Parliament highlights: Oppn attacks BJP, says it wants to erase reservation

The government on Monday informed Lok Sabha that it was not a party in the Supreme Court which has ordered that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments. Making a statement in the House, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said the Centre was also not asked to file an affidavit on the issue. Attacking the govt, opposition parties said the govt failed to defend reservation system. Rahul Gandhi, attacking the BJP and the RSS, said "its in govt's DNA to erase reservation". Hitting back, the government said the Congress is trying to politicise a sensitive issue. "This is my charge that the Congress is politicising the sensitive issue," Defence Minister and deputy leader of the House Rajnath Singh said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan gave a detailed report on how the government is tackling the coronavirus epidemic. Till now, experts at various airports have so far screened 1,818 flights, covering a total of 1,97,192 passengers, he informed the Lok Sabha. "Teams of specialist doctors were sent to all airports to ensure effective screening and arrangement for isolation in attached hospitals," he said.

11:36 PM

BJP issues whip to its MPs asking them to be present in LS, RS on February 11

The BJP has issued a whip asking its members of parliament to be present in their respective Houses on Tuesday when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to reply to discussions on the Union Budget in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

 

Sitharaman is likely to speak in Lok Sabha first and then in Rajya Sabha. Read more

10:17 PM

Lok Sabha adjourned

Lok Sabha has been adjouned for the day.

10:04 PM

Central varsities organised debates, lectures to raise awareness about CAA: HRD minister

Central universities have organised debates and lectures to create awareness among students about the amended citizenship law, Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
 

The Union HRD minister was replying to a question about the steps taken by the government to overcome the situations in university campuses in the country in response to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

10:03 PM

BJP issues three-line whip to all of its Rajya Sabha MPs

8:57 PM

SC decision on reservation 'great setback': Sharad Yadav

The Supreme Court ruling on reservation in jobs for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is a "great setback", opposition leader Sharad Yadav said on Monday.
 

In a statement, he blamed the BJP for the development and said it is the party's "mindset" to snatch the rights of under-privileged classes of the society.

8:52 PM

Centre should file review plea: Opposition on SC ruling on reservation

Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha on Monday demanded that the government file a review petition in the Supreme Court over its ruling on reservation in jobs and promotions for SC/STs, and walked out of the House over its "unsatisfactory" response.

 

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said the apex court's decision was "unjust" and the reservation subject should be brought under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
 

It is a "serious" issue and the entire country is concerned about it, NDA ally LJP and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said.
 

"There is not need to worry. The Modi government will protect and will do whatever best possible to protect the interest of SCs and STs," Paswan, a dalit leader, said.
 

He said the reservation issue should be brought under the Ninth Schedule of Constitution and pitched for reservation for the community in judiciary also.
 

After the minister's statement, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said it is a serious issue as it concerns about one-fourth of the country's population.

"Immediately, a cabinet meeting should be called and take a decision to file a review petition," Azad said.

8:49 PM

Opposition expresses concern over falling growth, sliding investment

Opposition in Lok Sabha on Monday expressed concern over the declining growth and falling investment and asked the government to take corrective measures to arrest the slowdown and generate employment.
 

Participating in the debate on the Union Budget 2020-21 in Lok Sabha, BJD member B Mahtab called for financial sector reforms to revive rapidly declining investment.
 

"We are measuring GDP growth... more the investment, the growth would be faster and quicker," he said, adding that adequate corrective measures were necessary to boost growth which is estimated to slip to five per cent in 2019-20.
 

Banks were not in a position to lend to infrastructure, Mahtab said and asked the government not to lose sight of wider reforms in the public sector.

"There is a need to bring competition within the banking sector," he said.
 

The NCP's Supriya Sule termed the budget as "long and tiresome" and said it has exposed the failure "of this government when it comes to fiscal health".

She said the government talks about achieving $5 trillion economy but "we are not even barely crossing five per cent (growth)".
 

