Parliament Winter Session 2024 Live Updates: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urges Shashi Tharoor to protest for Nemom railway terminal land acquisition

Peace and tranquillity in border areas is a pre-requisite for development of bilateral relationship with China, and the two sides will be discussing de-escalation and effective management of activities in these areas in the coming days, external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

A brief uproar was also witnessed following his statement, and members of opposition parties walked out of the House after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed them from seeking some clarifications on the matter. Jaishankar had made an identical statement in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Making a statement in the Upper House on "Recent Developments in India's Relations with China", Jaishankar stated that China is in "illegal occupation" of 38,000sqkm of Indian territory in Aksai Chin as a result of the 1962 conflict and Pakistan "illegally" yielded 5,180sqkm of Indian territory to China, which has been under Chinese occupation since 1948.

The minister said India and China have held talks for multiple decades to resolve the boundary issue. "While there is a Line of Actual Control (LAC), it doesn't have a common understanding in some areas. We remain committed to engaging with China through bilateral discussions to arrive at a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for boundary settlement," he added.

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw suggested that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stage a protest to push for land acquisition for the delayed Nemom railway terminal project in Thiruvananthapuram. Tharoor expressed concerns about inadequate funding, hindering construction during Kerala's favorable weather conditions.

External affairs minister Jaishankar addressed Parliament on the India-China border situation, outlining steps towards restoring peace. Following the 2020 clashes, disengagement has been achieved, and de-escalation efforts are underway, including resuming patrols. India's approach emphasizes respecting the LAC and existing agreements. Normalizing relations depends on sustained peace and tranquillity along the border.

Opposition leaders walkout in Rajya Sabha after being disallowed to ask questions on EAM S Jaishankar's China statement.

Against the backdrop of Opposition members holding protests at the entry gate of Parliament House, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday urged MPs not to create hindrances as it obstructs those entering the building, especially women members. His appeal came a day after the Lok Sabha secretariat urged MPs not to hold protests in front of the gates of Parliament House, contending that such obstruction of movement could affect their safety and security.

"I request all political parties not to obstruct the entry gate when others are entering the building (to attend proceedings).

"Women MPs have personally flagged their difficulty. I have already given directions and I request once again that if there is an issue, meet me but there should be no obstruction at the entry gate," Birla said ahead of Zero Hour.

He said members should follow parliamentary decorum.

Some opposition MPs were heard saying that the ruling BJP had started the practice of protest at the gate.

The secretariat's advisory on Tuesday came on a day parliamentarians held protests on the steps of Makar Dwar of Parliament, a gate reserved exclusively for their use and that of the officials.

"Members are requested not to hold protests or demonstrations in front of gates of Parliament House as such actions cause serious hindrance to the movement of members to the Parliament Chambers during sittings of the Houses," the advisory said.

In the Rajya Sabha, EAM Dr S Jaishankar said, "The situation arising after our counter deployment in 2020 called for multiple sets of responses. The immediate priority was to ensure disengagement from friction points so that there would be no further untoward incidents or clashes. This has been fully achieved. The next priority will be to consider de-escalation that would address the massing of troops along the LAC with associated accompaniments. It is also evident that the management of border areas will require further attention in light of our recent experiences. In all of this, we were, and we remain very clear that the 3 key principles must be observed in all circumstances. One, both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC. Two, neither side should attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo and three, agreements and understandings reached in the past must be fully abided by in their entirety. As a result of the sustained tension and specific developments in the border areas, our overall relationship with China was bound to be impacted adversely. In the new circumstances, it was obviously not possible to continue the normal exchanges, interactions and activities as in the past. In this regard, we made clear that the development of our ties were contingent on the principles of mutual sensitivity, mutual respect and mutual interest. Throughout this period, the govt has maintained that India-China relations cannot be normal in the absence of peace and tranquillity in the border areas. The combination of a firm and principled stance on the situation in the border areas, as well as our clearly articulated approach to the totality of our ties have been the foundation of our engagement with China for the last 4 years..."

