Parliament Winter Session

Notice for my removal from post was a rusted knife, says V-P Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said one should not use a vegetable-cutting knife for bypass surgery and asserted that the notice for his removal from the post was actually a "rusted" tool. In his first reaction on the notice submitted by the opposition INDIA bloc, Dhankhar said, "Just look at the notice against the vice president. Just look at the six links they have given. "You'll be shocked. Chandra Shekhar ji once said, 'Never use a vegetable-cutting knife for bypass surgery'. The notice wasn't even a vegetable-cutting knife; it was rusted. There was haste." The notice was rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chair Harivansh. "When I read it, I was astonished. But what surprised me more was that none of you read it. If you had, you wouldn't have been able to sleep for days," he told a group of women journalists. Dhankhar said any constitutional position has to be vindicated by commitment to sublimity, sterling qualities and constitutionalism. "We are not in a position t

V-P Dhankar calls for accountability of MPs over Parliament disruptions

Against the backdrop of Parliament witnessing poor productivity due to disruptions, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday called for accountability of lawmakers and said people would force them to think why they were sent to Parliament. He also said that for any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides. Dhankhar is the Rajya Sabha's ex-officio chairman. Calling for accountability among parliamentarians, he said, "... Make no mistake, I am referring to parliamentarians. People have learned to take disorder as order. There is no sense of revulsion." Hopefully, people will write and their thoughts will move, the vice-president said, according to an official statement. "People will force you to think, why did you go there (Parliament)?" he said. Addressing awardees of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards - 2024, the vice-president said agriculture was the spine of rural development. "Unless agriculture develops, the

Parliament scuffle: Crime branch to probe BJP's FIR, Congress' allegations

The crime branch will now probe the BJP's FIR against Rahul Gandhi and the Congress' counter-allegations, as the political standoff over the Parliament scuffle intensifies

Winter Session of Lok Sabha sees 57.87% productivity despite disruptions

The Lok Sabha's Winter Session, hamstrung by disruptions over issues ranging from Adani to billionaire George Soros' "links" with the Congress leadership and Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks, had a productivity of 57.87 per cent, official sources said on Friday. The Lower House met on November 25 and was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on Friday amid protests by the opposition and the treasury benches over the alleged insult to BR Ambedkar and directions by Speaker Om Birla to members against holding demonstrations at any gate of Parliament. Among the key bills introduced during the session were two that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections. The two bills were on Friday referred to a joint committee of Parliament for examination and wider consultations. The Lower House last week saw a debate on 75 years of the Constitution's adoption, during which the treasury and the opposition benches launched a series of attacks at each other. The Lok Sabha sat an extra day last

Dhankhar spoke for almost 30% of time in RS, claims TMC's Derek O'Brien

Amid the opposition's charge that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar does not allow them to speak, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliamentary Party Leader Derek O'Brien on Friday alleged that the Rajya Sabha chairman spoke for around 30 per cent of the time the Upper House functioned. Slamming the chairman on the last day of the Winter Session, O'Brien in a brief statement said that the Upper House ran for a total of 43 hours till December 18 and Dhankhar spoke for around four and a half hours. There are no official records of speaking time of the Rajya Sabha chairman or its members. "As of December 18, the Rajya Sabha ran for a total of 43 hours. Of this, the bills were discussed for 10 hours," the TMC leader said. "The debate on the Constitution lasted for 17 and a half hours. Of the remaining 15 and a half hours who spoke for four and a half hours or nearly 30 per cent of the time? It was the Rajya Sabha chairman and vice president," O'Brien said. "Did Jagdeep Dhankhar set a new recor

Crime branch to investigate BJP-Congress complaints over Parliament clash

A scuffle broke out in the Parliament on Thursday between the Congress and the BJP. Both political parties filed complaints, leading to a police investigation into the incident

Ambedkar row: Opposition MPs hold protest against Amit Shah at Vijay Chowk

Opposition MPs staged a protest at Vijay Chowk here on Friday demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology and resignation for allegedly "insulting" BR Ambedkar. They also carried out a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the BJP over the FIR filed against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying it "shows their desperation level". "The entire country is watching, they have slapped several cases on Rahul Gandhi. They bring in new FIRs and lie...This shows their desperation level," she told reporters. Priyanka Gandhi joined several other INDIA bloc MPs at Vijay Chowk to protest against Shah's remarks as they demanded Shah's apology and resignation over the issue. She was seen carrying a placard which read 'Babasaheb ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan'. The MPs raised slogans such as 'Jai Bhim' 'Amit Shah Maafi Mango' and 'istifa do'. The protest comes a day after separate marches by oppositio

'Badge of honour': Congress on FIR against Gandhi for 'defending Ambedkar'

Congress calls FIR against Rahul Gandhi over Parliament scuffle a 'badge of honour', alleging BJP's vendetta and diversionary tactics to counter his protest against Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks

