Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi speaks in Lok Sabha (Pic- Sansad TV)
Parliament Winter Session Live: The Lok Sabha meets today for a two-day discussion to mark 75 years since the adoption of the Indian Constitution, with a similar debate scheduled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday and Tuesday. The primary focus of the debate is on the significance and evolution of the Constitution since its adoption on November 26, 1949, but the sessions are overshadowed by the ongoing confrontation between the ruling NDA and the Opposition, particularly the Congress, leading to a standstill in parliamentary proceedings for weeks.…Read More
This deadlock has been mainly fuelled by allegations connecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Adani controversy and counter-accusations linking Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to billionaire George Soros. As a result, both Houses have seen repeated adjournments since November 25.
The Congress has been relentless in calling for discussions on the Adani issue, a position that has irritated not just the BJP but also several Opposition allies like the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party. These parties accuse the Congress and BJP of disrupting parliamentary work due to their internal squabbles.
The debate in the Lok Sabha is set to begin with defence minister Rajnath Singh leading the government’s narrative.
Around 12 to 15 MPs from the BJP and its allies, including former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Shrikant Shinde of Shiv Sena, and Jitan Ram Manjhi, are expected to participate in the discussion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make the concluding remarks on Saturday, addressing both the debate and the counterattacks from the Opposition.
Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of the Opposition, is likely to take the lead in highlighting the Adani issue. However, this focus could strain relations with Opposition allies, who are more likely to raise regional concerns and governance issues.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s speech will be closely followed, particularly after her controversial expulsion during the final sessions of the previous Lok Sabha.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union home minister Amit Shah will lead the BJP’s response on Monday, countering the Opposition’s anticipated “save the Constitution” narrative.
This slogan gained prominence earlier this year as various parties framed the government’s policies as a threat to the Constitution’s fundamental principles ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Both the BJP and Congress have issued strict three-line whips to their MPs, ensuring their attendance in the house during the scheduled debate on December 13-14.
Follow all the updates here:
Dec 13, 2024 1:08 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Indian Constitution stands strong, SC key to upholding democracy
Parliament Winter Session Live: Rajnath Singh said that many postcolonial democracies and their Constitutions did not endure, yet the Indian Constitution has remained strong, continuing to play a crucial role in upholding the world’s largest democracy. He acknowledged the vital role of the Supreme Court as the custodian and interpreter of the Constitution and emphasised that while there is talk of protecting the Constitution, it is important to recognise those who have respected it and those who have not.
Dec 13, 2024 12:48 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: States that once ignored Constitution now reaping benefits of full implementation
Parliament Winter Session Live: Rajnath Singh said that there was a time when the Indian Constitution and parliamentary laws were not fully implemented in certain states. However, the government has now ensured the implementation of the Constitution in every state, and the positive outcomes of this decision are being observed nationwide.
Dec 13, 2024 12:42 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Constitution reflects will of the people, says Rajnath Singh
Parliament Winter Session Live: Defence minister and BJP MP Rajnath Singh said that 75 years ago, the Constituent Assembly completed the process of drafting a Constitution for the newly-independent India. “After nearly three years of rigorous debate and deliberation, the nation received its Constitution. The document crafted by the Assembly was not merely a legal text but an expression of the will of the people” he said while speaking in the Lok Sabha.
Dec 13, 2024 12:31 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Vision of national icons shaped India’s Constitution, says defence minister
Parliament Winter Session Live: Rajnath Singh said that the thoughts of leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, and Veer Savarkar have significantly contributed to strengthening the Constitution.
Dec 13, 2024 12:27 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Rajnath Singh says Constitution reflects India’s civilisational values
Parliament Winter Session Live: Rajnath Singh said that the contribution of several leaders in the making of the Constitution has been deliberately ignored. He added that the truth is the Constitution is an expression of India’s civilisational values.
Dec 13, 2024 12:22 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Attempts made to portray Constitution as a single party’s contribution, says Rajnath Singh
Parliament Winter Session Live: Parliament Winter Session Live: Defence minister Rajnath Singh, during the Lok Sabha discussion on the Constitution, said that in recent years, efforts have been made to portray the Constitution as the work of a single party. He said that the Constitution is a collective achievement of the entire nation, shaped by the contributions of many leaders.
Dec 13, 2024 12:19 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: India fortunate to witness Amrut Mahotsav of Constitution’s 75th anniversary, says Rajnath Singh
Parliament Winter Session Live: Defence minister Rajnath Singh, while discussing the 75th anniversary of the Constitution, said, “We are fortunate to be witness to the Amrut Mahotsav of our Constitution.”
Dec 13, 2024 12:16 PM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: India seeks good ties with Pakistan, but terrorism must end, says Jaishankar
Parliament Winter Session Live: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that India would like to have good ties with Pakistan, like with any other neighbour, but those ties must be free of terrorism. He said, “We have made it very clear that it is for the Pakistani side to show that they are changing the behaviour of the past, and if they don’t, of course, there will be implications for the relationship and for them. The ball is very much in Pakistan’s court.”
Dec 13, 2024 11:20 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: NCP (SP) MP Fauzia Khan calls for practical study of ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal
Parliament Winter Session Live: NCP (SP) Rajya Sabha MP Fauzia Khan commented on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, saying, “We will see it when it is tabled and evaluate its implications. While we agree it could save expenses, we must also consider the practicalities. Currently, elections are conducted in multiple phases across states. How will we manage this nationwide? We need to study the delimitation factors and how the boundaries will be drawn.”
Dec 13, 2024 11:15 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Debate in Lok Sabha to strengthen Constitution and address false narratives, says Bommai
Parliament Winter Session Live: On the 23rd anniversary of the Parliament attack, BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai remarked that terrorism continues to be a significant issue, often supported by neighbouring countries. He also mentioned that some people within the country, for political reasons, back those involved in terrorism and oppose actions like Afzal Guru’s execution. Regarding the Constitution debate in the Lok Sabha, he said that the two-day discussion would strengthen the Constitution and dispel any false narratives surrounding it.
Dec 13, 2024 11:08 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: BJP, Congress hold strategy meetings ahead of Parliament debate
Parliament Winter Session Live: Ahead of the two-day debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a strategy meeting, which was attended by Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president JP Nadda among others. Meanwhile, the opposition Congress convened a strategy meeting at the party headquarters, which was attended by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former president Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders such as KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh. They discussed their strategy for the upcoming parliamentary sessions.
Dec 13, 2024 10:30 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Vice President, PM, Parliamentarians pay floral tributes to Parliament attack martyrs
Parliament Winter Session Live: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, along with several Union ministers and MPs, paid floral tributes on Friday to honor those who sacrificed their lives during the 2001 terror attack on Parliament, 23 years ago.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also attended the tribute event held outside the old Parliament building, now known as Samvidhan Sadan.
CISF personnel performed a ceremonial salute (‘salami’), followed by a moment of silence to commemorate the anniversary.
Previously, the CRPF used to perform the ‘salami shastra’ (present arms) at the ceremony.
The 2001 attack involved five armed terrorists. However, personnel from the Parliament Security Service, CRPF, and Delhi Police successfully thwarted the assault, preventing the attackers from entering the building.
Dec 13, 2024 10:21 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 passed in Lok Sabha
Parliament Winter Session Live: Lok Sabha passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on Thursday after Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai responded to the debate.
In his response, the minister said that the Modi government has been offering full support to states facing any disaster, and he dismissed opposition criticisms, asserting that the bill’s impact will be positive.
The bill aims to improve the effectiveness of the National Disaster Management Authority and State Disaster Management Authorities.
It proposes amendments to the Disaster Management Act of 2005 to clarify and align the roles of various Authorities and Committees involved in disaster management, while also granting statutory recognition to certain pre-Act bodies such as the National Crisis Management Committee and the High-Level Committee.
Dec 13, 2024 9:32 AM IS
Parliament Winter Session Live: Lok Sabha to discuss Constitution’s 75th anniversary
Parliament Winter Session Live: The discussion on the Constitution will be held in the Lower House on December 13 and 14, and in the Upper House on December 16 and 17, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced after a meeting where Speaker Om Birla engaged with floor leaders of various parties. Opposition parties had called for discussions in both Houses of Parliament to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly.