In the Rajya Sabha, EAM Dr S Jaishankar said, "I rise to apprise the House of some recent developments in the India-China border areas and their implications for our overall bilateral relations. The House is aware that our ties have been abnormal since 2020 when peace and tranquillity in the border areas were disturbed as a result of Chinese actions. Recent developments that reflect our continuous diplomatic engagement since then have set our ties in the direction of some improvement. The House is cognizant of the fact that China is in Illegal occupation of 38,000 km² of Indian territory in Aksai Chin as a result of the 1962 conflicts and the event that preceded it. Furthermore, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 km² of Indian territory to China in 1963, which has been under its occupation since 1948. India and China have held talks for multiple decades to resolve the boundary issue. While there is a Line of Actual Control, it does not have a common understanding in some areas. We remain committed to engaging with China through bilateral discussions to arrive at a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for a boundary settlement. Members would recall that the amassing of a large number of troops by China along the LAC in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020 resulted in face-offs with our forces at a number of points. The situation also led to the disruption of patrolling activities. It is to the credit of our armed forces that despite logistical challenges and the then prevailing Covid situation, they were able to counter-deploy rapidly and effectively."

EAM S Jaishankar on Wednesday briefed Rajya Sabha on India-China ties. He said, 'we were quick & effective in countering China'.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said ministers should give up the habit of responding to members during the Question Hour till permitted by the Chair. This came after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav made a comment while Union minister Pralhad Joshi was replying to a question on solar energy and Union minister Piyush Goyal responded to the Kannauj MP. Goyal earlier served as power minister.

Joshi, who holds the New and Renewable Energy portfolio, was responding to supplementaries related to Pradhan Mantri-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PM-SGMBY).

Birla said ministers should not reply to members till they are allowed by the Chair.

Later, the speaker also asked members to keep their questions and answers short.

He made the comments when Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was responding to questions about BSNL. Scindia was also asked to keep his reply short.

Members and ministers should keep their questions and answers crisp and to the point so that more members can get the opportunity to ask questions during the Question Hour, Birla said.

He was of the view that all the 20 questions selected for oral reply through a lottery system should be taken up during the Question Hour.

A total subsidy of Rs 56,993 crore is given every year by the Indian Railways to all categories of passengers, with a 46 per cent rebate on every ticket, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. Replying to multiple questions in the Lok Sabha on restoring discounts given to various categories of train passengers, he said if the price of a ticket is Rs 100, then the railways charges just Rs 54 for it -- a discount of 46 per cent.

"A total of Rs 56,993 crore subsidy is given every year by the Indian Railways to all classes of passengers," Vaishnaw said during the Question Hour.

Replying to another question on rapid train service, he said the railways has already started such a service -- Namo Bharat Rapid Rail -- between Bhuj and Ahmedabad and the satisfaction level of passengers is extremely high due to its superior service.

Officials said Namo Bharat Rapid Rail has improved intercity connectivity by covering the 359-kilometre distance between Bhuj and Ahmedabad in 5 hours and 45 minutes, with stops at several stations along the way.

Congress and other opposition party MPs on Wednesday walked out of the Rajya Sabha in protest against the government's alleged anti-farmer policies and for not fulfilling the promise of increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops. Congress MPs raised slogans after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed motions seeking setting aside of the business of the day to discuss the farmers issue.

Dhankar slammed their behaviour, saying the "interest of farmers is not served by sloganeering and (shedding) crocodile tears".

"You are only politicising it. You dont want a solution. Kisan (farmers) is your last priority," he told the agitated Congress and other opposition party MPs.

Amid slogan shouting, the chairman took up Zero Hour mentions.

Initially he did not allow the opposition MPs to raise the issue but later relented and allowed Tiwari to make a brief one minute mention.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said the government has not kept its promise of raising MSP. This has led to farmers again restoring to agitation, he said.

