Parliament Updates: Day 5 of Budget Session in LS near washout; House adjourned due to protest on farm laws

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2021-22 Budget ‘booster rocket’ for economy, will make this decade ‘Roaring 20s’ for India: Sinha

Describing the 2021-22 Budget a “booster rocket” for the economy, BJP leader Jayant Sinha on Friday said it will place India on the path of non-inflationary growth and make this decade “Roaring 20s” for the country. This Budget has focused on supply-side investment and this is going to ensure that the country has a non-inflationary growth for very long period of time, Sinha, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, said.

“This budget is a booster rocket for the economy. The country is proceeding on a V-shaped recovery path and will immensely benefit from this booster rocket. It will firmly place the country on a non-inflationary growth trajectory, which is going to sustain for a very long period of time,” he told PTI.

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Rationalise both freight and passenger fares prudently: Parl panel to railways

A parliamentary panel has raised concerns over the losses incurred by the Indian Railways passenger services especially due to its social service obligation, and suggested that the national transporter rationalise both freight and passenger fares “prudently”.

“The predicament of the railways is that the profits earned from freight business are utilised to compensate for the lossess incurred on passenger and other coaching services, thereby adversely affecting both freight and passenger business. It, therefore, becomes imperative that both freight and passenger fares are rationalised prudently,” it said.

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COVID vaccines exported to 15 countries: Health Minister

BJP’s Jagdambika Pal asked the Health Minister if India is exporting vaccines to its neighbours in keeping with its Neighbourhood First Policy. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that vaccines have been exported to 15 countries so far. “A total of 22 countries have sought India’s vaccines. In some nations, we have given vaccines in the form of grant. While 56 lakh does have been given as grants, 105 lakh doses have been supplied under contracts”

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LS adjourned within 15 minutes of convenin; to meet again at 6 pm

Lok Sabha was adjourned till 6 pm after members kept on with their protests and disrupted the question hour.

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Question Hour underway in Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha Om Speaker started the proceeding with Question Hour. Members raised questions related to the Health Ministry and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan provided responses. However, Opposition members continued their protest for the fourth straight day unabated. Slogans of “Take back black laws” and “Stop with the Dictatorship” kept echoing in the House.

Lok Sabha proceedings begin amid Opposition protests

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Nails on roads for farmers will turn out to be nails in ‘political coffin’ of BJP: Jayant Chaudhary

Asserting that farmers will not settle for anything less than the repeal of the new farm laws, RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary on Friday said the government’s “strong arm tactics” will not work against the tillers and the nails being laid on roads for them would turn out to be the nails in the “political coffin” of the BJP.

Chaudhary, who has participated in a number of ‘kisaan panchayats’ in western Uttar Pradesh and is campaigning aggressively against the Centre’s farm laws, said the government must immediately withdraw the legislations and draft them afresh after taking the consent of farmers.

In an interview with PTI, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) vice president alleged that the current leadership of the country is far removed from sentiments and is not perturbed by riots, deaths or big agitations as it is “cocooned” in its own bubble.

“It is a totalitarian administration. They are not even listening to their own political people on the ground. If you speak to BJP MLAs or MPs off the record, they are not happy and they can feel the angst rising in the people of India, in the common man who voted for (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi,” the former MP said.

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What’s on Lok Sabha’s agenda today?

The Standing Committees on Social Justice will present its report in the Lok Sabha, while Union ministers including Smriti Iraani and Harsh Vardhan will lay papers on the table of the House. MoS Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal is due to make a statement and the Lower House is also scheduled to deliberate on a number of private member pills.

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Opposition parties in RS demand repeal of farm laws

Various opposition parties like the Shiv Sena, SAD, NCP, Samajwadi Party and Left parties on Friday demanded in Rajya Sabha that the three new farm laws be repealed and fresh ones brought after wider consultations. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, the members of opposition parties attacked the government for dubbing the farmers protesting against the farm laws as “anti-nationals” and for “defaming” their agitation.

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What’s the problem if foreign celebs support farmer stir; don’t know Rihanna, Greta: Rakesh Tikait

For all the global uproar the farmers’ movement against the new agri laws has caused, the man at its centre seems oblivious of the celebrity support he has been getting. Rakesh Tikait, the 51-year-old Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader from the hinterlands of Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh, welcomed the support from international artistes and activists, including Rihanna and Greta Thunberg, but acknowledged he does not know them.

