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The Parliament shall convene on Friday as part of the Winter Session. The session has been consistently marred by adjournments as the Opposition has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on his predecessor Manmohan Singh. On Thursday, noisy protests by the Opposition prevented Sachin Tendulkar from speaking in the Rajya Sabha. As the Upper House met at 2 pm after a previous adjournment, a combative Congress members buoyed by the 2G case verdict began demanding an apology from Modi over remarks against Manmohan Singh. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu was keen that a short duration discussion on ’the right to play and future of sports in India’, to be initiated by Tendulkar, be taken up. Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal, however, raised a point of order, in the context of the 2G verdict. After Agrawal had spoken Naidu again asked the cricketer to proceed with his “maiden” speech. Tendulkar readied to elaborate on a subject he is most qualified to speak on but belligerent Congress members were in no mood to play ball. Several of them were on their feet seeking an apology from Modi. In the din of their slogans, the proceedings were almost drowned. [caption id=“attachment_4267287” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Representational image. PTI[/caption] Seeking to restore order, Naidu repeatedly chided the protesters. He sought to remind the Congress leaders that Tendulkar was a ‘Bharat Ratna’, an inspiration for the youth, and someone who had done so much for the country, but the opposition party stuck to its stance. In his characteristic style, Naidu told the shouting members that all they would achieve by shouting will be “sore throats” and “wastage of time” and again advised them to listen to the ’little master’. Actor Jaya Bacchhan also appeared to be supporting Tendulkar’s bid to speak. But the protests continued. A livid Naidu said that the comments made by the protesters would not go on record and asked Tendulkar to proceed. The cricketer, however, could only stand and watch. “I don’t want these sorts of scenes to be telecast around the country. A person who is a Bharat Ratna and who is speaking for the first time in the House is being obstructed like this. I don’t want this message to go to the country,” an exasperated Naidu said as he adjourned the House for the day. On Friday, the bill which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq has been listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha. ‘Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill’, prepared by an inter-ministerial group headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, makes giving instant triple talaq “illegal and void” and provides for a jail term of three years for the husband. The bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet last week.Though the bill has been listed in Lok Sabha’s agenda papers for Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the bill would come up for introduction next week. According to the provisions, the husband could also be fined and the quantum of fine would be decided by the magistrate hearing the case. The bill is being introduced as the practice still continued despite the Supreme Court striking down ’talaq-e-biddat’ (instant triple talaq). The proposed law would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or ’talaq-e-biddat’ and it would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and minor children. The woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue. Under the draft law, triple talaq in any form — spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp — would be bad or illegal and void. According to the draft law, which would be applicable to the entire country except Jammu and Kashmir, giving instant talaq would attract a jail term of three years and a fine. It would be a non-bailable, cognisable offence. After the Supreme Court order striking down the practice, the government was of the view that the practice would end. But it continued and there have been 177 reported cases of instant talaq before the judgement and 66 after the order this year.
Winter Session of Parliament updates: Lok Sabha discusses Cylcone Ockhi; MPs express concern for fisherfolk and farmers
The Parliament shall convene on Friday as part of the Winter Session. The triple talaq bill is listed to be taken up on the day.
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Ram Gopal Yadav, SP MP from Uttar Pradesh flags issue of passengers being drugged on trains
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal replies that action against such oganised gangs will be taken and if any member has information about it, they should come forward and inform the ministry. The ministry is also trying to bring in a network of CCTV surveillance on trains and stations, Goyal informed the Rajya House.
Tripura MP raises question of security reinforcements in railways in Rajya Sabha
Jhama Das Badiya, CPM MP from Tripura says her luggage was stolen from Rajdhani Express. There are thousands like her who go through this with no security reinforcement.
Break up of business addressed during Winter Session of Parliament
Jairam Ramesh, Viplove Thakur raise questions over MSP provided to farmers
Congress MP Viplove Thakur asks if Narendra Modi’s promise of paying 50 percent more than the MSP to the farmer is being fulfilled. Jairam Ramesh also asks how is the cost of production fixed for MSP, “What is the new system for fixing the cost of production?”
Lok Sabha records higher productivity than Rajya Sabha
Lok Sabha sat for 13 days, 61 hours during Parliament’s Winter Session
As per PRS Legislative , LS sat for 13 days, 61 hours with 78 percent productivity. Sixteen bills were introduced during this time in the Lok Sabha. Twelve bills were passed by the Lower House. Apart from this, 46 starred questions were answered orally during Question Hour.
Productivity during Question Hour in both Houses
Productivity during this Winter Session of Parliament
Narendra Modi attends Lok Sabha proceedings
Consumer Protection Bill, New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill introduced in Lok Sabha
Ram Vilas Paswan rose to withdraw the The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015. The Consumer Protection Bill and the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill have been introduced.