Few others wanted to speak but Dhankhar did not allow it.

Soon after, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) members staged a walkout.

Earlier Dhankhar said he found the five notices served under rule 267 not in order and so they were not acceded to.

The notices called for setting aside business of the day to discuss farmers' issues, the recent cyclone in Tamil Nadu, allegations of corruption and wrongdoing against Adani group and violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.

Farmers from various regions of western Uttar Pradesh began a march to Delhi on December 2 after gathering at the Delhi-Noida border in recent days to stage a protest.

Telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told Lok Sabha there are no plans to shut down BSNL. Government is pumping more money to make the telecom company profitable instead, he said.

Leaders of several INDIA bloc parties protested on the Parliament premises on Wednesday over the Adani indictment issue and called for a joint parliamentary probe into the matter. MPs of the Congress, AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT), DMK and the Left parties, among others, raised slogans in favour of their demand and held a banner reading "Modi-Adani are one" at Parliament's Makar Dwar. The TMC kept away from the opposition protest.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was not part of the protest. He left for the violence-hit Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh along with a Congress delegation in the morning.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday issued an advisory urging the MPs not to hold protests in front of Parliament gates, saying that such obstruction of movement could affect their safety and security.

The opposition MPs held a protest at the same spot on Tuesday.

Proceedings on Wednesday began in both Houses of Parliament amid protests by MPs over the Adani issue.

Opposition MPs on Wednesday staged a protest over the Adani issue inside Parliament premises in Delhi.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha urging for a discussion on the Adani matter.

The motion notice filed by Congress MP Gogoi calls for an urgent discussion on the 'silence' of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in the face of serious allegations against the Adani Group, which has been charged with bribery and securities fraud by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General, Gogoi said, "I hereby give notice of my intention to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance. SECI, a central player in India's renewable energy sector, has inexplicably maintained a stoic silence even as the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have leveled damning charges of bribery and securities fraud against the Adani Group."

In the notice, Gogoi highlighted that the lack of any statement or action from SECI undermines essential principles of transparency and accountability that are expected of public sector entities.

"These allegations directly implicate solar power deals facilitated by SECI itself. The lack of any statement or action from SECI undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that should govern public sector undertakings," read the notice.

Congress MP Vijay Vasanth on Wednesday gave adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss "refusal by several banks to issue agricultural loans to their customers in urban areas."

"I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance," Vasanth said.

"Hon'ble Speaker Sir, I wish to raise a crucial issue that affects the livelihood of farmers in our metro cities. It has come to our attention that several banks are refusing to issue agricultural loans to their customers in urban areas. This is an unfair practice that undermines the efforts of farmers, who despite living in metro cities, rely on agriculture for their income. Agriculture is not limited to rural areas alone; many farmers in urban regions are equally dependent on loans to sustain their farms and contribute to the nation's food security," he added.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved a motion of adjournment in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, urging the central government to reconsider its decision to impose 18 per cent GST tax on shops rental.

In his notice, Tagore condemned the Union government's decision to impose an 18 per cent GST tax on shop rentals, which has severely impacted small businesses and entrepreneurs.

"I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance," he said.

"Speaker Sir, I strongly condemn the Modi Government's decision to impose an 18 per cent GST tax on shops rental, which has severely impacted small businesses and entrepreneurs. This regressive move will lead to increased costs for shop owners, resulting in higher prices for consumers and exacerbating inflation," he added.

Citing a survey by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), he said that 72 per cent of shopkeepers have reported a decline in sales due to increased costs.

"According to a survey by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), 72 per cent of shopkeepers have reported a decline in sales due to increased costs. The average monthly rent for a shop in India is Rs 25,000, and with an 18 per cent GST, shopkeepers will have to pay an additional Rs 4,500 per month, leading to a 18 per cent increase in operational costs," he added.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday urged MPs not to hold protests in front of the gates of Parliament House, contending that such obstruction of movement could affect their safety and security. The advisory came on a day parliamentarians held protests on the steps of Makar Dwar of Parliament, a gate reserved exclusively for their use and that of the officials.

