New Delhi: The parliamentary proceedings for the Winter session began for the day at 11 am on Thursday in both Houses. The opposition continued their protests demanding a discussion on the recent Tawang issue in Arunachal Pradesh on the border of India and China. The proceedings in the Lower House were adjourned within minutes, while Rajya Sabha saw a rough exchange of words between Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and the members of the opposition protesting in the House.
Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who spoke after the Chairman warned the opposition several times to 'not compel him to invoke certain rules', said that the opposition only wants certain issues to be discussed in the open. "We don't want to talk inside the chambers. The entire nation has the right to know. This fight is for the country," Kharge told the Chairman even as he clarified that the opposition does not intend on embarrassing him in any way.
Before the proceedings began, the RJD-JD(U) MPs held a protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament over a remark made by Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Bihar and demanded his apology over the same. On Tuesday, RJD MP Manoj Jha was interjected by Goyal, to make a crafty remark on his state -- “inka bas chale, toh desh ko Bihar hi bana de” (If they have their way, they will turn the country into Bihar).
Here are some key developments in the Parliamentary sessions today:
11:00 AM | Parliamentary session in both Houses commence
11:05 AM, Lok Sabha | Speaker Om Birla urges members to wear masks and spread awareness on COVID-19
As soon as the House met, Speaker Om Birla urged members to wear masks and spread awareness among people about COVID-19 in view of the rising cases of the disease in some countries.
Read full report: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urges MPs to wear masks
11:12 AM, Lok Sabha | House adjourned till 12 PM amid ruckus
Proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon as opposition members protested in the House over various issues. Members from Congress, TMC, Shiv Sena, and the DMK demanded a discussion on the border issue with China, compelling the chairman to adjourn the house.
Read full report: Lok Sabha adjourned again over China border debate issue
11:22 PM, Rajya Sabha | Minister Piyush Goyal clarifies he had no intentions of insulting Bihar
"I had no intention of insulting Bihar or its people. I am willing to withdraw my statements if they have hurt anyone's sentiments," the minister said a day after he was criticized for his remarks on Tuesday made with reference to RJD MP Manoj Jha.
Read full report: Piyush Goyal withdraws remark on Bihar, says no intention to insult state, its people
11:39 PM, Rajya Sabha | Opposition leaders enter the well, cause ruckus in the house demanding discussion on China; Kharge urges for an open discussion
"None of us wants to embarrass you, sir. But the parliamentary democracy operates like this," says Kharge to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. "We only want certain issues to be discussed -- the border issue with China and the comment made by the Union Minister (Piyush Goyal) on Bihar," Kharge told the Chairman.
Dhankhar, who reiterated that he is surprised at such behavior by the Opposition, said that there are rules that have to be followed and he is there to clarify them. "Don't compel me to invoke the rule. I have tried everything to get this under control. You are asking for the same things every single day even though you know it's in violation of rule 267. I am not angry, I am disappointed," Dhankhar said.
Kharge, in response, argued that is also the responsibility of the House to manage situations like these where the demands are being made under certain conventions.
Read full report: Opposition enters Well in RS, boycotts proceedings over no discussion on China border issue
12:00 PM, Rajya Sabha | Question Hour begins after a long argument between the Chairman and the protesting members of the opposition
12:00 PM, Lok Sabha | Proceedings resume after adjournment
1:00 PM | Both Houses adjourned till 2 pm
2:00 PM | Proceedings in both Houses resume
2:02 PM, Rajya Sabha | Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moves The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022 for consideration and approval
2:09 PM, Lok Sabha | Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya warns about coronavirus posing danger to global health
"Ever-changing nature of coronavirus continues to pose danger to global health: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha. A random sampling of arriving international travelers has started at airports. States asked to conduct genome sequencing of every Covid case, it'd enable tracking of new variants. In view of festive season ahead, states asked to be alert, and create awareness about masks, sanitizers."
Read full report: Step up surveillance, wear masks: Health Minister Mandviya amid Covid concerns
2:20 PM, Lok Sabha | Proceedings adjourned till 4 pm amid protest by opposition parties demanding a debate on border issue with China
2:39 PM, Rajya Sabha | Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya addresses Upper House on Covid situation
We haven't done any politics on covid. Oxygen plants have been set up in big hospitals across the country & are being run. We have reviewed the adequate amount of medicines in the country. We have also started the random RT-PCR sampling among passengers arriving at International airports in the country. We are committed to tackling the pandemic and are taking appropriate steps. We advise the States to make sure that people wear masks, use sanitizers and maintain social distancing even during the festive and the New Year season.
Read full report: Step up surveillance, wear masks: Health Minister Mandviya amid Covid concerns
4:15 PM, Lok Sabha | Lok Sabha adjourned for 15 mins amid protests from the opposition
4:22 PM, Rajya Sabha | House passes the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022
The bill, which was piloted by the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, has already been passed by Lok Sabha on December 15, 2022. The bill follows the suggestion of the Tamil Nadu government that the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran communities be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the state.
Read full report: Parliament passes bill to grant ST status to Narikoravan, Kurivikkaran communities in Tamil Nadu
4:30 PM Lok Sabha | Proceedings resume even as protests continue; Union Minister Piyush Goyal introduces Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022
The bill was introduced amid protests by the Opposition who were demanding a discussion on the border issue with China. Besides the decriminalisation of minor offences, the bill envisages the rationalisation of monetary penalties, depending on the gravity of the offence, bolstering trust-based governance.
Read full report: Goyal introduces Jan Vishwas bill in Lok Sabha to decriminalise minor offences in 42 Acts
4:50 PM, Rajya Sabha | Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moves The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 to give tribal status to Betta-Karuba community in Karnataka. House begins discussion
5:15 PM, Rajya Sabha | Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar crticizes Sonia Gandhi's comments on govt 'delegitimising judiciary'
"Observations made by the UPA chairperson on govt 'delegitimizing judiciary' are severely inappropriate. Statement imparted by UPA chairperson far distanced from my reflections; delegitimizing the judiciary beyond my contemplation. I urge political leaders not to subject high constitutional offices to partisan stances."
Read full report: Unfortunate: Dhankhar on Sonia's 'govt seeking to delegitimise judiciary' remarks
5:33 PM, Lok Sabha | Lower House adjourned for the day amid opposition's ruckus on China border issue
The Lower House was adjourned for the day an hour after it reassembled at 4:30 pm following four adjournments as opposition members continued their protest over the Tawang issue. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 before the house was adjourned.
Read full report: Lok Sabha adjourned for day amid Opposition's demand for debate on India-China border issue
5:45 PM, Rajya Sabha | Upper House passes the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022
The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on December 19 and was piloted by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda in the Upper House. The minister said the bill seeks to provide justice to the Betta-Kuruba community of Karnataka, which has only about 5,000 members living in the southern state.
Read full report: Parliament passes bill to give tribal status to Betta-Karuba community in Karnataka
6:24 PM, Rajya Sabha | House adjourned for the day, to resume at 11 am on Friday, December 23, 2022.
