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Parliament Latest Updates: As both Houses get ready to assemble for the final week of the Budget Session, it remains to be seen if the no-confidence motion will be finally tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday. However, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned within 10 minutes of proceedings beginning on Monday. The second part of this session has 22 sittings and is scheduled to conclude on 6 April. Six more sittings are slated. The Lok Sabha again failed to take up notices for no-confidence motion against the government after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the House was not in order and adjourned proceedings, amid noisy protests over various issues. In a novel way to convey that they have enough numbers to initiate the no-confidence motion, members of the Congress, Left and some other parties displayed blue-coloured placards, each with a circled number — from 1 to 80 — along with the words “For no-confidence”. At least 50 members need to support a no-confidence notice for the House to accept it and start a debate. When the Lower House met at noon after the first adjournment, AIADMK members trooped into the Well shouting slogans and demanding immediate constitution of the Cauvery river management board. Many other Opposition members were seen demanding that the notices for no-confidence motion be taken up. Mahajan told the House that she has received notices for no-confidence motion from members of various parties and added that she was duty-bound to take them up. However, she decided not to take up the notices saying the House was not in order. Unless the House is in order, “I will not be in a position” to take up notices, Mahajan said and requested the protesting members to return to their seats. [caption id=“attachment_4338867” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. PTI[/caption] Members from the Congress, the Left, the TDP and some other parties stood up holding the blue placards, apparently to show her that there were 80 members supporting the no-confidence motion. Amid the din, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government was ready for any discussion and sought to blame the Congress for the proceedings not moving ahead. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge blamed the government for the impasse, saying it does not want discussion on the issue and asserted “We are ready for discussion.” He later claimed that the at least 80 MPs were supporting the motion. AIADMK and Congress members also got into heated exchanges even after the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, apparently over remarks by Congress MP KC Venugopal that the Tamil Nadu party was “match fixing with the BJP” in not allowing the House to function and taking up the no-confidence motion. The Rajya Sabha too witnessed similar scenes and could not bid farewell to 40 retiring MPs on 28 March or transact any business for the 16th day in a row as the Chairman adjourned the House for the day after AIADMK MPs came into the Well protesting over the Cauvery issue. After laying of the listed papers, Naidu said the House should bid farewell to retiring MPs, listen to their experiences and thanking them for their contributions. However, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans from the Well and were soon joined by the TDP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present in the House. “We don’t have the courtesy even for retiring members,” Naidu remarked as he asked protesting members to go back to their seats. As his appeal went unheeded, Naidu asked both Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley: “Are we so helpless?” To this, Azad said the House should function, while Minister of State for Parliamentary Affair Vijay Goel appealed to the protesting MPs to let the House function. As the AIADMK and the TDP did not relent, Naidu adjourned the House for 15 minutes and asked leaders of different political parties to meet him in his chamber. When the House reassembled, he again appealed for order. “This is a very important occasion…40 members are retiring. We want to give them farewell,” Naidu said, asking members to give the farewell in a “peaceful and dignified” manner. As the ruling party from Tamil Nadu continued protest, Naidu warned that there were two options. One is to name the protesting members and take action against them, or adjourn the House and deprive the retiring members from sharing their experiences. Maitreyan sought the prime minister’s intervention on their demand for immediate setting up of the Cauvery river water management board. As the AIADMK did not yield to his requests, an angry Naidu abruptly adjourned the House for the day, taking Opposition members by surprise. After the adjournment of the House for the day, Azad was heard urging members to remain seated. Most of the Opposition members, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh remained seated till noon, almost 30 minutes after the Chairman had called it a day. Members from treasury benches too remained in the House for quite some time. The prime minister left soon after the adjournment. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley was seen holding discussion with several Opposition members, including Azad. The Opposition members were apparently unhappy with the adjournment. With inputs from PTI
Parliament Budget Session updates: Lok Sabha adjourned moments after Speaker introduces no-confidence motion
The second leg of the budget session of Parliament seemed to be heading for a washout as both the Houses failed to transact any business on the 16th straight day
 "Parliament Budget Session updates: Lok Sabha adjourned moments after Speaker introduces no-confidence motion")
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.
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