Parliament: MPs Corner Govt Over Farm Laws, Slam PM Modi’s Remarks
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As farmers’ protests around the national capital continue, several MPs on Tuesday, 9 February including Akhilesh Yadav, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah cornered the government on farm laws and slammed PM Modi’s remarks of calling protesters ‘aandolanjeevi’.
Earlier in the day, Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday addressed the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha on the search and rescue operations in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district following flash floods that left at least 26 people dead and 206 others missing.
He also offered condolences to the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday morning got emotional in the Rajya Sabha while bidding farewell to Congress veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, following which Azad too broke down in his response while talking about the 1999 Odisha cyclone and terrorism in Kashmir.
Azad thanked the Prime Minister and all the leader in the house who paid tributes to him.
- Several leaders in the House paid tributes to Ghulam Nabi Azad and three other outgoing MPs
- PM Modi, in his speech about Azad mentioned several anecdotes to highlight how Azad was an astute politician
- Leaders of the Opposition parties and farm unions have hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘andolanjeevi’ remarks
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Ghulam Nabi Azad Set to Retire, J&K Loses Representation in RS
Jammu and Kashmir is set to lose representation in the Rajya Sabha as four members from the erstwhile state are retiring this month, including Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on 15 February.
PM Modi Bids Farewell to Azad, Gets Emotional
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 9 February, got emotional in the Rajya Sabha while bidding farewell to Congress veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Saying that his legacy in national politics will be hard to replace, PM Modi said that Azad had risen above party politics ad prioritised the country first. He also added that during the pandemic, it had been Azad who had proposed an all-party meet to fight the crisis together.
“Posts come, high office comes, power comes and how to handle these, one must learn from Ghulam Nabi Azad Ji. I would consider him a true friend,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi also mentioned several anecdotes to highlight how Azad was an astute politician and dedicated himself to the service of the country and the people.
Amit Shah to Make Statement in RS Over Uttarakhand Glacier Break
Home Minister Amit Shah will be making a statement in Rajya Sabha at 11:30 am over the flash floods brought on by a glacier break in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
Sharad Pawar Praises Ghulam Nabi Azad
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, NCP leader Sharad Pawar said: "These four Members have always wished well for J&K. My association with Azad goes back a long way. He is an organisational man."
"Ghulam Nabi must be the only Member to have worked in Union Ministries. There are struggles in politics, as mentioned by the PM. He had good relations with all the Opposition members. He has earned the respect of all members,” he added.
Kerala MP Binoy Viswam Bids Farewll to Azad, Thanks PM Modi
CPI leader and Kerala MP Binoy Viswan bid farewll to Ghulam Nabi Azad and thanked PM modi for an emotional farewell.
“Tears are very important. Till today I have only met him as the Prime Minister in his chambers. But as a communist, today I also felt that I saw him as a human being. Based on that feeling, I bid farewell to Ghulam Nabi Azad ji and wish him all the best,” he said.
AAP's Sushil Kumar Gupta Pays Tribute to Azad
Sushil Kumar Gupta, AAP thanked PM Modi for the emotional farewell to gulam nabi Azad and said that not just him, but the party and party chief Arvind Kejriwal. respects Azad as a parliamentarian
'Azad Knew How to Rise Above Party Lines': Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad
While bidding farewell to Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress’ Anand Sharma said that he was a man with the best experience of the functioning of the Parliament and knew how to rise above party lines
“This is an emotional moment for all of us. We remember the days when Azad gave up eveything for the service of the people and the country. The emotions expressed by PM Modi for Sharad Pawar ji and Ghulam Nabi Azad ji are apt, because they have spent years in the House and electoral politics,” Sharma said.
“The challenges for such a large country are equally big. There is hardly anybody who is so experienced in the functioning of the House. While being on the ruling side, he knew how to listen to the Opposition across party lines and he did the same as the Leader of Opposition,” he said.
Sharma said that Azad was one of the few politicians who did not let ideological and political differences turn personal.
'Will Help You Return To the House if Congress Doesn't': Athawale in RS
Sharing a light moment in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said that Ghulam Nabi Azad must return to the Parliament and the ruling side will help him do so if the Congress doesn’t.
“You should return to the House. If the Congress doesn't bring you back, we are ready to do it. This House needs you,” he said.
'Wounds Won't Heal so Easily': Outgoing J&K MP Nazir Ahmed Laway
Nazir Ahmed Laway, J&K PDP MP who is serving his last day in the Parliament along with Ghulam nabi Azad said that the Abrogation of ARticle 370 has changed a lot for them and the wounds won’t heal so easily.
He said that while the representation of J&K in the House ends with him, he will take back a message that the people of India do have solidarity with the people of the newly formed Union Territiory.
He further urged PM Modi to stress for not just infrastructural development but also human development of the people of J&K.
Ghulam Nabi Azad Thanks PM Modi, Others for Emotional Farewell
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday got emotional in the Rajya Sabha while bidding farewell to Congress veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the latter in his response thanked the Prime Minister and all the leader in the house who paid tributes to him.
He also remembered late Sanjay Gandhi for getting him into active politics and paid tributes to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“I am among those fortunate people who never went to Pakistan. When I read about circumstances in Pakistan, I feel proud to be a Hindustani Muslim,” he said.
Home Minister Amit Shah Addresses House on Uttarakhand
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday addressed the Rajya Sabha and apprised the House of the search and rescue operations in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district following flash floods that left at least 26 people dead and 206 others missing.
