Parliament LIVE: Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday demanded in Rajya Sabha restoration of the Special Protection Group cover to former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Gandhi family. Raising the issue in the upper house, he said the cover should be “restored” going beyond “partisan politics”. The party has been raising the issue in both the Houses. Reacting to the charges, BJP’s JP Nadda said: “There is nothing political, security hasn’t been withdrawn. Home Ministry has a very set pattern and there is a protocol. It is not done by a politician, it is done by Home Ministry and according to threat perception the security is given and withdrawn. “
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will today table a report in the Rajya Sabha on the President’s Rule in Maharashtra. The state was placed under President’s Rule on November 12 on Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s recommendation after a break-up between allies BJP and Shiv Sena plunged Maharashtra into a political crisis. The report will also be tabled on a day when the Congress and the NCP are set to meet to finalize the contours of their proposed alliance with the Shiv Sena.
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6: (PM) IST)
RS Seeks Changes to Surrogacy Bill |Rajya Sabha members sought changes in certain provisions of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019, which mandates that only a close relative can be a surrogate mother and provisions of five years of marriage for commissioning parents. Although the bill was supported by most members cutting across the party line, modifications were sought in provisions such as time frame for abortion, time limit of age and prior informed consent, among others. Some of the members also sought provisions for allowances and insurance along with maternity leave for the surrogate mother, besides relaxation in numbers of surrogacy.
5: 49 PM (IST)
MPs Demand Strict Action Against Chit Fund Managers |Lok Sabha members demanded strict action against chit fund managers who siphon money of the poor. Saugata Roy (TMC) questioned the delay in bringing the bill. The panel gave its recommendations in August 2018 but it has taken more than a year for the government to bring the fresh bill with amendments, he said. Anurag Sharma (BJP) said there are over 30, 000 registered chit funds in the country and the unregularized would be more than 100 times the number. Meenakshi Lekhi (BJP) said there was a need for financial literacy in the country to avoid people from falling into the trap of such financial system.
5: 28 PM (IST)
Jaya Bachchan in Rajya Sabha on Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill says, “I have certain reservations. Certification itself is discrimination, it’s humiliating.” She adds, “What’s need to humiliate them like this that you have to go & tell a committee that you’re a transgender? Can’t segregate them this way.Bill doesn’t pay attention to sensitive details-a person can forcibly be made into transgender.Let the bill please go for a revision. “
Jaya Bachchan, Samajwadi Party in Rajya Sabha on Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill: I have certain reservations. Certification itself is discrimination, it’s humiliating. Shakal, surat aur vyavahar se wo aur kisi manushya se alag nahi hai.pic.twitter.com/z2mZGsbaTi
– ANI (@ANI)November 20, 2019
5: 17 PM (IST)
Bill Regularising Unauthorized Colonies in Delhi Likely to be Presented |According to sources, the Union Cabinet is likely to approve the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorized Colonies (Bill,) . Some ammendments are yet to be made and the bill will be presented during the current session. They say that once the bill is passed, Delhi will bw able to implement the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana.
4: 54 PM (IST)
Center Flags Land Issues in Setting up Bhubaneswar Airport |The Center is ready to strengthen existing aviation infrastructure in Odisha but the state government should ensure land for the proposed new international airport near Bhubaneswar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Responding to queries during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, the minister said the Jharsuguda airport in western Odisha is a “full-fledged” airport and the Center is willing to cooperate with the state government to address infrastructure gaps.
4: 47 PM (IST)
Congress Walks out of LS Over C’garh Paddy Issue |Accusing the Center of discriminating against Chhattisgarh on the issue of paddy procurement, the Congress walked out of the Lok Sabha . Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress leader Adhir Rajan Chowdhury said the Central government has been denying the right of procurement affecting 13 .5 lakh marginal farmers of the state which is called the ‘Rice bowl of India’. “This (Union) government has stopped procuring paddy from Chhattisgarh for the last two years. This is wrong. This government is anti-farmer,” he said.
4: (PM (IST)
Parl Panel Meets on WhatsApp Snooping Case |A Parliamentary panel set to discuss the WhatsApp snooping case holds a meeting. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had earlier said that the full extent of the attack may not be known, but WhatsApp is reviewing available information.