“If some foreigner is supporting the movement, then what is the problem. They are not giving us or taking anything away from us,” he said. Commenting on a futile attempt of 15 members of Parliament to reach Ghazipur and meet protestors on Thursday, the BKU national spokesperson said the MPs should have sat on the ground on the other side of the barricading where they were stopped by the Delhi Police.

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Rajya Sabha adjourned till 9 am on Monday

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Rajya Sabha concludes discussion on Motion of Thanks

Rajya Sabha has concluded the discussion of Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond on Monday.

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Ram Chander Jangra gives maiden speech in RS

Jangra, in his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, raised the issues related to the craftsmen and workers of India. Jangra praised the Made in India, Mudra Yojna and vocal for local schemes launched by the Narendra Modi government.

India handled pandemic well, helped other countries: BJP MP

BJP MP Indu Bala Goswami lauded India’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, adding that not only did the country responsed well to the outbreak but also helped other countries.

RPI’s Ramdas Athwale seeks caste-based census

Ramdas Athawale, MoS Social Justice and Empowerment, said President Ram Nath Kovind’s address does justice to all sections of society.

“The 2021 Census should be done on the basis of caste. Maratha community in Maharashtra, Jats in Haryana and Rajasthan and Thakur/Kshatriyas are demanding reservation, they should all get it. SC/ST should get reservation in promotion,” he said.

Centre may refer farm reform laws to Parliamentary Committee: Report

The Centre may reportedly refer the three new farm laws, the implementation of which has been stayed by the Supreme Court, to a parliamentary committee.

The Union government is considering at the highest level, however, no decision has yet been taken, the Livemint reported.

Understand politics behind Opposition support for protests, BJP MP urges farmers

BJP’s Neeraj Shekar condemns the Opposition for boycotting the President’ Ram Nath Kovinds address. He went on to request farmers to understand the politics behind the Opposition supporting them. “These parties want to rule Punjab and Haryana,” he said.

Farmera are aware of hidden agenda of laws: Shiromani Akali Dal MP

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Sardar Balwinder Singh Bhunder said in the Rajya Sabha that farmers are aware of the hidden agenda behind the farm laws.

“You say the laws enable contract farming. But on the other hand, you have diluted Essential Commodities Act and brought trade laws. A small or marginal farmer is pitted against a large corporate. How will he fight them,” he asked.

Bhunder said that after a year or two, corporated will have a monopoly in farm lands and produce and there will be no control on holdings. “You asked how will a farmer lose land? When a big company comes, it will dictate terms. There will be no control on price, farmers will be under debt and will eventually lose their lands. Have you given guarantee of MSP in the law?” he asked.

Government which doesn’t respect farmers will not last long: Congress MP

Congress’ Akhilesh Prasad Singh warned while addressing the Rajya Sabha that a government that doesn’t respect farmers will not last long.

He went on to say, “APMC was abolished in Bihar and a farmer earns Rs 3,000 in one acre. In Punjab and Haryana where mandis work and MSP is there, the average income of farmers is Rs 15,000.”

“You fight the opposition parties, you may have problem with tractor rally and remove security of the Opposition, but do not insult the farmers,” Singh further added.

What is ‘black’ in farm laws, asks Narendra Singh Tomar

Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that even though the government is ready to make amendments in the farm laws, there is nothing wrong in the legislations.

Stating that people of a particular state are misinformed, Tomar said, “I have been asking farmer union leaders from months on what is ‘Black’ in farm laws so that I can make it right.”

“Farmers are being misled that others would occupy their land if these laws are implemented. Let me know if there is a single provision in Contract Farming law which allows any trader to snatch away the land of any farmer,” he said, further claiming that it is Punjab’s Contract Farming Act that contains penal provisions.

“We have tried to double farmers’ income and the three farm bills are a step in this direction. These bills are going to increase the income of farmers,” he concluded his speech.

Centre has provided Rs 1 lakh crore for farm infrastructure: Agriculture minister

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre provided Rs 1 lakh crore agriculture infrastructure fund under Atmanirbhar package.

“The investment in farming sector should reach the farmers. Cold storage facilities are sometimes 80 km from the selling point have been set up,” he said.

PM Kisaan Yojana funds will be raised when more farmers register for scheme: Tomar

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar said additional funds will be allocated when more farmers are registered in the scheme, in response to Congress MP Anand Sharma’s appeal to increase the PM Kisaan Yojana budget.

“When PM Kisaan Yojana was launched it was envisaged for 14.5 crore farmers with Rs 75,000 crore allocation. Despite many efforts, 10.75 crore farmers were registered, we are trying to add others. West Bengal has not joined, yet 70 lakh would be added immediately. Under present circumstances, Rs 65,000 crore have allocated, which is why Rs 10,000 crore has been reduced from the Budget. As and when registration increases, we will ensure the scheme will not be short of any funds,” he said.

