updates: Lok Sabha adjourned for the day; Rajya Sabha to reconvene at 3.30 pm")
Why did Congress not allow business to happen? asks Ananth Kumar
“From 5 March to 27 March, why did the Congress not allow business to happen?” said Union minister Ananth Kumar. “On 15 and 16 March, the YSRCP and TDP motions of no-confidence were brought up. Congress brought it up on 27 March? Why did they bring it up so late?” he added.
“Congress has become a marginal party, even in the Parliament,” he said. “They don’t have their own parliamentary strategy for both the Houses. They don’t have parliamentary logic,” he added.
BJP will protest against negative attitude of Congress: Ananth Kumar
BJP works for connecting people, Congress works for dividing people. Congress indulges in divisive, negative politics. It didn't let the House function. We'll sit in protest against the negative attitude of Congress during last 23 days: Ananth Kumar,Parliamentary Affairs Minister pic.twitter.com/T710ENwveX
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
Venkaiah Naidu reminds MPs of their duties
“I make an appeal to all of you to appear here next time to do what we were given to do at the time of Independence,” said Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
Lok Sabha is a platform to raise issues for welfare of people: LS Speaker
“This Sabha is for a platform the raise issues for the welfare of the people. I understand that MPs have several issues they want to raise but they should keep in mind that the country has a variety of issues which need to be focused on,” said Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Ruckus in Lok Sabha
LS Speaker reminded the MPs that today was the last day of the second leg of the Budget Session, even though the MPs continued shouting.
Punjab Congress MPs protest in Parliament, demanding farm loan waiver
Punjab Congress MPs protest in Parliament premises demanding farm loan waiver. pic.twitter.com/Kjhg75H4sC
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
TDP MPs protest in Parliament demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs protest in Parliament premises demanding #SpecialStatus for #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/vJZRLRXphi
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
Karnataka Congress MPs protest in Parliament seeking constitution of Cauvery Management Board
Karnataka Congress MPs protest in Parliament premises against the constitution of #CauveryManagementBoard pic.twitter.com/zWHpVbRe6o
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
Karnataka Congress MPs protest in Parliament opposing constitution of Cauvery Management Board
Karnataka Congress MPs protest in Parliament premises against the constitution of #CauveryManagementBoard pic.twitter.com/zWHpVbRe6o
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
TDP MP Sivaprasad has consistently used different costumes as a sign of protest
TDP MP Naramalli Sivaprasad dresses up as Sage Vishvamitra to protest over the demand of special status for Andhra Pradesh. Sivaprasad has earlier dressed up as a woman, a washerman & a school boy among others #Delhi#BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/G8KfdBVwNs
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
Five YSRCP MPs to submit their resignation from Lok Sabha to Speaker
Both TDP and YSRCP heightened their protests today demanding special status of Andhra Pradesh. YSRCP, however, seems to have taken the lead in the Lok Sabha with five of its MPs likely to tender their resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, ANI said.
Five YSRCP MPs to submit their resignation from Lok Sabha to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. #SpecialStatus #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/2j5e7WclUA
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
Visuals from BJP parliamentary party meet
Delhi: Visuals from BJP Parliamentary Party Meeting. #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/s6Uy7kck6s
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
(Updates begin for 6 April)
YSRCP MP PV Midhun Reddy submits resignation from Lok Sabha: ANI
PJ Kurien says he can move motion to expel members protesting in Rajya Sabha
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said that he has an alternative to deal with the protests in the Upper House. “As per rule. I will see that a motion is moved to expel all protesting members. Thereby, you will lose all your voting right,” he told the protesting MPs.
Kurien went on to read the rules of the Rajya Sabha. “You are all eligible for suspension,” he said.
Lok Sabha reconvenes, AIADMK members protests continue
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge urged Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to take up the no-confidence motion as the AIADMK continued protesting in the Lower House.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm
Both the Houses of the Parliament were adjourned within minutes of reconvening on Thursday amid protests by the Opposition parties.
Subramanian Swamy refuses to forego salary
Asserting that he attended the House proceedings daily, Subramanian Swamy said that it isn’t his fault if the Parliament didn’t function. “Anyhow, I’m the president’s representative. Until he says so, how can I say I’ll not take my salary?” ANI quoted him as saying.
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul join Opposition protest in Parliament
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi have joined the Opposition protest in New Delhi against the Centre.
Congress had said on Wednesday that it would not mind if Parliament session was extended by a day or two, but a debate on key issues should take place. “We want to hold discussions on key issues of national importance and we also want to pass legislation. The government should take the lead in doing so. We are not averse even if the session is extended by a day or two,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad had told reporters.
Delhi: Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi join joint opposition protest in Parliament against the government over bank scam issue, farmer crisis, no-confidence motion, SC/ST Protection Act and disinvestment of Air India among other issues. pic.twitter.com/nrIDBCTmjl
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2018
Opposition protests in Parliament premises over issues like farmer woes, SC/ST Protection Act
Leaders of several Opposition parties are holding a demonstration inside the Parliament premises over various issues.
Over a dozen Opposition parties had appealed to Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday for holding discussion on key matters like the SC/ST Act, PNB bank fraud, CBSE paper leak and Cauvery issue. Opposition leaders, including from the Congress, BSP, SP, DMK, NCP, TMC and the Left parties, had met in Parliament to discuss the lack of debate.
Delhi: Opposition parties protest in Parliament against the government over bank scam issue, farmer crisis, no-confidence motion, SC/ST Protection Act and disinvestment of Air India among other issues. pic.twitter.com/9nBUdQUS0G
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2018
BJP, NDA MPs won’t take 23-day salary
BJP and NDA party MPs announced on Wednesday night that they will take a pay cut for the 23 days wasted in the second phase of the Budget Session as they accused the Congress party of playing negative politics.
Announcing the decision, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said it has been decided that the NDA MPs would be giving up their salary and other allowances for 23 days “for which parliament was not allowed to function by the Congress”.
‘You deprived the Dalits’
As Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad blamed the government for not listening to demands of Dalits, BJP’s Vijay Goel said it was the Congress who was actually being “anti-Dalit”.
“Let’s have a discussion in the House over who is anti-Dalit. You ruled the country for so long and deprived the Dalits of their basic needs. We brought many Acts in favour of Dalits. You did not even give Bharat Ratna to Bhimrao Ambedkar,” Goel said.
 "Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty")
 "Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched")
 "Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?")
 "Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House")
 "Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty")
 "Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched")
 "Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?")
 "Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House")
Top Shows
