Rajya Sabha adjourns sine die
Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017
Not censuring Ravindra Gaikwad for unruly behaviour an opportunity lost
It is indeed sad that the conduct of this elected representative is just another passing news shower. Everyone seems happy that airlines have banned him from flying, a minor inconvenience that will melt away in a few days. In no way does it highlight the frequent high-handedness by VIPs in India where aviation is concerned — nobody said 'enough is enough now, put on your seatbelt and shut up!'
Read more here.
Hits and misses from President’s budget session address last year
The President's address, a day before the Union Budget is presented, sets the tone for the upcoming Budget Session as the broad initiatives taken by the Union government and objectives for the coming year are listed out.
According to a report prepared by the New Delhi-based think tank PRS Legislative Research, which analysed President Mukherjee's address to Parliament on 23 February 2016, not all targets of increasing GDP and lowering inflation, fiscal deficit and current account deficit were achieved.
The GDP is estimated to grow at 7.1% in 2016-17 as compared with 7.6% in 2015-16. However, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in December 2016 was 3.4% down from 5.6% in December 2015. Read the report here.
Rajya Sabha adjourns sine die
Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017
Opposition and ruling united over bounty row on Mamata Banerjee's head
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday condemned a BJP youth wing leader's offer for a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said a BJP youth wing leader had made the "announcement" of giving the reward for beheading Banerjee, after police resorted to lathicharge in Birbhum district to disperse a rally during Hanuman Jayanti. "Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected chief minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it," he said.
First leg of Budget Session productive: LS functioned for 113%, Rajya Sabha for 97%
The first part of the Budget Session was very productive as Lok Sabha functioned 113 percent while Rajya Sabha 97 percent. The productivity in the second half of the budget session till now for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has been 112 percent and 87 percent.
The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2017 is scheduled for consideration and passage in Lok Sabha today.
MPs create ruckus in Parliament
The matter echoed on in the Parliament on Wednesday as TMC leaders raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, which garnered support from other parties as well. Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bacchan expressed anguish on the BJP leader's remark, stating that the BJP was keen on protecting cows but not women.
TMC's Saugata Roy also strongly condemned the BJP leader's statement urging strong action against people who make such provocations. Meanwhile, BJP has distanced itslef from Varshney's comments, stating that the West Bengal state government is free to take action against him.
Last day of Budget Session - here's a quick recap of the session
Today is the last day of the Budget Session of Parliament. The first half of the session was held from 31 January to 9 February and after a month-long recess the second half of the session began on 9 March. During the session till now, the Lok Sabha has passed 21 bills and the Rajya Sabha 14 bills. They include the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, The Mental Health Care Bill, The Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the crucial four supporting bills for the roll out of the Goods and Services Tax.
Scrapping a colonial-era tradition of presenting the Budget at the end of February, for the first time in the history of Independent India, the Government presented the annual accounts on 1 February. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described the Budget Session as a winner for the treasury benches. He said, the government was able to secure passage of many key bills in the Parliament.
The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2017 also listed in LS for passage today.
— PRS Legislative (@PRSLegislative) April 12, 2017
The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2017 also listed in LS for passage today.
— PRS Legislative (@PRSLegislative) April 12, 2017
BJP leaders distance themselves from Yogesh Varshney's comment
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi disowned Varshney's comment, saying: "I condemn this type of statement. The state government can take proper action." BJYM leader Varshney issued the outrageous threat while hitting out at Mamata over police action on a rally held on Sunday to mark Hanuman Jayanti in Birbhum district.
Alleging that people were beaten up brutally by the police, Varshney described Mamata as a "demon" and said, "When I saw the video, I only had one thought... that if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjee's head I will give them 11 lakh."
Last leg of budget session favourable for BJP govt
The second half of the budget session of Parliament, which ends on Wednesday, has been favourable to the ruling NDA, which not only managed to push its economic reforms agenda but also put up a united front. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the parliamentary party of the BJP that the session was a victory for the Union government.
Actor and MP Jaya Bachchan, along with BJP leader from Bengal Rupa Ganguly, reacting sharply to the comments against Mamata
Must take steps for protection of women aggressively. You are protecting cows but atrocities being commited on women-Jaya Bachchan, SP in RS pic.twitter.com/ES3sx5AHhW
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017
Bounty announced for Mamata; Rajya Sabha slams BJYM leader Yogesh Varshney
After a day of ruckus in Parliament over the "illegal" death penalty given to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, MPs in Rajya Sabha were up in arms after a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh to whoever who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and gets her head.
The remark, which came shortly after a lathicharge which happened at Birbhum district to disperse a rally raising slogans of "Jai Sri Ram" on Hanuman Jayanti, recieved a lot of flak and criticism.
BJYM leader Yogesh Varshney told ANI, "Those who will cut and bring West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee head, I will give that person Rs.11 lakh. Mamata Banerjee never allows Saraswati Puja, fairs during Ram Navami and during Hanuman Jayanti procession, people were lathi charged and brutally beaten up. She organizes Iftar party and always supports Muslims."
The second half of the Budget Session will resume in the Parliament on Thursday as politicians and common people wait with bated breath for the results of the elections in five states.
We'll have to wait and watch whether the results of the polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand will affect the proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament.
What is likely to affect Parliamentary proceedings is the issue of attacks on Indians in the US and the anti-terror operation in Lucknow, which will be raised in Parliament on the first day of the second-half of Budget Session, the Congress had said on Wednesday.
Representational image. PTI
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge told IANS that on Thursday, the party will raise the issues of attack on Indians in the US and the anti-terror operation of Lucknow, in which a youth was killed, as well as the bomb blast in a train near Bhopal.
"On Thursday, these two issues will be raised. We will decide on other issues to be raised in rest of the session later," Kharge had told IANS.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement on both issues on Thursday, according to informed sources in the Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said that the government is prepared to take up any discussion opposition parties want.
"The government is prepared to discuss all issues raised by the opposition subject to permission of the presiding officers," Naqvi had said.
The minister had told IANS that pending bills, including the ones relating to Goods and Services Tax and Enemy Property, are among those on the government's agenda.
"There are 20 new bills on the agenda of the government," Naqvi had told IANS.
Leaders from different parties felt that the mood of the session will depend on the results of assembly elections in five states.
Asked about it, Naqvi did not deny the possible impact of the results of assembly polls to five states on the session.
Meanwhile, Hindustan Times reported that leaders from the Opposition are also talking with the Shiv Sena, BJP's ally in NDA, to join the Opposition on a "case-to-case" basis to criticise the BJP.
"The Sena has seen how the BJP has crept into its turf in Maharashtra in the last civic body polls. The Sena wants to be more vocal against the BJP on a number of issues even as it is a part of the NDA government," the report quoted a leader as saying.
With inputs from agencies
Budgets are always instruments, not only for assessing expenditure and income, but also for projecting what kind of nation a country wishes to be seen as
The government should provide a three-year time limit for filing belated GST returns
Many experts want a hike in the amount allocated in the budget to the procurement of new equipment as well as research and development