Parliament Budget Session: Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi Govt over China, Pegasus; BJP hits back | Updates

I think that was a very personal statement. But it was also a reference, I think, being made to make the point that the other side does not have a monopoly on being nationalist, Shashi Tharoor on Rahul Gandhi making a reference to his great grandfather, grandmother & father.

I think problem is that ruling party tends to arrogate to itself right to decide that they're the only true nationalists, everyone else is anti-national. So, he's reminding them that many sacrifices have been made by his own family that he has personally witnessed, Tharoor added.

Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Lok Sabha that it is the Modi government that brought Pakistan and China together.

In a series of tweets, Jaishankar wrote, "In 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. Beijing built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s. From the 1970s, the two countries also had close nuclear collaboration. In 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor started. So, ask yourself: were China and Pakistan distant then?" READ MORE

Not only as India’s Law Minister but also as an ordinary citizen, I condemn what Mr. Rahul Gandhi has said about India’s judiciary and EC. These are vital institutions of our democracy. Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to the people, judiciary and EC, said Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju after former Congress President's controversial remarks in Lok Sabha.

"We know that Rahul Gandhi doesn't believe in democracy and he has no regard for Constitutional Authorities. We don't take his habitual senseless comments seriously but since he has abused Constitutional Authorities from the Parliament house, he must tender unconditional apology," Rijiju added. READ MORE

The single biggest strategic goal of India's foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan & China separate... You have brought Pakistan and China together. This is the single biggest crime that you could commit against the people of India, said Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha | Watch

"The Judiciary, the Election Commission, Pegasus, these are all instruments of destroying the voice of the union of states," says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha. | WATCH

Rahul Gandhi attacked the Centre saying the government has made China and Pakistan come together against India and it was a strategic mistake in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

UPA government pulled 27 crore people out of poverty in 10 years. This is not our data, this is factual data. You pushed 23 crore people back into poverty, said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

"You speak of providing employment, 3 crore youth lost their jobs in 2021. Today India is facing the highest unemployment in 50 years. You talk of Made in India, Start-Up India, but the youth didn't get the employment they were supposed to. The one they had has disappeared," said Rahul Gandhi.

There was not a single word on unemployment in the Presidential Address. The youth across the country is looking for jobs. Your govt is unable to provide them with one, said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi slammed the Modi government during his address in Lok Sabha saying Made in India cannot happen anymore because the government is not supporting MSMEs and giving everything to 2-4 businessmen.

There are two Indias, one India is for the extremely rich people - for those who have immense wealth, immense power, for those who don't need a job, those who don't need water connection, electricity connections, but for those who control the heartbeat of the country. And then another India for the poor. The gap between these two Indias is widening, Rahul Gandhi said.

I think there were 3 fundamental things that were not spoken about in the Presidential Address. First, and what I consider to be the most important, is the idea that there are now two Indias. There is now no longer one India, said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the Modi government saying there are two Indias that are in the making, one for rich and another for poor, and the gap between the two is widening.

Unfortunately, the Presidental Address was a long list of things that the government claims to have done but didn't really contain the deeper strategic issues that we would have liked to see. It didn't touch a couple of central challenges facing our country, Rahul Gandhi said in Lok Sabha.

To me, it seemed that Presidential Address was a list of bureaucratic ideas instead of a strategic vision. It looked to me as if it has been constructed not by a vision of leadership but by a group of bureaucrats who had to simply put something down on paper, Rahul said.

The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Wednesday said the Union Budget 2022-23 is "growth-oriented" but lacks a push for employment.

A "quantum jump" of 35 per cent in capital expenditure, taking it to over Rs 7.5 lakh crores, can improve the future growth prospects in the country, it said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the Union Budget has various provisions for expediting the "socio-economic empowerment" of people.

Sarma, earlier in the day, attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's virtual address to BJP workers across the country on the Budget, which was presented in Parliament on Tuesday.

"Hon'ble PM's in-depth analysis of the #Budget2022 really helped us understand the budgetary provisions to expedite socio-economic empowerment of our people," the chief minister said on Twitter.

People are repeatedly giving a clear mandate to the NDA because it is making efforts to bring equality through the welfare of the downtrodden, exploited and backward classes while working for the development of the country, BJP MP Geeta said on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha.

Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Geeta alias Chandraprabha noted that as many 27 ministers are from OBCs in the Union Council of Minister and 20 belong to SC and ST communities while 11 union ministers are women.

