Parliament Updates: Lok Sabha discusses importance of river-linking project in Bundelkhand amid water crisis; Rajya Sabha adjourned

Lok Sabha discusses Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Bundelkhand

A resolution to construct canals through the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, moved by Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel, was discussed by Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and BJP’s Jagdambika Pal . The project aims to overcome the problem of water scarcity and stray cows in the Bundelkhand region. “The people of the region are forced to leave their cows to graze in the open, which is popularly known as `Anna Pratha’, and which causes damage to the standing crops,” Chowdhury said.

Pal touched upon the history of Bundelkhand before entering into the issue at hand. He said this government is the first one to take the pledge to provide piped water to every household in the country.

Rajya Sabha adjourned

On the Private Member’s Bill introduced by RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha on the manual scavenging deaths, Thawar Chand Gehlot offered reassurance that the government will take measures as suggested by the members. Chair asks Jha if he will withdraw the bill, to which the latter agreed.

The House is adjourned till 11 am on 1 July.

Kin of 483 of 713 deceased manual scavengers have been given compensation, says Thawar Chand Gehlot

Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot responded to Jha by listing out the alternative employment and welfare measures the government has extended to manual scavengers like loans, skill development, two-wheelers for women and training for self-protection. He said that 713 people have died cleaning septic tanks. Among these kin of 483 victims have been given compensation as per Supreme Court directions.

Rajya Sabha discussed the practice of manual scavenging, seeking amendment of PEMSRA

Rajya Sabha discussed a Private Member’s bill on the deaths of persons cleaning municipal sewers and private septic tanks despite promulgation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSRA).

The resolution moved by RJD’s Prof. Manoj Kumar Jha recommended that the government take cognisance of the continued illegal employment of persons for manual scavenging, to implement practices to end the practice, amendment of PEMSRA, among other provisions.

Omar Abdullah responds to the Parliament’s passage of resolution extending President’s rule in J&K

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah criticised the move to extend President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir. He called the the Home Minister’s argument justifying the move “unacceptale”.

Committed to protect Kashmiriyat, says Amit Shah

“We are committed to protect the Kashmiri culture,” Home Minister Amit Shah said, adding that opposing India does not fall in the ambit of Kashmiriyat. “Those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India must have fear in their minds,” Shah said.

No change in our position on Article 370, says Amit Shah

Our stance on Jammu and Kashmir has and will remain constant. There has been no change in our position on Article 370. We have always maintained that Article 370 is only a temporary provision in our Constitution: Amit Shah

Amit Shah rakes up Syama Prasad Mukherjee​**’s** death 

“In 1953 when Syama Prasad Mukherjee ji entered Kashmir protesting against the two prime ministers in one country, he was thrown in jail. His death was also not probed. Why? Was he not a senior opposition leader? A leader from Bengal, a former Union Minister?,” says Amit Shah.

Congress trusted Sheikh Abdullah beyond reason, says Amit Shah

Muslim Conference was established led by Sheikh Abdullah, for long Congress did not start its unit there and supported Muslim Conference.Congress put all its eggs in Abdullah’s bucket but Abdullah ran away with bucket, as a result Sheikh Abdullah became prime miniser there

Amit Shah lauds govt policy to end terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, invokes Balakot, surgical strike

Home Minister Amit Shah insists that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. He stresses on India’s zero tolerance towards terror. He says that after Narendra Modi conducted the air strikes over Pakistan, nobody in the world said that it was a fluke. He was after all protecting our country, said Shah.

“Our ideology is to ensure protection of borders and make country free of terrorism. The govt. has spent Rs 2307 crore to upgrade security apparatus in Jammu and Kashmir. So far Art 356 (President’s Rule) was imposed 132 times of which Congress used it 93 times,” Shah said. 

“We will target root of terrorism not only on our land but also inside Pakistan,” Shah said.

Amit Shah blames Jawaharlal Nehru for ‘Kashmir blunder’

Shah blamed Congress for losing out on the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. He asked, “They are blaming us for situation the situation today but how are they forgetting their own past. Who was the one who called ceasefire just when the Indian forces were on the verge of pushing away Pakistani forces. We lost 1/3rd part of Kashmir because of Jawaharlal Nehru.”

Amit Shah says Congress can’t school BJP on democracy

“They are saying we are trampling democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.  Before today, Article 356 has been imposed(President’s rule) till now 132 times, out of which 93 times Congress has done it. Now of these people will teach us about democracy?” Shah said.

BJP never used Article 356 for political gains, says Amit Shah

" We never used Article 356 for political gains," says Home Minister Amit Shah. He added that the trend of ‘pre-emptive arrests’ have never been higher in the state under any government but Congress. He said that the Congress has forgotten the situation in its time.

Amit Shah rises to defend bills on quota for Jammu and Kashmir border residents, extension or President’s Rule

Home Minister Amit Shah is now replying to the MPs observations on the two bills related to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He took potshots on Congress leader Manish Tewari who had urged the ruling party to rise above party lines on the matter of Jammu and Kashmir. 

Shah said, “Our ideology is such that we don’t need to rise above it to tackle the sensitive situation in Jammu and Kashmir. We only think of nation’s benefit.”

Jitendra Singh defends decision to ally with PDP

Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office and MP from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir said, “The BJP is ready for an election at all times.” He adds that the Opposition hopes for 8 to 10 percent voter turnout, and hence win the election. 

“Coalition with the PDP was dictated by the mandate of the people, and we walked out (of the coalition) because of the will of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” says Jitendra Singh.

Don’t accuse BJP of trying to stop elections, Congress has a history of meddling with polls, says Jitendra Singh 

“From the discussion so far, it sound as if the BJP have stopped the simultaneous elections in Jammu and Kashmir. And I believe this accusation comes from a mindset of intervening in elections,” the Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office said. 