"Members are requested not to hold protests or demonstrations in front of gates of Parliament House as such actions cause serious hindrance to the movement of members to the Parliament Chambers during sittings of the Houses," an advisory issued by secretariat said.

It said that keeping building gates free from any blockage was also essential for ensuring safety and security of members in the Parliament House.

After a week of disruption over Adani indictment and other issues that prevented the Upper House from conducting any business, Rajya Sabha started functioning normally Tuesday with members raising issues of importance with permission of the chair. SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav raised the recent violence and tensions in Sambhal, linking it with Nov 20 assembly polls. He said the incident was pre-planned to divert people's attention. After he was prevented from completing his remarks by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, SP and a few other parties - AITC, RJD, IUML and Sena UBT walked out in protest.

Earlier, Dhankhar said he had received 42 adjournment notices under Rule 267 on various issues, highest in the last quarter of a century. He also expressed anguish that a Rule 267 notice was made public even before it was considered. The chairman termed it a "disregard of provisions" and said the matter would be taken up with heads of various parties. TNN

New Delhi: BJP MP Sambit Patra's remarks on ex-PM Indira Gandhi during discussion on Banking Law (Amendment) Bill triggered a war of words between treasury bench & opposition in LS, prompting Speaker to urge the members to not digress from topic.

Participating in the debate on the Bill, Patra, recalling Nagarwala scandal, said, "On May 24, 1971, Indira called SBI's Parliament branch manager and asked to release Rs 60 lakh immediately. A panel was set up that didn't give clearance to her. This is an iconic 'phone banking example'."

DMK's A Raja raised objection to mention of the incident, saying it is a violation of Rule 94. "Indira is not in the House. You are referring to her name without any reason...," he said. Patra responded: "We have to be within the ambit of the Bill that is being discussed... We're discussing banking system & this case is one of the foundations on which reforms of banking sector are based." tnn

Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, which seeks to create an enabling environment for investors by promoting "ease of doing business" and delinks petroleum operations from mining, was passed by a voice vote in RS Tuesday.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "This is an important legislation which will boost energy security and also contribute to a prosperous India."

Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri earlier said energy was "lifeline" for growth of any economy, and oil and natural gas sector require "heavy investments" and a long gestation period.

Policy stability, a fair dispute resolution mechanism and sharing of infrastructure, especially for small players, are among provisions of the Bill. It aims to decriminalise some provisions of the original Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, by introducing "penalties, adjudication by an adjudicating authority and appeal as against the order of adjudicating authority".

The 'honorarium' for working six to eight hours as cooks-cum-helpers in the midday meal programme has remained unchanged at Rs 1,000 per month since it was fixed in 2009. Adjusted for inflation, the value of Rs 1,000 now is just over Rs 540 per month 15 years back. The actual money they get depends on how much the state govt is willing to enhance this. While Kerala pays Rs 12,000, in many like Delhi, Goa and several northeastern states it remains just Rs 1,000.

National Floor Minimum Wage, below which no state can fix its minimum wage, is Rs 5,340 per month, about Rs 178 per day. However, since cook-cum-helpers (CCH) are not recognised as workers, govt is not bound to pay minimum wages. The honorarium of Rs 1000 works out to be just Rs 33 per day. " CCHs are honorary workers who have come forward for rendering social services," govt has repeatedly maintained in answers to questions in Parliament.

Differences among INDIA bloc parties became more visible Tuesday as TMC and SP refrained from joining Congress-led protests over the Adani issue in Lok Sabha.

MPs from Congress, AAP, RJD, Sena UBT, DMK and Left parties, among others, raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi demanding accountability be fixed for alleged corruption by the corporate house, and reiterated their demand for a JPC probe into the matter.