She said the government was talking about bullet train but the fact was not even a single acre of land was acquired for the same.

"They are in a fairy-tale world... they live in a make- believe world," she said.

8:46 PM

Congress accuses BJP of conspiring to end reservations for SCs/STs

The Congress on Monday accused the BJP and the RSS of conspiring to end reservation for the SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes, saying they have been "sabotaging" reservation to these oppressed sections for years.
 

The party's remarks came after the Supreme Court held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.
 

It also accused Union Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot of misleading Lok Sabha on the issue and said it would move a privilege motion against him.

8:45 PM

Govt living in denial, budget proposals unrealistic: Opposition

The Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Monday poked holes in the Budget proposals, saying they are based on "unrealistic" assumptions, and accused the Government of living in denial over the state of the economy.
 

Initiating the debate on the Union Budget for 2020-21, Congress leader P Chidambaram said the economy was close to collapse and was being attended by "very incompetent doctors."
 

He said rising unemployment and falling consumption was making India poorer and "fear and uncertainty prevails in the country".

7:26 PM

Rajya Sabha adjourned

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11:00 AM on February 11

7:22 PM

BSNL, Air India and MTNL highest loss-making PSUs in FY19: Survey

ONGC, Indian Oil Corporation and NTPC were the top three profitable PSUs in 2018-19, whereas BSNL, Air India and MTNL incurred highest losses for a third consecutive year, according to a survey tabled in Parliament on Monday.
 

The Public Enterprises Survey 2018-19, which maps the annual financial performance of all central PSUs, revealed that the top 10 companies in the red claimed a whopping 94.04 per cent of the total losses made by all the 70 loss making CPSEs during the year.
 

The top three profit making PSUs including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation and NTPC contributed 15.3 per cent, 9.68 per cent and 6.73 per cent, respectively to the total profit earned by all profitable CPSEs. Read more

6:18 PM

Congress says it will stage protests to 'expose' Modi govt's 'conspiracy to end reservation'

The Congress said it would stage protests and agitations at district level on the issue in the coming weeks to "expose" the Modi government's "conspiracy to end reservation" for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
 

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said it is a clear agenda of the BJP to curtail reservation for SCs/STs and backwards and alleged that the RSS has been sabotaging reservation to these oppressed sections for years.

5:31 PM

Congress accuses Minister Gehlot of misleading Lok Sabha on issue of reservation

Congress accused Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot of misleading Lok Sabha on the issue of reservation. Congress leader K C Venugopal said, the party was planning to move privilege motion against Gehlot for misleading Lok Sabha on issue of reservation. 

4:14 PM

BJP, govt cannot distance themselves from SC verdict on reservation, must spell out corrective measures: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday said the government and the BJP must spell out corrective measures if they do not agree with the Supreme Court judgement on reservation not being mandatory as they cannot distance themselves from it.
 

"The government and the BJP cannot distance themselves from the Supreme Court's judgement on reservation not being mandatory.
 

"If the BJP does not agree with the judgement, let it say so and spell out the corrective measures," he said on Twitter.

"The BJP government of Uttarakhand put forward the argument that was accepted by the Court. BJP must own up to the judgement and tell us if it will allow the declaration of law to remain unchallenged," Chidambaram also said.

4:12 PM

Priyanka Gandhi attacks BJP, says its weakening equal rights given to Dalits, tribals by Constitution

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday attacked the BJP over the Supreme Court's decision on the issue of reservation in appointments and promotions, alleging that the ruling party was weakening the equal rights given to Dalits and tribals by the Constitution.
 

Her attack came after the Supreme Court held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

 

"Understand the BJP's bid of ending reservation -- 1. RSS people consistently make statements against reservation. 2. The BJP government of Uttarakhand makes an appeal in the Supreme Court to abolish the fundamental right to reservation. 3. Uttar Pradesh government also immediately starts tampering with the rules of reservation," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet.