Parliament LIVE | Winter Session ends amid NDA-INDIA bloc face-off; ONOE bill sent to JPC
The raging row over the Ambedkar issue spilled over to the last day of Parliament’s Winter Session with both INDIA Bloc and NDA MPs staging separate protests
Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned sine die on Friday (December 20) following an uproar on the premises after protests by MPs of the Opposition bloc over various issues, including the BR Ambedkar row.
As a mark of protest, the INDIA bloc skipped the Lok Sabha Speaker's customary tea party. Opposition leaders said there was no point in joining such a tea party when FIRs were being filed against their MPs, and they were not getting a chance to speak in the House.
Amid ruckus over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks related to BR Ambedkar, the Lok Sabha referred the two bills on simultaneous bills to a joint committee of Parliament.
Opposition members were raising slogan haling Ambedkar and slamming Shah when the House met for the day.
Also read: Parliament LIVE | Delhi police book Rahul Gandhi for scuffle in House
Priyanka Gandhi, Anurag Thakur in JPC
Instead of taking up the Question Hour, Speaker Om Birla asked Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move the resolution to refer the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, referred to Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) comprising 27 members from the Lok Sabha and 12 from the Rajya Sabha.
Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Manish Tewari and the Trinamool's Kalyan Banerjee and Saket Gokhale are among the Opposition faces in the committee, while former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Sambit Patra, and Anil Baluni will represent the government.
The resolution was adopted by a voice vote amid noisy scenes. The Lok Sabha was then adjourned sine die (indefinitely), bringing to an end the Winter Session which began on November 25.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday after the House adopted a motion to nominated 12 members to the joint committee of Parliament on simultaneous polls.
When the House met this morning, it witnessed protests by Opposition members and was adjourned amid the din. The Chairman also held a meeting with Leader of the House JP Nadda and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge besides leaders of various Opposition parties in a bid to end the impasse in the House.
Parallel protest by INDIA Bloc, NDA MPs
Earlier, the raging row over the Ambedkar issue spilled over to the last day of Parliament’s Winter Session with both INDIA Bloc and NDA MPs staging separate protests.
Opposition MPs have taken out a protest rally from Vijay Chowk to Parliament demanding an apology from Home Minister’s Amit Shah’s and his resignation as well for his remarks against BR Ambedkar.
BJP MPs also protesting inside the Parliament complex at the Gandhi statue in Prerna Sthal demanding action, including suspension from Parliament, against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi for allegedly assaulting party MPs.
LS speaker bans protests at Parliament gates
After political protests turned ugly, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday banned demonstrations by MPs and political parties at any of the gates of Parliament, PTI said, quoting sources.
Also read: Parliament scuffle: Who are MPs Pratap Sarangi, Mukesh Rajput, Phangnon Konyak?
"Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has issued strict instructions that no political party, Member of Parliament or groups of members will hold any dharna and demonstration at building gates of Parliament House," sources told PTI.
The instructions came on a day when Parliament premises saw rival protests by the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led INDIA bloc parties on the alleged insults to BR Ambedkar, which soon turned into jostling and scuffles leaving two MPs injured and a woman MP claiming intimidation by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
Watch | Chaos, scuffle and blood: As ugly as it can get in Parliament
Delhi police registered an FIR against Rahul under various sections after BJP leaders filed a police complaint. A police officer said that all sections in the FIR are bailable except Section 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Congress too has filed a complaint with police alleging BJP MPs of misbehaving with its chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul.
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Live Updates
- 20 Dec 2024 4:37 AM GMT
Whatever happened at Makar Dwar was planned: Jairam Ramesh
#WATCH | FIR against Rahul Gandhi | Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says "Delhi Police will do whatever the Home Minister will say them...Whatever happened in front of the Makar Dwar was completely planned...The Home Minister insulted BR Ambedkar and we all demanded an apology...They… pic.twitter.com/49e2BLPFSA
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024 - 20 Dec 2024 4:37 AM GMT
Entire country is watching: Priyanka
#WATCH | Delhi: On FIR against Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, "The entire country is watching, they have slapped several cases on Rahul Gandhi. They bring in new FIRs and lie...This shows their desperation level." pic.twitter.com/DYIScbTBry
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024 - 20 Dec 2024 4:09 AM GMT
Condition of injured BJP MPs stable: Hospital
Both BJP MPs, Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput are stable and their BP is normal. Medical reports received yesterday are also fine. Some reports will come today: RML MS Dr Ajay Shukla
- 20 Dec 2024 4:05 AM GMT
#WATCH | Jodhpur, Rajasthan: On One Nation One Election Bill, J&K CM Omar Abdullah says, "...The Bill has been introduced. Discussions will take place. Besides Parliament, it has to be passed by several states as well. Let the discussions take place..."On 55th GST Council meet… pic.twitter.com/7IgRMTFkPu
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024 - 20 Dec 2024 4:00 AM GMT
Nishikant Dubey seeks action against Rahul for sharing Shah's 'edited' speech
Accusing Rahul Gandhi of showing "criminally edited" speech of Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has submitted a breach of privilege notice against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to Speaker Om Birla.
In his communication to Birla, Dubey alleged that Rahul has exhibited yet another case of "political bankruptcy" by sharing on social media, especially X, the "edited" version of Shah's Rajya Sabha speech with the sole intent of stoking public sentiments and lowering the dignity of Parliament and the country.
The Congress has shared a short clip of Shah's speech during the discussion on the Constitution to accuse him of insulting B R Ambedkar, with the home minister charging the party with distorting his address.
He said the home minister in his speech had raised the objectionable treatment given to Ambedkar by none other than the first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.
He alleged that Rahul cleverly and out-of-context quoted the parliamentary proceedings as well as Shah's speech with the ulterior motive of not only lowering the dignity of Parliament but also defaming him.
Dubey said, "This time he (Rahul) has surpassed all the limits of sensible behaviour expected from the Leader of Opposition of Lok Sabha and thus committed the offence of 'Breach of Parliamentary Privileges' and 'Contempt of the House' which calls for exemplary punishment." The punishment, he said, could not be less that his immediate suspension from the House and its committees followed by thorough investigation by the Committee of Privileges.
It will be the prerogative of the Speaker now to decide what action to take on Dubey's letter.
- 20 Dec 2024 3:49 AM GMT
INDIA Bloc MPs to stage protest today
INDIA Bloc MPs will be taking out a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament at 10 am on Friday, demanding the resignation of Amit Shah.
The decision to march from Vijay Chowk comes after Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla barred protests at or around the main entry gates of Parliament building.
- 20 Dec 2024 3:38 AM GMT
BJYM holds anti-Congress protests in Jammu, burns Rahul Gandhi's effigy
In a counterattack on the Congress for raising objections to Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks about B R Ambedkar, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Thursday evening staged protests against the party and burned an effigy of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress of insulting Ambedkar.
Scores of BJP youth workers gathered for a demonstration, raising slogans against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. The protest culminated with the burning of Gandhi's effigy.
"It was the Congress that always insulted Ambedkar ji. Now they are trying to attack the home minister to cover up their own injustices against the great leader," Jammu and Kashmir BJYM president Arun Prabhat told reporters.
Police intervened to prevent the protestors from marching toward the Congress headquarters. Some Congress workers, carrying party flags, came out of the office and countered the BJP protestors.
The Congress condemned the protests by BJP activists near its headquarters.
Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Tara Chand intervened during the protests, urging Congress workers to avoid confrontation.