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AAP's Sanjay Singh, RJD's Misa Bharti and Sena UBT's Arvind Sawant participated in protest on the steps leading to Parliament's Makar Dwar. There was a brief walkout by opposition before they returned to participate in further proceedings.

However, SP and TMC were conspicuous by their absence. TMC, which has not prioritised the Adani controversy as much and has argued that Parliament session should be used to raise issues of unemployment, price rise and alleged discrimination by Centre against opposition-governed states in fund allocation, had not attended INDIA bloc meeting at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence Monday.

"Tell me one prime minister who has taken Tamil to the UN...Narendra Modi. Tell me one PM who quotes Tamil repeatedly...because he respects that language. Tell me one PM with whom DMK has been in alliance with, where the PM quoted Tamil," finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha passed the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on Tuesday, introducing provisions for bank account holders to nominate up to four beneficiaries. The bill also proposes to revise the definition of 'substantial interest' for directorships, with a potential increase from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 2 crore, updating a limit established nearly sixty years ago.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented the Bill, secured its approval through a voice vote. During the debate, she clarified that account holders would receive both successive and simultaneous nomination options, whilst locker holders would be limited to successive nominations only.

Sitharaman emphasised that since 2014, both the Government and RBI have maintained strict vigilance to ensure banking stability. She stated, "The intention is to keep our banks safe, stable, healthy, and after 10 years you are seeing the outcome."

The legislation seeks to extend the tenure of directors in cooperative banks from eight to ten years, excluding the chairman and whole-time director, aligning with the Constitution (Ninety-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2011.

Additionally, the bill proposes to permit directors of Central Cooperative Banks to hold board positions in State Cooperative Banks

The Upper House of Parliament deliberated on legislation on Tuesday aimed at modernising the 90-year-old Aircraft Act to enhance business operations and draw investments in aviation. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, received approval from the Lok Sabha during Parliament's previous session in August.

Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu introduced the bill for discussion and approval, noting that it followed recommendations from The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to revise the primary legislation.

During discussions, Congress representatives Syed Naseer Hussain and Pramod Tiwari attempted to discuss the Adani matter and requested an inquiry into corruption allegations, but the Chair did not permit this.

Naidu emphasised aviation's crucial role in economic development and its need for expansion.

He reported that airport numbers had risen from 74 in 2014 to 157 nationwide, whilst the aircraft fleet had expanded from 400 to 813 during the same period.

"In the earlier Act, only the world maintenance was mentioned. There was no definition. Now we adding design and manufacturing also. We are also defining all these three terms (in the new law). We have brought the appeal system," he stated.

A Parliamentary panel, in its report presented in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, urged the government to establish a concrete strategy for addressing Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, emphasising that terrorist incidents in India can only be reduced by eliminating all terror networks and sanctuaries.

The committee on external affairs recommended that India should initiate unified international efforts to eliminate terrorist infrastructure in adjacent nations. The panel emphasised the necessity for continued diplomatic initiatives to highlight Pakistan's involvement with various terrorist organisations at international platforms.

The panel additionally recommended reinforcing India's territorial boundaries and maritime routes to prevent terrorist infiltration into the nation. The parliamentary committee operates under the leadership of senior Congress member Shashi Tharoor.

"The committee also desire that the government should make regular assessment on whether the situation is conducive for resumption of high-level interaction with the Pakistan government and take steps accordingly," the report stated.

The document highlighted that India's terrorism challenges predominantly originate from across the border. "Terrorist outfits are provided safe havens, material support, finance and other logistics by Pakistan's ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) to carry out terrorist activities in India," the report indicated. (PTI)

Members are requested not to hold protests or demonstrations in front of the Gates of Parliament House as such actions cause serious hindrance to the movement of Members to the Parliament Chambers during sittings of the Houses. Keeping building gates free from any blockage is also essential for ensuring safety and security of Members in the Parliament House: Lok Sabha Secretariat