“It is a decision made by the Election Commission based on information from security agencies. Accusing us of stopping simultaneous elections is an equivalent of accusing the Election Commission,” he added.

Anantnag MP says increasing scope of quota for border residents will spread benefits too thin 

On the proposal to grant reservation to resident’s of International Border area as well, Hasnain Masoodi said that reservation of three percent exists in jobs for people residing on the LoC. “People on international borders are of course disadvantaged, but now that small quota meant for 3.5 lakh people will have to be shared by one million people.”

Masoodi said, “We are in a way depriving people worst hit by shelling. The fallout of the bill on the people living around the LoC needs to be taken into account.”

He said that either the precentage of reservation should be increased, or the new beneficiaries should have a separate window of quota.

Anantnag MP says Centre chipping away on Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy, demands elections at the earliest

Hasnain Masoodi of the NC said that there was no valid reason for the Centre to defer the Assembly elections and extend the President’s rule. “It is important that an accountable government be formed. There are no conditions in Jammu and Kashmir that call for presidential rule,” Masoodi said. 

He said that as has been pointed by BJP’s Poonam Mahajan that the situations have improves, why not announce the elections as well. “After the massive mandate, Jammu and Kashmir people had been hoping for a new attitude on the part of the government. They were hoping that elections would be announced.” With the current step, alienation will get worse. Against this backdrop, I ask for Assembly elections without delay,” he said.

Poonam Mahajan attacks Congress on discussion over Jammu and Kashmir

Responding to the criticism on the BJP-PDP coalition, Poonam. Mahajan says that even though the two parties were ideologically incompatible, it was an attempt to preserve democracy.

She spoke extensively on the history of the state to attack the Congress party for “historical wrongs. 

However, on the bill under discussion, she only said, “This reservation bill will integrate the youth to the mainstream. Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat is a priority of the Modi government”.

Won’t oppose tough policies on terrorism, say Manish Tewari 

“Where terrorism is concerned, I am completely in agreement with the BJP. But the battle against terrorism can only be won if the people support you,” Tewari said. He added that if the government brings an enlightened holistic policy which was formulated by rising above party line, the Congress will be happy to support it. He said that if a democratically elected government operates in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism and separatism can be fought better.

Don’t look at Jammu and Kashmir with your ideological blinkers on, Congress’ Manish Tewari tells Amit Shah

“The sense of alienation in the people of Jammu and Kashmir has increased. The government will have to walk an extra two miles to bring them back into the country,” MP Manish Tiwari said. He added that he does not oppose reservation, but only the fact that Assembly elections are not being held there.  

“If you look at Jammu and Kashmir with ideological blinkers, discussion on Jammu and Kashmir will always continue in the Lok Sabha,” Tewari said.

Congress’ Manish Tewari opposes resolution to extend President’s rule, says BJP-PDP responsible for state of affairs

“If we face a situation today that the President’s Rule has to be extended, the foundation for it was laid down during the rule of an unnatural alliance in state,” Tewari said. He claimed that the Congress handed over a progressive a stable state in 2014 in the NDA government’s care, which was reduced to its current state within five years.

NK Premchandran opposes proposal to extend President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir 

Kollam MP NK Premachandran says that citing security reasons for not holding Assembly elections is bogus. He said that when security can be provided at ballots for Panchayat and Lok Sabha elections, so Assembly polls can also be held.

NK Premchandran says he supports J&K quota bill but condemns Ordinance route to implement law 

Stating that the government introduced the Ordinance for extending quota benefits to residents of border areas at a politically opportune time, RSP MP NK Premchandran said that the decision was a clear abuse of the Ordinance route. 

He said that the government was ignorant to the plight of the same people for the last five years and only promulgated an Ordinance in March just before the elections.

The government had passed an Ordinance to this accord earlier when the Parliament was not in session. Now the government seeks to turn the presidential order into a duly passed and notified law.

Amit Shah introduces bill to extend quota benefits to residents of state living near IB, LoC and LaC

Shah introduced a bill to further amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act 2004. 

The amendment provides for reservation in appointment and admission at professional institutions for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and socially and educationally backward classes. The amended draft law defines socially and educationally backward classes and states that it should include persons living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control and the International Border.

Further, the Act states that any person who has been appointed on the basis of residence in an area adjoining the Actual Line of Control must serve in such areas for at least seven years.

Not possible to hold Jammu and Kashmir elections right now, says Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah told the House that the President’s Rule should be extended in the state because the elected Assembly was dissolved by the Governor and the state is not ready to conduct elections right now. He said, “In view of the Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra, preparations are underway to hold Assembly elections by the end of this year.” 

Shah also pointed out that the decision to extend President’s Rule was uncontroversial because in the last three decades the state has never had election during these months because of the special circumstances.

Amit Shah tables his first Bill in Lok Sabha on extension of President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir 

Amit Shah presented his first bill in Lok Sabha as home minister. He requested the Lok Sabha to pass a Bill to extend the President’s Rule in the state of Jammu and Kashmir by another six months. 

The present term of President’s rule is expiring on 2 July and the Governor has recommended that the President rule in the state may be extended for a further period of six months with effect from 3 July.

DMK MP Gives Adjournment Motion Notice 

Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK, over “lynching of a Muslim man in Jharkhand”, gives adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha.

Lok Sabha discusses state of healthcare infrastructure in House

During the question hour, the members discussed the state of healthcare infrastructure. Dushyant Singh asked if Ayushman Bharat will be completely implemented in the state of Rajasthan. 

In reply to his question, The MoS health stated that Rajasthan government is one of the 33 governments to have signed MoUs to implement the Aushman Bharat scheme. He said that the state government has indicated that they will implement the scheme in July