Parliament LATEST Updates: Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday moved the Arms (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, two days after it was passed in the Lok Sabha. Listing the changes in the bill, Reddy was quoted by The Hindu as saying that the bill provides a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for manufacturing and carrying illegal arms.
Parliament LATEST Updates: Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday moved the Arms (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, two days after it was passed in the Lok Sabha.
Listing the changes in the bill, Reddy was quoted by The Hindu as saying that the bill provides a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for manufacturing and carrying illegal arms.
He said, "Sportspersons will be entitled to get licenses for different types of firearms under the bill. A person can have a maximum of two firearms, as against the present norm of three. Those who own more than two firearms will have to deposit the third one with authorities or authorised gun dealers within 90 days for de-licensing once the amendment is approved by the Parliament."
Maharashtra chief minister and chief of former NDA ally, the Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday clarified his party's stand on the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha at midnight on Tuesday with an overwhelming majority.
Uddhav, whose party is in a coalition government with the Congress and NCP, both of whom have vehemently opposed the bill, said, "There’s a perception that whoever votes with central government is a patriot and who voted against is anti-national. We must get out of that illusion. We voted yesterday to absorb various people facing brutalities in other countries but we have asked many questions. Those questions we thought would be answered, ranging from national security, to the rights of locals in various states of India.
“If these queries are not answered, we won’t be supporting CAB in the Rajya Sabha. Every party supporting or opposing it, is asking for clarity in national interest. Clarity must be ensured," he said.
Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha that the government of Jammu and Kashmir had reported that "in order to prevent committing of offences involving breach of peace,activities prejudicial to the security of State and maintenance of public order", stone pelters, over ground workers ,separatists, were taken into preventive custody under statutory provisions. Such preventive detentions are being regularly reviewed by relevant statutory authorities.
During attempts of infiltration from across Line of Control from 2005 till 31 October, 2019, 1,011 militants have been killed, 42 militants apprehended and 2,253 militants pushed back or returned due to efficient vigil of security forces, the Lower House was informed.
Since 1990, 22,557 militants have been neutralised in incidents of terrorist violence by security forces till 1 December, 2019.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti issued whip to the lone People's Democratic Party MP in Rajya Sabha Mir Mohammed Fayaz to vote against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
In response to the statement made by US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the Ministry of External Affairs said that such comments are "neither accurate nor warranted".
Both the Houses reconvened at 2 pm. Zero Hour continues in the Lower House. RLP member Hanuman Beniwal says the film Panipat should be banned, and that the Jat community in Rajasthan is against it. BJP's Sumedhanand Saraswati agrees. Meanwhile, National General Secretary and national spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United) Pavan K Varma urged Bihar chief minister and party chief Nitish Kumar to reconsider his support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday. In a tweet, Varma said, "I urge Shri Nitish Kumar to reconsider support to the #CAB in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and against the unity and harmony of the country, apart from being against the secular principles of the JDU. Gandhiji would have strongly disapproved it."
Congress has issued three line whip to its Rajya Sabha members to be present in the House on Wednesday. Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 that was passed by the Lok Sabha will not be tabled in Rajya Sabha today. Since the Bill was passed past midnight, some procedures will have to be completed. Rajya Sabha Secretariat yet to receive the copy of the Bill as passed by the Lok Sabha. The bill is expected to be tabled in Rajya Sabha tomorrow at around 2 pm. Six hours have been allocated for the debate on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 in Rajya Sabha tomorrow, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu informed the House.
Both the Houses of Parliament have been adjourned till 2 pm.
Trinamool Congress has walked out of Rajya Sabha, The Hindu reports. Addressing reporters, Derek O Brien said, "The West Bengal Governor has withheld the SC &ST Bill that was cleared by the West Bengal Assembly. This is an insult to Indian Constitution, West Bengal Assembly and people of West Bengal".
On orders of Venkaiah Naidu, the Rajya Sabha TV stream was suspended for few minutes as TMC held the protest, The Hindu reports.
Amit Shah also told the Lok Sabha that at least 99.5 percent students sat for exams in the Valley, "but for Adhir Ranjan ji this is not normalcy. At least, 7 lakh people availed OPD services in Srinagar. Curfew and Section 144 has been upliftted from everywhere. But for Adhir ji only parameter for normalcy is political activity. What about local body polls which were held?" asks home minister. "Situation in Kashmir valley is completely normal. I can't make Congress's condition normal, because they had predicted bloodshed after abrogation of article 370. Nothing of that sort happened, not one bullet was fired."
In Lok Sabha, Congress disrupts the proceedings and asks what is Centre's parameter of normalcy? "Jammu Kashmir mein ram rashtra ki sthapana ho chuki hai (Ram rashtra has been successfully established in Jammu and Kashmir)," Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says in Lok Sabha. Amit Shah raises to counter allegations says, "Like the government said, everything in Jammu and Kashmir is completely normal. Unfortunately, I can't normalise Congress. Their conspiracy theories have fallen flat on their faces."
According to latest report, six hours have been allotted for Rajya Sabha members to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, starting 2 pm. The Bill was passed with 311 votes in its favour in the Lok Sabha on Monday. However, it may not see a smooth ride in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP is not in the majority. Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to move the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, ANI reported.
Shah will introduce the Arms (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and provides a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for manufacturing and carrying illegal arms, and also seeks to rationalise and facilitate licensing procedures for the use of firearms by individuals.
Additionally, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move the Appropriation (No 3) Bill, 2019 to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2019-20.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal is expected to make a statement on India's position regarding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at 3 pm. Additionally, among the issues to be raised during the Question Hour include the achievements of demonetisation, the effectiveness of the Ayushmann Bharat scheme, initiatives to control anaemia, population growth and ATM frauds.
The Rajya Sabha will soon see the introduction of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was passed amid uproar by the Lok Sabha during the lat hours of Monday night. The Bill looks at providing citizenship to non-Muslim minority communities facing religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanisatan. The BJP has issued a whip to all its MPs asking them to be present during Parliament proceedings on 10 and 11 December.
Meanwhile, in the Lok Sabha, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will move the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2019, which looks at amending the Constitution of India.
Issues that will be raised during the Question Hour include the data on farmer suicides, farm incomes and infiltration by militants.