Lok Sabha speaker bans protests after NDA-Congress clash at Parliament gate

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla bans protests at Parliament gates after NDA-Congress clash at Makar Dwar turns violent, leaving two BJP MPs injured; cross-complaints filed by both sides

FIR against Rahul diversionary tactic in response to his protest: Venugopal

Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, who is also Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, in connection with a scuffle in Parliament

Shameful, Congress party's violence reached Parliament: Kangana Ranaut

Political clash between BJP and Congress intensified on Thursday, with leaders of both parties filing cross-complaints over an alleged scuffle on the Parliament premises

Parliament scuffle highlights: LS Speaker bars parties from holding protests at Parliament gates

Parliament winter session news updates: The BJP has claimed that Rahul Gandhi pushed Pratap Sarangi during a melee, a charge rejected by the Congress leader

Parliament scuffle: Delhi Police registers FIR against Rahul Gandhi

Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a scuffle at Parliament, an officer said. An FIR under section 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt), 125 (act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 131 (use of criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS was registered at Parliament Street Police station. Earlier in the day, the BJP filed a police complaint against Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of "physical assault and incitement" during a scuffle in Parliament premises, and sought his indictment under sections of attempt to murder and other charges. BJP MP Hemang Joshi, accompanied by party colleagues Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, visited the Parliament Street Police Station and filed the complaint.

Rs 47.2K cr released to states, UTs under Smart Cities Mission: Centre

The Central government has released Rs 47,225 crore to the states and union territories under the Smart Cities Mission till November 15 and out of which Rs 44,626 crore has been utilised, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. In a written reply to a question, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said the work orders have been issued till November 15 in 8,066 crore amounting to Rs 1,64,669 crore, of which 7,352 projects (i.e. 91 per cent of total projects) amounting to Rs 1,47,366 crore have been completed under the mission. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) has a multi-level review structure to expedite the progress of projects under the Smart Cities Mission, said Sahu, adding mission implementation at the state level is monitored by the state level high powered steering committee chaired by the chief secretary. At the national level, the implementation is monitored by an apex committee headed by the HUA secretary, the minister said. The

Mallikarjun Kharge says BJP MPs 'pushed' him in Parliament premises

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, claiming he was physically pushed by BJP MPs in Parliament premises following which he lost his balance. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha asked the LS Speaker to order an inquiry into the BJP MPs "pushing" him, says it was an assault not just on him but on the Rajya Sabha LoP and the Congress president. "I was physically pushed by BJP MPs; lost my balance and was forced to sit down on ground in front of Makar Dwar," Kharge said. His remarks came after a face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi injured. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge rejected by the Congress leader. Trouble began when the INDIA bloc members insisted on entering Parliament through the BJP MPs holding a protest instead of using the space left empty on one side of the staircase

Parliament scuffle: PM calls up injured BJP MPs to ask about their health

This comes amidst the controversy of Rahul Gandhi allegedly pushing an MP while he claimed that he had been blocked from entering the Parliament

BJP MPs accuse Rahul Gandhi of pushing, one in ICU; Gandhi responds

Ambedkar row: A scuffle in Parliament escalated as BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing an MP, while Gandhi countered, blaming BJP MPs for blocking and threatening him

BJP MPs were pushing me, stopping me from going inside Parliament: Rahul

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that BJP MPs were pushing him and stopping him and other opposition MPs from entering Parliament. His remarks came after some BJP MPs claimed that Gandhi pushed an MP, resulting in their leader Pratap Sarangi getting injured. Sarangi was taken to hospital after getting injured in the melee when the protesting INDIA bloc and the BJP MPs came face to face in front of Makar Dwar in Parliament. "I was trying to enter Parliament and the BJP MPs were stopping me, pushing me and threatening me," Gandhi told reporters in Parliament premises. Asked if Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi had also been pushed, Rahul Gandhi said, "It has happened but we don't get bothered with this pushing around." "This is the entry to Parliament, we have a right to go inside and the BJP members were stopping us from going inside," he alleged and pointed to the Makar Dwar. Gandhi said the central issue is

Cong moves adjournment notice over Shah's alleged insult to BR Ambedkar

Tagore alleged that Shah's earlier remark insulted the former Minister of Law and Justice, BR Ambedkar

House panel pulls up IT ministry for failing to use semiconductor funds

A parliamentary panel has pulled up the Ministry of Electronics and IT for surrendering more than half the funds allocated for semiconductor and display manufacturing projects in 2023-24, according to a report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Standing Committee on Communications and IT in the fourth report on demand for grants observed gradual decrease in allocation of funds from Budget Estimate (BE) 2021-22 to BE 2024-25 for Digital India Programme as well as underutilisation by the ministry over the years. The report said under Modified Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India, during FY24, of the total allocation of Rs 1,503.36 crore the actual expenses as on March 31, 2024 indicates that the ministry could spend only Rs 681.11 crore, "surrendering a staggering 55 per cent of the allotted fund". "Surrendering of funds beyond 50 per cent allocated reflects improper planning by the ministry. The committee may be apprised of t