Extract from the Parliamentary panel chaired by TMC MP Derek O’Brien on rude staff behaviour, especially IndiGo
“The Committee observes that the problems affecting the airlines are not personal; it is institutional. An institution like Indigo has to develop a consumer friendly approach in dealing with their passengers. The Committee believes that being a leader in market share, Indigo needs to look inward and find out the reasons for the discourteous attitude and rude and indifferent behavior of their employees, whether it is their cabin crew or the ground staff. The Committee emphasizes that the arrogant behavior of employees should stop.”
WATCH: TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi earlier asked about the alternative medicine system
Retiring Rajya Sabha members give farewell speeches
Delhi MPs Janardan Dwivedi, Parvez Hashmi and Karan Singh. Congress MP Singh has made his farewell speech.
Arun Jaitley says Centre making effort to exceed farmer loan target in financial year 2018
List of business in the Lok Sabha for today:
Consumer Protection Bill
New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill
Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill.
Dentists (Amendment) Bill
National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill
Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill
Arun Jaitley responds to queries on MSP and fertiliser subsidy
“There are crops where the Centre fixes the minimum support price (MSP). Sometimes market rate falls below MSP and we resort to market intervention. Farmers are also being provided subsidy for fertilisers as well,” said Jaitley in Lok Sabha.
Agriculture sector needs support, says Arun Jaitley on farm loan waiver
Arun Jaitley says the agriculture sector needs support. “Both the central and state governemtns have been making efforts,” says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.
BJP issues whip directing members to be present in both Houses today
Jammu and Kashmir MP Farooq Abdullah seeks govt response on short course for Ayurveda doctors
Farooq Abdullah asks if there could is a way the government could introduce a short MBBS course for Ayurveda practitioners to undertake.
NMC Bill could lead to more quacks, says BJD MP in Lok Sabha
Bayjayant J Panda, BJD MP from Odisha, says Medical Council of India is one of the most corrupt bodies in the country. He also says that with the introduction of the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, there is a greater chance of quacks across the country.
Both Houses to be adjourned sine die post lunch
According to News18 , MPs from Opposition parties have been told that both houses will be adjourned sine die (with no appointed date for resumption) post lunch.
WATCH: Explainer on triple talaq bill
Parliamentary panel says behaviour of airline staff, especially Indigo, condescending
RECAP: Parliamentary panel discusses exorbitant airfares, rude behaviour by airline staff
The Committee on transport deliberated on the issue of exorbitant airfares charged during the festival seasons, holiday seasons, natural disasters and political/social unrest in Rajya Sabha, reported ANI . The Committee also noted there were many incidents of manhandling, discourteous and rude behavior by airlines staff.
RECAP: Report on issues related to improving consumer satisfaction of airlines tabled in Rajya Sabha
Triple talaq could most likely be taken up again in 2018 Budget Session
Various reports suggest that owing to the lack of numbers and consensus in the Rajya Sabha the ruling party will be forced to send the bill to a Select Committee of the House. And it would only be taken up again in the Budget Session in 2018.
RECAP: Triple talaq bill creates uproar in Rajya Sabha forcing House to be adjourned
The government tactically placed the bill in the bottom of priority in the list of business on Thursday, which the Opposition strongly objected to and demanded that its motions for referring the bill to a Select Committee be taken up first. The business list had the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill ahead of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017.
Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien pleaded helplessness on the ground that the listing of business was the government’s priority and decided to go ahead with the GST bill, triggering an Opposition uproar which finally forced him to adjourn the House for the day.
As per Friday’s list of business, the triple talaq bill has been slated second for discussion after the GST amendment bill.
With inputs from IANS
List of legislative business in Rajya Sabha for today:
Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill, 2017
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017
Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013
Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017
Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017
Appropriation (No. 5) Bill, 2017
Triple talaq bill flawed in its present form and fails Muslim women
The Bill provides for the maintenance of a wife divorced via instant triple talaq. It does not provide for the maintenance for a wife divorced via other forms of triple talaq. It also doesn’t provide maintenance for the wife divorced via any other means, notably when a Muslim woman is granted divorce by a court. The Bill also doesn’t invalidate the infamous Shah Bano law, which was passed by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986, denying alimony to divorced Muslim women.
The bulk of cases of instant triple talaq involve the lower income groups of Muslims, affecting families in which men are mechanics, labourers, tailors, and so on. In cases affecting them, the major problem is for the woman because she will be required to go to court to prove that the husband divorced her via instant triple talaq. In cases of oral instant triple talaq, it will be almost impossible for such a woman to prove any case against the husband, who will languish in jail before finally being acquitted.
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