4: 25 pm (IST)
India Desires More Neighborly Relation with Pak: MEA |“India and Pakistan maintain regular channels of communication. It has been consistently conveyed that India desires normal neighborly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully. ” MoS External Affairs V Muraleedharan answers to a parliamentary question.
4: 16 pm (IST)
“A list of 27 bills proposed to be tabled in Parliament has been given by the government, but not one of them pertains to regularisation of unauthorized colonies. This means you (BJP) are cheating the people of Delhi, you are lying to them, “AAP legislator Sanjay Singh said. “We will try our best to ensure that a bill to this effect is passed in this session,” he said.
4: 14 PM (IST)
AAP MPs Protest in Parliament Complex |AAP MPs protest in the Parliament complex against the Center for not listing a bill in the Winter Session to regularize unauthorized colonies in Delhi despite making an announcement to do so last month. The Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MPs – Sanjay Singh, N D Gupta and Sushil Gupta – and Lok Sabha MP Bhagwant Mann protested at the Gandhi statue. They held placards and raised slogans like “stop cheating people”.
4: 07 PM (IST)
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said his ministry has requested all high courts to clear 10 – year-old cases immediately to bring down pendency of cases. The government has taken various measures to improve the infrastructure of various courts across the country so that justice delivery is expedited, he said during Question Hour in Lok Sabha. The Modi government has already given 50 per cent amount for infrastructure improvement, he said, adding, the National Judicial Database is now in place. Besides, he said, the government has made 478 appointments in high courts and number of Supreme Court Judges has been increased.
4: (PM) IST)
“WhatsApp believes it is likely that devices of approximately of 121 users in India may have been attempted to be reached, “says Ravi Shankar Prasad on the question on WhatsApp.
Union Minister RS Prasad, in Lok Sabha on ‘Whether Govt has received prior intimation in this regard from social media owners like WhatsApp, Facebook?’: WhatsApp believes it is likely that devices of approximately of 121 users in India may have been attempted to be reached.
– ANI (@ANI) (November) , 2019
4: 01 pm (IST)
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad responds in Lok Sabha to ‘Whether Govt has received prior intimation in this regard from social media owners like WhatsApp, Facebook?’, Says, “On Sept 5, WhatsApp stated that while full extent of the attack may never be know, WhatsApp continued to review available info. “
Union Minister RS Prasad, in Lok Sabha on ‘Whether Govt has received prior intimation in this regard from social media owners like WhatsApp, Facebook?’: On Sept 5, WhatsApp stated that while full extent of the attack may never be know, WhatsApp continued to review available info
– ANI (@ANI) (November) , 2019
3: 56 pm (IST)
The Center has written to all state governments on amendments needed in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Civil Procedure Code (CPC) to implement the amended Motor Vehicles Act as views of state governments are necessary before the two can be tweaked, Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said in Rajya Sabha. He said, “The IPC and CPC are required to be amended. We have written to all state governments in this regard. I also invite suggestions from all members on this issue.” The implementation of provisions of the new Motor Vehicles Act lies with the state governments. “It is for the state government to implement it fully or partially,” he said.
2: 44 PM (IST)
BJP Minister Compares Kashmir to Emergency |When asked whether the home ministry was considering to allow member of Lok Sabha from Srinagar, NC leader, Farooq Abdullah, to join in the winter session, Reddy argued that Abduallah is detained out of national interest. “Desh ke hit ke liye alag alag time pe logon ko arrest kiya gaya hai[In national interest ,at different times, different people have been arrested]. During Emergency you arrested 33 MPs just to save 1 MP. People have been detained for national interest, to maintain law and order, “Reddy said.
2: (PM) IST )
G Kishan Reddy, MoS, said that 609 people are in jail in the Valley as of Wednesday. This number, he argued, was only 151 more than the number of people jailed at the same time last year – 458. “There has been an incorrect propaganda going on that thousands of people are in custody. As of August 5 [when article 370 and 35A were repealed] a total of 5161 people including stone pelters, separatists, political leaders, were put under preventive custody, “Reddy said. He said that a review committee had been formed which would look after release of detainees.
2: 08 pm (IST)
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2: 30 PM .
