Parliament Winter Session a Washout; Least Productive in 6 Years
Catch live updates of the last day of the month-long Winter Session of the Parliament.
- Parliament’s Winter Session comes to an end as Lok Sabha adjourned sine die at 2:10 pm.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Indira Gandhi for her decision against demonetisation in 1971 at BJP parliamentary meet.
- His statement was aired on DD News right after the Winter Session concluded.
- Leaders of Opposition meet President Pranab Mukherjee over washout of Winter Session.
- Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die at 11:20 am.
- PM Modi held a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting before the Parliament proceedings.
- A Congress leaders’ delegation met with PM Modi seeking loan waiver for farmers.
- The 2016 Winter Session has been the second least productive: Reports.
- On the second-last day of the session, government members launched an AgustaWestland offensive against an unrelenting Opposition.
PM Modi Attacks Indira Gandhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during BJP’s Parliamentary meet that Wanchoo committee had given recommendation for demonitisation to Indira Gandhi in 1971, but she snubbed the report.
Modi also said that Indiraji told YB Chavan that Indira Gandhi delayed it for the sake of elections, citing a book by Madhav Godbole, Unfinished Innings: Recollections and Reflections of a Civil Servant.
Jyotirmoy Basu of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on 12 November 1970 had said that Indira Gandhi thrives on black money, Modi stated at the meeting in the morning.
At the meeting Modi also announced lucky draw to incentivise cashless transactions.
Hours later, the Supreme Court refused to extend the use of old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes at government utility centers.
Watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement from the BJP parliamentary meet here:
Lok Sabha Adjourned After Passing Disabilities Bill
The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die after passing Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016.
Opposition Leaders Meet President Pranab Mukherjee
Led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, a delegation of Opposition leaders met President Pranab Mukherjee and raised the issue of effects of demoentisation on the farmers and poor people in the country.
Congress Leaders Meet PM Modi
A delegation of Congress leaders met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Rajya Sabha proceedings for the season came to an end.
Rahul Gandhi also said that the decision to make import of wheat duty-free, right after demonetisation, “is a devastating blow” to the farmers.
Former PM Deve Gowda Upset Over Parliament Logjam
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda expressed his distress over the complete washout of Winter Session of the Parliament and claimed that the common man is unhappy.
Gowda agreed with Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Hamid Ansari’s remarks at the end of Winter Session that the members should introspect about their behaviour in the House.
Disabilities Bill Returns To Lok Sabha
Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, initiated discussion for consideration of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016.
The Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill with 119 amendments, including increasing the number of disabilities from 7 to 21, on 15 December.
KC Venugopal, Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha constituency of Kerala, pointed out that while more number of disabilities were included in the Bill, the reservation for disabled persons was brought down in the amendments.
Dr Manoj Rajoria, Lok Sabha MP from Karauli-Dholpur constituency of Rajasthan, sought a change of the word “disabilities” to “special abilities” in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill.
“Only after watching Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, I got to know about this learning disorder (dyslexia),” Saugata Roy, Lok Sabha MP from Dum Dum constituency in West Bengal, said.
Lok Sabha Speaker Dismisses All Adjournment Motions
As Lok Sabha was reconvened at 12 noon, Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of Lok Sabha dismissed all motions for adjournment.
The members proceeded to lay the papers on the table, peacefully.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Sine Die
The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha came to an end as Chairman and Vice President Hamid Ansari declared the season a complete washout and adjourned the House sine die at 11:20 am.
Ansari pointed out that the only two things the House did right was the discussion on demonetisation on the first day, which remained inconclusive, and passage of Rights of Persons With Disabilities Bill, 2016.
Lok Sabha Begins Amid Slogans
Mallikarjun Kharge, Opposition leader, interrupted Haribansh Singh of Uttar Pradesh’s Apna Dal to raise the issue of questions raised by the government in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal scam in the Lok Sabha.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 noon.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha began the process of laying papers on the table, peacefully.
PM Modi Holds BJP Parliamentary Meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a BJP Parliamentary Meeting ahead of the last day proceedings of the Parliament Winter Session.
In the meeting, PM appealed to the people of India to be a part of a digital economy and make it a way of life.
Kumar added that Modi also took a dig at the Opposition by claiming that earlier, the ruling party used to indulge in scams while the current ruling party is fighting against black money.
Rahul Gandhi to Meet PM Modi
Congress leaders, including party vice president Rahul Gandhi, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the proceedings of Winter Session’s last day begin.
Rahul Gandhi has claimed to have information about PM Modi indulging in corrupt practices. Various members of the BJP have dismissed his claims.
A delegation of Congress members gave a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of farmers’ loan waiver.
Opposition Leaders Hold Meeting
Leaders of Opposition parties are holding a meeting in the Parliament ahead of the proceedings for the last day of the Winter Session.
Congress leaders Amarinder Singh, Anand Sharma, Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) Derek O’Brien are among the leaders seen at the meeting.
LK Advani ‘Felt Like Resigning’
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani said on Thursday that he “felt like resigning” after having witnessed a dysfunctional Parliament.
Second Least Productive Session in 17 Years
The Winter Session of 2016 has been the second least productive Parliament Session in the last 17 years, reports The Economic Times, citing data collected by PRS Legislative.
The session has been the least productive in the past decade, the report claims.
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