“450 jawans of ITBP, five teams of NDRF, eight teams of Indian Army, a Navy team and five IAF helicopters are engaged in search and rescue operation,” he said, adding that all concerned agencies of Centre and State are monitoring the situation.
Rajya Sabha Members Pay Tribute to Victims of Uttarakhand
Members of the Rajya Sabha observed a minute-long silence to offer condolences to the victims of the Uttarakhand flash floods tragedy of 7 February.
Congress MP Gives Adjournment Notice Over Uttarakhand Tragedy
Congress MP K Suresh has given Adjournment Motion Notice in the Lok Sabha over investigating the probable cause to determine ‘environmental destruction in view of glacier lake burst in Uttarakhand.’
Home Minister Amit Shah Addresses Lok Sabha on Uttarakhand Tragedy
Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday apprised the Lok Sabha of the Uttarakhand traged on 7 February and said that the Centre is providing all necessary assistance in coordination with the state government.
“ Twelve people of NTPC project were safely rescued from one tunnel, 15 people of Rishiganga project were also rescued at the time of incident. At least 25-35 people are feared trapped in the second tunnel of NTPC project, efforts are underway on war footing to rescue them,” he said.
“The Central government is monitoring the situation. The Prime Minister himself is monitoring it. Both the control rooms of the Home Ministry are monitoring the situation round the clock and the state is being provided with all the possible help,” he added.
He further informed that the ITBP has set up its control room and 450 personnel are carrying out search and rescue operation.
“Five teams of NDRF are at the site. At least eight teams of Army also there, one medical column and an ambulance are also positioned at the site of the incident. A diving team of Navy is also there,” he said, informing about the rescue operations at the Tapovan tunnel.
1.24 Crore Indian Nationals Living in Foreign Countries
As per the information available with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) a total of 1,24,99,395 Indian nationals are living in foreign countries, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha.
“As per information available with the MEA, 1,41,656 Indians gave up Indian citizenship and took up citizenship of other countries in 2015, a total of 1,44,942 in 2016, a total of 1,27,905 in 2017, a total of 1,25,130 in 2018 and a total of 1,36,441 in 2019,” the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha.
25 Posts Vacant in Bihar IPC Cadre: MHA in Lok sabha
The Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that as on 1 January, 2020, the sanctioned strength of IPS officers in Bihar cadre is 242 and 217 officers are posted. Therefore 25 posts are vacant.
Registrations of Over 20,000 NGOs Cancelled Since 2011
Registration certificates of over 20,600 NGO or associations have been cancelled during the period of 2011 till date, for violations of various FCRA and other rules made thereafter, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha.
During 2018-2020, FCRA registration certificates of 1810 NGOs were cancelled, the MHA said.
No Infiltration at India-Bhutan, India-Myanmar and India-China Border: MHA Tells LS
The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that there have been no infiltrations at the India-Bhutan, India-Myanmar and India-China border in the last two years.
“The number of cases of infiltration border-wise, reported during the last two years and the current year are: 61 at India-Pakistan border, 1045 at India-Bangladesh border, 63 at India-Nepal border and nil infiltrations at India-Bhutan, India-Myanmar and India-China border,” the MHA said.
8,754 Crores Approved For Upcoming Census: MHA Tells Lok Sabha
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that an amount of Rs 8754.23 crores has been approved for conducting the forthcoming Census.
“Due to outbreak of COVID-19, the Census and other related field activities have been postponed,” The MHA said.
Farooq Abdullah Raps Centre Over Farm Laws, J&K special Status
While speaking in the Lok Sabha, J&K MP and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday slammed the government for allegedly creating religious divide.
He also slammed the government for Abrogation o Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and called out members of the ruling party for referiing to the citizens of J&K as Pakistanis.
Punjab MPs Submit Private Members' Bills Against Farm Laws
Eight Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab individually and collectively submitted Private Members Bills for repealing the three farmLaws. The Bills are called The Repealing and Amending Act 2021, ANI reported.
'PM's MSP Promise Not a Reality On Ground,' Says Akhilesh, Slams 'Aandolanjeevi' Remark
Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday while addressing the Lok Sabha said that the reality of MSPs on ground is different than what PM Modi has promised in his speech on Monday.
“Yesterday I heard 'MSP tha, MSP hai, MSP rahega'. It's just in speech but not on ground. Farmers aren't getting it, had they been getting, they wouldn't have been sitting in Delhi. I congratulate agitating farmers that they have awakened farmers across India,” he said.
“If the government says that the laws are for farmers, why is it not taking it back if farmers aren't accepting them? People for whom the laws have been made don't want ithem. Are allegations that you rolled out a carpet for corporates and brought these laws not right?” he said.
Slamming PM Modi’s ‘aandolanjeevi’ remark about prortesters, Yadav said that it was protests like these that helped the country get independence..
“The nation attained independence through agitation. Innumerable rights were received through agitation. Women received the right to vote through agitation. Mahatama Gandhi became the father of the nation because he agitated for Africa, the world and the nation,” he said.
Harmimrat Kaur Badal Slams Government Over Handling of Farmers' Protests
Punjab MP and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday slammed the government over the handling of farmers’ protests and said that there weer no words of synmpathy for the protesters by the Prime Minister while addressing the House.
“They are protesting on raliway tracks since the month of June, but they did not pay heed,” she said that her party left the alliance to supportt the farmers.
She also said that the alliance was brought in without taking the farmers and relevant stakeholders in confidence.
Badal further slammed the arrests of journalists and said that Mandeep Punia should be questioned as to how BJP workers are creating nuisance on ground.