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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Parliament live: Naresh Agrawal apologises for linking Hindu gods to alcohol brands
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Parliament live: Naresh Agrawal apologises for linking Hindu gods to alcohol brands

On Day 3 of Parliament's Monsoon session, both Houses witnessed opposition protests over cow vigilantism, farmers suicides. Here are the latest highlights and updates

The third day of the Monsoon session witnessed opposition protests against the Narendra Modi government over the issues of farmer suicides and cow vigilantism. Photo: PTIPremium
The third day of the Monsoon session witnessed opposition protests against the Narendra Modi government over the issues of farmer suicides and cow vigilantism. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The third day of the Monsoon session witnessed opposition protests against the Narendra Modi government over the issues of farmer suicides and cow vigilantism. The Modi government has said that it is ready to discuss all issues and will reply to all queries of opposition.

The second day of the session witnessed opposition ruckus leading to adjournment of proceedings. At the end of the day, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati handed her resignation from the Rajya Sabha blaming the government of not allowing her to speak on the Dalit issue.

Here are the latest updates and development on day three of Parliament’s Monsoon session:

■ Rajya Sabha is adjourned. The Council of States was briefly adjourned today but far more productive session today than Tuesday. The members had a spirited debate in the second half on the issue of lynchings committed by cow vigilantes.

■ Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agrawal tenders apology over his remarks linking Hindu gods and goddess to brands of alcohol. Defending his stand earlier, he said, “we never politicised Lord Ram."

■ Rajya Sabha adjourned till 4pm after uproar over an SP member making controversial remarks on Hindu gods. (PTI)

— Arun Jaitley asks Naresh Agarwal to apologise over his statement in which he links God’s name to alcohol, News18 reports.

■ The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of “complete failure" in dealing with the plight of farmers but the treasury benches in the Lok Sabha claimed that the Modi government had worked more for them than any other dispensation.

The Congress members were joined by other opposition parties like TMC, Left and RJD with their members trooping into the Well and forcing the adjournment of the proceedings for nearly an hour as soon as the House met for they day.

“There is an agrarian crisis. The agriculture sector is devastated. The number of farmers committing suicide have been rising by the day. The government has completely failed in dealing with their problems.

“Their loans should be waived and the government should fulfil its promise of paying them 50% more than their input costs," Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

Countering him, Ananth Kumar said no government had done as much for farmers as the Modi dispensation had.

The government was ready for discussion under Rule 193, which does not entail voting, and answer all questions.

Most of the Congress members, who were also in the Well, raised slogans such as “Mann ki Baat band karo, karza maafi shuru karo (stop talking on radio programme, implement loan waiver)" and “stop shooting farmers".

■ Lok Sabha begins debate on The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Bill, 2017.

■ Both Houses adjourned till 2pm. (Lok Sabha TV)

■ Samajwadi Party leader and former Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today claimed that China was ready to attack India in collaboration with Pakistan and asked the government to reverse its stand on the Tibet issue by supporting its independence. Raising the matter in the Lok Sabha against the backdrop of tension between India and China, he asked the government to inform Parliament what it has done to meet any likely challenge from the neighbouring country.

“India is today facing a big danger from China. I have been cautioning central governments for many years. None of them paid adequate attention. China has joined hands with Pakistan. It has made full preparation to attack India. “China is India’s biggest opponent. What has the government done? In Kashmir, the Chinese army has allied with the Pak army," Yadav, known for his tough stand on China, said during the Zero Hour.

■ Members from Kerala in the Lok Sabha today highlighted the “pitiable condition" of nurses in private hospitals, saying many of them are given a paltry salary of Rs3,000-4,000 per month despite a Supreme Court order fixing the minimum salary at Rs20,000.

■ PM stated cow vigilantes shouldn’t take law in their hands, MHA issued advisory. Dragging BJP into this not right: MoS Home Hansraj Ahir in Rajya Sabha. (ANI)

■ Rajya Sabha adjourned for ten minutes over noisy protests by SP members over incidents of lynchings and cow vigilantes. Earlier, SP MP Naresh Agrawal demanded salary hike for MPs. He said, “Please include us in the Seventh Pay Commission. Our salaries are lesser than our secretaries.It looks like we are begging for money. We want an answer from the government. If they want to deny then they can. We want our salaries to be 1000 more than cabinet secretary." (News18)

■ The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, and its Members of Parliament (MPs) are making it count at least in terms of showing up in the Lok Sabha. Of the top 10 parties with the maximum number of MPs in the Lok Sabha, the BJP has the highest percentage of MPs who have averaged at least 80% and 90% attendance till the end of the last session in April. Read more

■ During Zero Hour proceedings in Rajya Sabha, Tamil Nadu MPs raise the issue of exempting the state from implementing NEET. MP Navaneethakrishnan claimed tougher question papers were distributed to South Indian students. Many students are on the verge of committing suicide, according to The Hindu.

■ Congress, TMC, Left, NCP members stage walk out of LokSabha demanding discussion on farmers’ plight immediately. (AIR)

■ Congress MPs protest in Parliament House complex demanding special package for flood-affected northeastern states. (AIR)

■ Opposition members in RajyaSabha express grave concern over increasing suicidal deaths of farmers in country. (AIR)

■ Lok Sabha adjourned till noon amid opposition ruckus over the plight of farmers.

■ Samajwadi Party’s MP Naresh Agrawal demanded salary hike, saying that MPs are earning less than their secretaries, according to ANI.

■ Union minister Ananth Kumar requested the opposition parties to let Parliament function, saying the government is ready for positive discussions on every issues in the both the Houses.

“We hope that both the Houses of Parliament functions properly," Kumar said after the Bharatiya Jananta Party’s (BJP) parliamentary party meeting, which was also attended by Modi.

■ Modi attended the BJP Parliamentary Panel meeting. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly briefed MPs during the meeting about the recent visits of PM Modi to US and Israel. (AIR)

■ Following is the legislative business for the two Houses of Parliament:

Lok Sabha: Special discussion on the agrarian situation in the country.

Bills for consideration and passing: The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Bill, 2017. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill,2017.

Rajya Sabha: Short duration discussion on the situation arising out of the reported increase in the incidents of lynching and atrocities on minorities and dalits across the country.

Bills for consideration and passing: The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017. The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2017.

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Published: 19 Jul 2017, 12:20 PM IST
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