Tomar also said that while once there was food shortage, there is now a surplus and focus has to move to farmers’ earnings. Rs 1.15 lakh crore has been provided to farmers through DBT, he said.

TMC, RSP MPs give adjournment notices in LS over farmers’ protests

Trinamool Congress’ Saugata Ray gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha over the alleged “repression of farmers by police with the use of bar wires, spikes, trenches” at protest sites.

RSP’s NK Premachandran also gave an adjournment Motion Notice in the Lok Sabha “demanding a discussion on the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi borders”.

Centre’s pro-poor scheme have changes lives in villages: Narendra Singh Tomar

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Rajya Sabha that the pro-poor schemes of the government have brought a change in the lives of the people living in villages.

“We continuously increase the fund for MGNREGA. When COVID-19 hit the country, we raised the fund allocation to MGNREGA from Rs 61,000 crores to Rs 1.115 lakh crores. More than 10 crore people were provided employment,” he said.

Congress, Shiv Sena give adjournment notice over farm laws

Congress and Shiv Sena gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha, “demanding repealing of three farm laws in view of farmers’ agitation”.

Narendra Singh Tomar says Centre committed to villages’ betterment

Reiterating the Centre’s commitment towards the betterment of farmers and villages, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the 15th Finance Commission has recommended for providing Rs 2.36 lakh crores to gram panchayats, which has been accepted by the Cabinet.

“Around Rs 43,000 crores have been sanctioned for healthcare in rural areas. Rs 2.8 lakh crores will be spent via gram panchayats in five years,” he added.

“Earlier one could claim ownership of agricultural land and take loan against it but the building constructed on that land was not entitled to ownership claims. Under the Swamitva scheme, this has been changed. Now if a road passes through his fields and house, then that property will be accounted to provide compensation,” Tomar said in the Rajya Sabha.

He went on to say that even though then Congress-led central government had started, MGNREGA, the BJP-led Centre took it forward. “We increased MGNREGA’s efficacy. During COVID, over 1 lakh crore was allocated to the scheme, 10 crore people got employment. It was ensured that migrants should get work under MGNREGA,” he said.

Narendra Singh Tomar lauds Centre, states’ response to pandemic

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said 2020 was a difficult year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant effect on the economy.

“The country’s democracy and its citizens are our strength. When lockdown happened people followed discipline, which is laudable. We did not have resources when the pandemic struck, be it PPE kit or sanitisers. But the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its implementation by state governments and people is unimaginable” he said.

“We are now exporting PPE kits and every zila hospital is equipped with ventilators,” he went on to add.

Mallikarjun Kharge refutes Centre’s claim of doubling farmers’ income

Calling the President’s address a “sarkaari” speech, Mallikarjun Kharge recounted the history of pro-farmers’ movements initiated by the Congress.

“No one can forget Champaran satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. Congress has been part of this history, Gandhi said that laws that cannot protect you, then to disobey it is your duty and responsibility,” he said.

“This government has always said that they will double farmers’ income, but Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, within a month in June 2014 all States gave a diktat that even if one rupee above MSP is given then action will be taken. States then stopped giving bonus to farmers,” he said. He went on to say that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi convinced the Cabinet to change the Land Acquisition Act to give four times compensation to farmers.

“You said you will double farmers income, in six years they have not given 50 percent above production cost to farmers,” he said.

Over 6 crore farmers have not received a single penny out of 24.65 crore total farmers in the country, he said quoting to government records.

Narendra Singh Tomar to intervene in RS

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar will intervene shortly on the President’s motion in Rajya Sabha, News18 reported.

Red Fort incident send shockwaves across nation: Congress’ Anand Sharma

Congress’ Anand Sharma said that farmers were forced to fight for their rights and to get justice. “Government of India is responsible for the situation that has arisen. I want to pay tributes to the 194 farmers who died during the protests,” he said.

He also expressed sympathies for police personnel and officers who lost their lives during the 26 January violence in Delhi. “No one has the right to attack those who are discharging their duties. The Red Fort incident has sent shockwaves across the nation and it should be investigated,” he said.

He further said that the farm laws were brought through ordinance during the pandemic, calling the move unconstitutional. “You didn’t speak to state government, didn’t send it to committee. And then you ask why are people protesting? The constitutionality of the three farm laws must be checked at once and they should be repealed,” Sharma said.

