As the Budget Session of the Parliament continues, the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha began at 10 am on Friday, 4 February, amid a ruckus by the Opposition during the Zero Hour.
Matters of urgent public importance are raised in the House during the Zero Hour. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi spoke about the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits during the session.
During the Question Hour, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded to a query on the Bulli Bai case, saying that protection of women was a necessary construct and that the matter was not a religious one.
Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi rejected the Z category security in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The Budget Session of Parliament began on 31 January, with the President's Address.
Due to the prevailing COVID-19 outbreak, the Rajya Sabha will sit from 10 am to 3 pm, and the Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm.
The first leg of the Budget Session will end on 11 February. The second part of the session is scheduled from 14 March to 8 April. Standing committees will evaluate the budgetary allocations in the recess.
The Congress had, on Monday, moved a privilege motion against IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in both Houses for "misleading" them on the Pegasus spyware issue.
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Lok Sabha Adjourned Till Monday
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till Monday, 7 February.
‘Multiple-Layered Security in E-passports': EAM Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed speculations over data security issue regarding the e-Passports in Lok Sabha on 4 February.
He said, "The e-passports will ensure multiple layered security as the data will be on paper like regular passports and also on the verified chips."
"The digital signature which will secure the data will be sent to other countries for recognition purposes," he further added, according to ANI.
'Both Sides Should Strictly Respect LAC': V Muraleedharan On China In Lok Sabha
Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan on Friday said that India and China have maintained dialogue through both diplomatic and military channels.
"As regards disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, India and China have maintained dialogue through both diplomatic and military channels," he said in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha.
"Our approach in these talks has been and will continue to be guided by 3 key principles (1) both sides should strictly respect & observe LAC (2) neither side should attempt to alter status quo unilaterally and (3) agreements between the two sides must be fully abided by in their entirety," he added.
Don't Want Z-Category Security, Says Owaisi in Lok Sabha
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday, 4 February, said during the Lok Sabha session that he does not Z-Category security and questioned why the culprits haven't been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
"Who are these people who have been radicalised? How did these youngsters get radicalised? Right-wing communalism will increase this way," he said.
Addressing the central government, he said, "This will harm you and your government. Whoever did this radicalisation, why are they not booked under UAPA? I ask the central government."
"There are two India's. One is full of love. The other is one of hatred. I am not scared of dying. I don't want Z-category security. I want to live freely. I want to speak freely. Even if I am shot, I am fine. If the poor people of India are saved, Owaisi is saved. I ask the government to stop this hatred. I will not take this Z-category security. I reject it," he said.
"UP population will answer hatred with love. Radicalisation will harm you. Right-wing terrorism will increase. That's all I want to say," he added.