1: 01 pm (IST)
The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2pm
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On the matter of the names excluded from the final draft of the NRC in Assam, Amit Shah says, “People whose names are not in the NRC have the right to approach the tribunal … Assam govt is also ready to foot the expenses of people who cant afford a legal counsel. “
12: 49 pm (IST)
Person of No Religion Should be Worried About NRC: Shah |After discussions on Kashmir, the debate has now moved to the NRC exercise. “The NRC exercise was monitored by the SC … No religion has been targeted or isolated during the NRC exercise,” he says.The home minister adds that the government will provide asylum to people of all religions. “The exercise of NRC will be carried out in the entire country,“he says.
12: 33 PM (IST)
No Civilian Killed in Kashmir Since August 5: Amit Shah |“Not a single person has died in police firing since August 5 in Jammu and Kashmir. There has been a dip in the incidents of stone pelting. All newspapers are in circulation, all TV channels are running and all banks are operational in Kashmir, “says Amit Shah.
12: 27 PM (IST)
Everything is Normal in Kashmir, Says Shah |Speaking now in the House is NCP’s Majeed Menon, who asks Shah to provide everyone with a rough timeline or an estimate by when the situation in Kashmir will be restored to its normal state. Shah replies, “The situation is normal only. Schools and colleges are open, the apple industry is recovering well and normal life has resumed in every way possible in the Valley.” He cites government data to support his arguments.
12: (PM) IST)
Shah refutes all points made by Azad and says that the safety of the people is the government priority. “: I agree that internet services are a necessity today … but when it comes to the question of national security, the safety of the people of J&K and our fight against terror … we need to prioritize our necessities,” he says .
12: 22 pm (IST)
Immediately, Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad rises to counter Shah’s statements, and begins by highlighting the dismal state of education in the Valley. “Schools and colleges have been opened, but there is negligible attendance. There is no provision to ensure that students are able to commute from school to their homes safely,” he says. Coming to the home minister’s arguments on snapping internet services, the Congress leader then says, “There has been threat from Pakistan for several years, there is nothing new about the situation. Then why such draconian measures? How will students continue their education without integral internet services? “
12: 20 pm (IST)
Amit Shah Speaks on Kashmir Issue |Amit Shah is now addressing Rajya Sabha, taking up the Opposition’s questions on the situation in Kashmir – where a lockdown has been in place ever since the govt ended the state’s special status. “As we all know, the situation in Kashmir remains tensed due to threats from across the border. As far as internet is concerned, its restoration will be carried out at an appropriate time on admin inputs,” he says.
12: (pm (IST)
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Amit Shah has reached Parliament to participate in today’s session where he is expected to table the report on Presidential rule in Maharashtra, as well as speak about the ongoing controversy over the removal of SPG cover of the Gandhi family and Manmohan Singh.
Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives at Parliament. He will be speaking in Rajya Sabha today.pic.twitter.com/aP3VbjaP2h
– ANI (@ANI) (November) , 2019
11: 46 am (IST)
Ahead of Sharad Pawar’s key meeting with the prime minister, the NCP chief had a long chat with Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha.
11: 43 am (IST)
Meanwhile, at the Congress parliamentary meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi held to discuss Parliament strategy, the party asserts that the government must answer questions on the political detentions in Kashmir, and also address issues of unemployment and economic slowdown.
11: 12 am (IST)
After the Congress raises objections to the arguments posed by Swamy, JP Nadda intervenes and says, “There is nothing political … security has not been withdrawn … the Home Ministry has done what it has done based on threat perception. “
11: 09 am (IST)
Some Context |The SPG, formed after the assassination of Indira Gandhi I 1984, was initially expected to protect the Prime Minister of India. Rajiv Gandhi’s SPG cover was removed after he was out of office, but following his assassination, Sonia Gandhi and her children – Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi – were given SPG protection in view of a high threat assessment.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks in the Rajya Sabha. (Image: Twitter / ANI)
The Rajya Sabha will take up two crucial bills – the The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 that was moved by Union minister Harsh Vardhan yesterday, and the The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019.
The Surrogacy Bill will seek to form National Surrogacy Board, State Surrogacy Boards and appointment of appropriate authorities for regulation of the practice and process of surrogacy, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration. On the other hand, the bill on transgenders that will be moved for passing by Thawaarchand Gehlot, seeks to provide for protection of rights of transgender persons and their welfare and for matters as passed by Lok Sabha, to be taken into consideration.
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