He also said that the validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act and farm laws should be decided immediately.

States and Centre equally battled COVID-19: Congress MP Anand Sharma

Congress MP Anand Sharma said, “It was not just the Centre that was at the forefront of India’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the states. But even as we were tackling the COVID-19 crisis, India was going through an economic crisis. At the same time, our farmers were facing another predicament.”

He also said President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the Parliament adding that he stated only on what the government tells him. “There was no mention of the thousands of migrant labourers who were left on the road by the lockdown. There was no mention of the child who was left with a dead mother at the railway platform in the migrant labourer crisis,” he said.

“It is the right of people to protest against acts that might be against them. It is the duty of the government to listen to them,” he said.

MPs give notice of amendment to Motion of Thanks

Notice of amendments to Motion of Thanks on President’s address given by Digvijay Singh, KK Ragesh, T Siva, M Shanmugam, KC Venugopal, V Vijaysai Reddy, Deepender Hooda, Vishambhar Prasad Yadav, Chhaya Verma, and Elamaram Kareem in Rajya Sabha.

Nominated member Rakesh Sinha hits out at claims of govt stifling democracy

Nominated Member Rakesh Sinha, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said he would like to show the Opposition the mirror over claims that the ruling disposition is allowing democracy to be stifled. He went on to list the “draconian” laws enacted by the Congress. “We don’t even need to go to the Emergency days. Look at the laws you brought in the UPA regime,” he said.

Narrating an interaction with villagers of a border village in Meghalaya, which he has adopted, he said people are happy with Narendra Modi’s public distribution system. He also lauded the government’s decision to award Padma Awards to grassroots heroes.

Congress MP gives adjournment notice in LS

Congress MP and Whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment motion notice over “bodies of four fishermen from Tamil Nadu found in Palk Strait”.

Congress MP seeks SC-monitored inquiry into change in tractor rally route

Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, sought a Supreme Court-monitored time-bound inquiry to find out who asked the farmers to change the tractor rally route on Republic Day.

“People from Punjab give their lives for the country, have been sacrificing themselves at the border, have sacrificed themselves in India’s freedom struggle. Yet, you brand them as anti-nationals, you call them Khalistani?” he further said.

Barricades of Ghazipur look like Berlin Wall: Congress MP

Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa claimed in the Rajya Sabha that the farm Bills were passed in the House in an undemocratic manner and the Opposition was not given the chance to seek division. He also accused the government to use back-door entry to enact the laws at a time when the country was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The farmers are protesting on their own. They are collecting money from their fellow villagers to fund the protest. We fed the Bangladesh prisoners of war for two years. But you are not giving water to our own farmers. The barricades of Ghazipur looks like Berlin Wall. Is this world’s biggest democracy? These are the scenes from Afghanistan, in Saddam’s Iraq, in Libya,” he said.

Bajwa pointed out that MPs were not allowed to visit protest site. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to become a statesman, meet the farmers and tell them the Centre will repeal the Bills.

Parliament should not be taken for granted: BJP MP on farmers’s protest

On farmers’ protests, BJP’s Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, “Everyone tells us that we should leave our arrogance. But they forget that since 2002, the governments have been working on these lines. It is nothing new. We are ready for talks. We even offered to put it in abeyance for 18 months. If we are showing so much flexibility, why don’t they show similar flexibility.”

“Do we want a civil war? The Parliament should not be taken for granted. These laws were cleared by the Parliament,” he said.

Farmers suffering most despite maximum sacrifices for country: SAD MP

SAD MP Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said the the government insists that the three new farm laws are for the benefit of farmers, even though farmers are protesting them. “They have been demanding complete rollback of the farm laws, but nothing is happening. On the Republic Day violence, those who were behind the incident are not caught but the farmers are being blamed. These are farmers who have made the maximum sacrifices for the country,” he said.

Dhindsa further said, “Agriculture is a state subject but here, the Centre has come up with these laws that no one wants. The laws should have been brought after discussion with the farmers. I appeal to the Prime Minister to listen to the farmers in a respectable way, that is the only way to resolve this dispute.”

IUML MP demands reinstatement of MPLAD funds

IUML MP Abdul Wahab raised the issue of Siddique Kappan’s arrest, demanding that he be released. “Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) funds are the only thing that provides us (Rajya Sabha Members) some credibility. You suspended MPLADS fund for two years but we haven’t got the money for the previous year too,” Wahab said.

“I don’t know whether the PM has privately taken the vaccine. I request, that lawmakers should also be inoculated at the earliest,” Wahad said, adding he is a COVID-19 survivor himself.