Parliament Monsoon Session: End deadlock over Manipur, BCI urges opposition MPs

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to strengthen cooperatives by making them transparent and introducing a system of regular elections. Piloting the bill, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said the provisions in the bill will initiate a new era for the sector, which has been ignored by the previous governments. The bill was later approved by the Lok Sabha amid din by voice vote after a short discussion during which only three members participated. Immediately after the passage of the bill, the House was adjourned for the day by Speaker Om Birla.

"We will bring new a new co-operative policy before Vijayadashmi or Diwali this year, " said Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha. 

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah spoke on Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in Lok Sabha, amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs on the Manipur issue. 

The Rajya Sabha passed a bill on Tuesday to include Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed in the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote in the absence of opposition parties who had earlier staged a walkout. The Lok Sabha had cleared the legislation in December 2022. Replying to the debate on the bill, Union Minister Arjun Munda said its passage will benefit around 72,000 people in Chattisgarh. "It is a small number but it speaks about the sensitivity of the government towards welfare of the tribals," he said.

Rajya Sabha om Tuesday passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 House adjourned till 26th July.

A bill to include Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amid a walkout by opposition members demanding discussion on the Manipur violence. When the Upper House reassembled post lunch, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moved the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 for consideration and passage. Opposition members, who continued to create an uproar in the House demanding a discussion on Manipur, raised objections to the passage of the Bill amid din and walked out.

The Congress hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday over his remarks targeting the opposition alliance, with Rahul Gandhi saying "call us whatever you want", but "we are INDIA" and will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said while "we are talking about Manipur, which is burning", the prime minister is "talking about East India (Company) and saying INDIA means East India (Company)". Later, in a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said, "While we are talking about Manipur, the prime minister, outside the House, is calling 'INDIA' as 'East India Company'. The Congress party has always been with 'Mother India' i.e. 'Bharat Mata'." "The slaves of the British were the political ancestors of the BJP. Prime Minister Modi, stop diverting the country's attention with your rhetoric. Narendra Modiji, speak about Manipur in Parliament, do not belittle the dignity of the prime minister's post by calling INDIA, that is Bharat, good or bad," the Congress president said.

Amid continued logjam in Lok Sabha over a debate on Manipur violence, Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting of floor leaders, in a bid to end the impasse but the government and opposition stuck to their respective stands. Opposition floor leaders insisted on a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the government said Home Minister Amit Shah would reply to the debate on Manipur violence, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters after the meeting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said opposition party leaders were told that the government is ready for discussion on Manipur and can be held any day the Speaker decides.

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 5 pm on Tuesday amid protests by opposition parties on the violence in Manipur. Amidst the din, the House passed the The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill. The Bill was introduced in Parliament on December 16, 2021 by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The bill would amend the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The Bill was moved to a joint committee on December 20, 2021 due to concerns that the amendments favoured industry and contradicted the spirit of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The joint committee submitted its report in Parliament on August 2, 2022 with the recommendation that the Bill may be passed after the inclusion of their recommendations.

'The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022' as reported by Joint Committee has been taken up for consideration and passing in Lok Sabha.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh said "We have never such a Prime Minister who is scared of giving answers in the Parliament and if he has so many issues with the word 'India', he should remove 'India' from BJP for India, Startup India and others. We are proud of the name ‘India’.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a meeting with all party leaders after the Lower House was adjourned for the fourth straight day in the ongoing Monsoon Session, amid uproar in the Opposition benches over the Manipur situation. Speaker Birla urged the Opposition members to return to their seats, adding that they should allow the House as Question Hour helps in fixing the accountability of the government.

Rajya Sabha's proceedings have been adjourned till 2 pm. 

Hitting out at Opposition, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said there should be a discussion on crimes against women in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal as well. "Misbehaviour with any girl child is unfortunate. Whether it is happening in Rajasthan, or in Chattisgarh, Bengal or Telangana, there should be a discussion," he added. 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Union Government over the Manipur issue. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said, "Manipur is burning but the Prime Minister is talking about the East India Company." 

Rajya Sabha resumed at 12 noon amid sloganeering by Opposition leaders as they are demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur crisis. 

Rajya Sabha's proceedings have been adjourned till 12 pm after an uproar over the Manipur situation, and crime against women in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh.

In today's meeting, I.N.D.I.A parties discussed a proposal to move a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, said sources. 

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha have been adjourned till 2 pm as the Opposition continued to create a ruckus in the House. 

The proceedings of both Houses began amid uproar over the Manipur issue. Several leaders of Opposition parties were seen sloganeering in both Houses. 

A meeting of like-minded Opposition floor leaders is underway at the Rajya Sabha LoP chamber in Parliament to discuss the strategy for the floor of the House. LoP Rajya Sabha & Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Opposition parties will take a decision regarding the Manipur.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is holding a Parliamentary party meeting to chalk out a plan for the ongoing monsoon session. PM Modi also reached the Parliament for the meeting. 

AAP MP Raghav Chadha said the Opposition is only demanding for a discussion on the Manipur issue. He also said that Manipur CM N Biren Singh should be removed and President's rule should be imposed in the state. "The only demand of the opposition parties is that we want a discussion on the Manipur issue. It is sad that this issue is being discussed internationally but not in India...Manipur CM N Biren Singh should be removed and President's rule should be imposed in the state... AAP is going to raise the issue of Manipur across the country," he added. 

Congress MP Manickam Tagore asked Why is the Prime Minister afraid to make a statement on Manipur in Parliament? "Prime Ministers always make statements in Parliament...Why is the Prime Minister afraid to make a statement on Manipur in Parliament? We request with folded hands to the Prime Minister to make a statement on Manipur. Manipur is a very sensitive issue and the Parliament must send a positive and peaceful message...We should not do politics compared with other states' rape issues...Manipur is a bigger issue...", he added. 

Sitting in the protest, Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather extended support to the suspended member Sanjay Saing, saying the entire Opposition is together with the AAP leader. "We want to give the biggest message. Sanjay Singh is not alone. The entire Opposition is together. If the ruling dispensation, the NDA and the govt think that by suspending one of our MPs, they can threaten us...Repeatedly we want to say that our demands will continue. The Prime Minister should come to Parliament and make a statement about Manipur, followed by a detailed discussion...," she added. 

Sitting on the protest, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining duration of the monsoon session, said the Prime Minister must speak on the Manipur issue. "We are sitting here since yesterday. Our only demand is that PM Modi should speak on the Manipur issue. We will keep protesting here and I am still requesting PM Modi to come to the Parliament and talk on Manipur," he added. 

Congress MP Manish Tewari gave an Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha, demanding to discuss the Manipur situation.  

Opposition MPs of the Rajya Sabha continued their sit-in protest on day 4 of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament over the suspension of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh for the current session of the Parliament as well as the Manipur issue. Opposition leaders protested on Parliament premises through Monday night, reiterating calls for debate on the Manipur situation.

The Congress said the violence in Manipur was a "big and international" issue and there was a need to discuss it in Parliament with all seriousness.
Reiterating their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in Parliament over the Manipur situation, Congress leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Gaurav Gogoi said in a press conference that the matter should not be treated like an ordinary law-and-order issue. They alleged the prime minister was "scared" of a discussion on it in Parliament.

The Monsoon Session, which began on July 20, with a long list of legislative businesses on the agenda, has seen repeated adjournments in the face of Opposition protests, sloganeering, and ruckus by members of the fledgling grand Opposition alliance over its demand for a statement from PM Modi on the Manipur situation.