The BJP MP, who is elected from Uttar Pradesh, especially highlighted the implementation of various welfare measures in the poll-bound state, where the first phase of voting will be held on February 10.

Steps announced in the Budget such as extension of the ECLGS scheme, a new law for special economic zones and setting up of 100 cargo terminals will help in boosting economic growth and exports from the country, according to exporters and industry.

Vikramjit Sahney, Chair – BRICS Agri Business Council, said that the announcement to promote oilseed production would help boost the domestic industry as India is currently importing 60 per cent of its oilseed requirements.

The special fund proposed through NABARD to finance agri startups and rural enterprises for farm produce value chain would also promote industrial growth in the country, Sahney said.

Union Power Minister RK Singh said the Budget 2022-23 has everything that is required for energy transition, including a provision for additional Rs 19,500 crore to boost domestic solar equipment manufacturing by up to 45 gigawatts (GW).

In the Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman provided additional Rs 19,500 crore for the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for solar cells and modules manufacturing domestically.

This will raise the existing PLI scheme for solar equipment from Rs 4,500 crore to Rs 24,000 crore, which will translate into creating an additional manufacturing capacity of up to 45 GW in the country.

This budget is full of inflation but less of employment. Currently, there are 3 main issues, farmers' issues, inflation, unemployment. Govt should've given relief to the people who are suffering from inflation but Finance Minister disappointed them, said Congress leader Sachin Pilot.

The government on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that nearly 8.35 lakh pieces of counterfeit notes, including 2.44 lakh pieces of Rs 2000 denomination, were seized last year. Replying to a question in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai provided a data of counterfeit notes seized in five years since 2016. As per the data, 8,34,947 pieces were seized in 2020, 2,87,404 in 2019, 2,57,243 in 2018, 3,55,994 in 2017, and 2,81,839 in 2016. Replying to supplementary questions, Rai also refuted suggestions that there was rise in counterfeit notes seizures in the country, saying the number of fake notes seized in 2018 were lower than in 2017. No significant pattern had emerged in seizures of fake notes, he said. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is the nodal agency which compiles the data on crimes including counterfeit currency notes as reported to it by the states and the Union Territories. The NCRB publishes the same in its annual publication æCrime in India'. The minister said the government was committed to thwart attempts to disrupt the Indian economy by circulation of fake currency. Meanwhile, replying to a question on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said out of the total expenditure of Rs 683.05 crores from 2014-15 to 2020-21, expenditure on Media Advocacy campaign has been Rs 401.04 crores which is 58 per cent of the total expenditure.

The protection of women and children in the country is a priority for all but condemning every marriage as violent and every man a rapist is not advisable, Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Her comments came in response to CPI leader Binoy Viswam's supplementary query on marital rape. He sought to know if the government had taken note of Section 3 of the Domestic Violence Act on the definition of domestic violence as well as Section 375 of the IPC on rape.  "....let me say, to condemn every marriage in this country as a violent marriage, and to condemn every man in this country as a rapist is not advisable in this august house," Irani said. The minister said the senior member knows that Rule 47 of the procedures in the Rajya Sabha disallows elaboration on a subject that is currently sub judice. The government's endeavour, she said, is to protect women in this country in collaboration with state governments. Currently, over 30 helplines are functional across India, which have assisted over 66 lakh women. Besides, 703 æone stop centres' are functional in the country and these have assisted over five lakh women. "protection of women and children in our country are a priority for all but yet again, let me reiterate to condemn every marriage in this country as violent is not advisable," she said.

Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday asked the government to examine the allegations of irregularities in the Railways' Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) and Level 1 exams leading to violence in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh last month. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, Fauzia Khan of the NCP said recruitment process of the railway examination has exposed the deeper issues of unemployment and a failed education system. There were protests in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh by railway job aspirants against the alleged erroneous results of the Railway Recruitment Board's Non-Technical Popular Categories (RRB NTPC) exam. Khan demanded that the overall issue of unemployment particularly in Bihar must be looked at. "The irregularities that are alleged by the students in this examination must be examined and corrected," she sought. BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi said earlier one exam was announced from Group-D, but all of a sudden it was announced there would be two exams. There is no requirement of two exams as Group-D exams are not selection of IAS and IPS, he said. AAP's Sanjay Singh demanded an inquiry into the results declared by the railways. He also demanded that FIRs registered against some protesting students should be withdrawn.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said in the Rajya Sabha that he will look into the complaint of NCP leader Fauzia Khan with regard to poor quality construction of National Highway 752K from Gangakhed to Parbhani in Maharashtra. Raising this issue during the Question Hour, the NCP leader said the national highways have always been constructed keeping excellence in quality in mind."But in many places, it's been noticed that contractors and the government employees hand in hand have given a lot of scope to corruption and the road specifications are not adhered to at all". The NCP leader also mentioned that she had given a complaint to the Union Minister about road number 752K from Gangakhed to Parbhani which has developed traverse and longitudinal cracks all through the road. "And every official seems to be in connivance (and) nothing has been done. Again and again. I'm writing to the government.  I have also written to the Honorable (Union) Minister.  How can we allow this kind of irresponsible use of public money?" she asked. To which, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister said any state PWD (Public Works Department) is responsible and executive agency for road highways. "Already, the member has given me the complaint about the quality of this project. I will look into it again and I will verify the things," Gadkari added.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said 9 lakh posts are vacant in the Central Govt. About 15% of posts are vacant in the Railways, 40% in Defence, & 12% in the Home Affairs. Today unemployment rate in urban areas stands 9% & in rural areas, 7.2%. Widespread unemployment is prevalent in the country. Youths are in distress because big factories are shutting down, investment is not coming, and the number of govt jobs is shrinking.

439 terrorists were killed after the repeal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. 98 civilians & 109 security personnel also lost their lives & 541 incidents of terror were reported during this period: MoS Home Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha

"Telangana CM's statement of throwing BJP into the Bay of Bengal isn't good. We will also drown them into the 3 oceans from Kanyakumari," says MoS Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Ramdas Athawale

As per J&K Govt data, 44,684 Kashmiri families are registered with the Office of the Relief & Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, comprising of 1,54,712 people: MoS Home Nityanand Rai on migration of Kashmiri Pandit families from Kashmir due to insurgency since 1990

141815 new development works/projects in Ladakh and 17556 in J&K have been taken up under various schemes since 2019: MoS Home Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha

Congress is likely to announce its CM candidate for Punjab for today evening, sources told India TV. Polling in Punjab will take place in single phase on February 20. 

BJP's candidate list is great, party has put a lot of thought behind it. This time we'll win 9/9 seats (in Lukcnow). I welcome the decision of giving Sarojini Nagar ticket to Rajeshwar Singh, former ED Jt-Dir: BJP UP vice-president Dayashankar Singh, after being denied ticket

BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday said in the Rajya Sabha that the criminalisation of marital rape will end the institution of marriage. During the question hour, the BJP lawmaker also asked if the government was in favour of criminalising marital rape. Responding to the query, the Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that this matter is sub-judice, so she cannot elaborate on the matter. The CPI MP Binoy Viswam had asked a question about the sexual violence within marriages during the Question Hour.

Rajya Sabha MPs observe silence in memory of those killed in Malaysia rainfall, the volcanic eruption in Tonga.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday asked MPs to ensure smooth functioning of the House during the ongoing Budget session and said they should conduct themselves in a manner befitting the trust citizens still have in India's parliamentary democracy. The country's 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs should resolve in this historic year to return to the people the favour they have doing by relentlessly nurturing democracy over the last 70 years, Naidu said.  "The only way of doing so is to conduct themselves (the 5,000) in a manner befitting the trust the citizens still have in our parliamentary democracy," Naidu said soon after the listed papers were listed. He described the disruptions in the House during the last two sessions as highly disturbing. 

This is a pro-capitalist Budget that has nothing to offer to farmers, MGNREGA workers, and SC/ST & OBC communities. This Budget has been prepared, keeping in view the ensuing Assembly elections: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge

CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam has given  suspension of business notice under rule 267 demanding discussion on Pegasus spyware

CPI(M) floor leader in Rajya Sabha Elamaram Kareem has given notice under rule 267 to suspend the business and discuss the Pegasus issue amid recent reports revealing Government of India's engagement with Israeli firm NSO and purchase of the spyware.

Prime minister Narendra Modi’s reply is expected on February 8 and that of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 11.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the government had delivered a "zero-sum budget" that has nothing for the middle class, farmers and the poor, drawing a derisive response from Union ministers who suggested that the opposition leader had not understood the "futuristic" measures. READ FULL STORY 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the first speaker in Lok Sabha in the debate on motion of thanks to the President's joint address in the Lower House on February 2. The government has allotted as many as 12 hours to Opposition parties to respond to the presidential address during the motion of thanks. Congress has been allotted one hour.

Harish Dviwedi of the BJP will move the motion of thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha today. President Kovind had addressed the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session on Monday.