Parliament Winter Session 2024 LIVE: Congress accuses Shah of 'Manusmriti' influence over Ambedkar's remarks

Here’s what Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

“We all tried… when Amit Shah was speaking about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He said that if we would have taken god’s name this many times then we would have gone to heaven seven times. I raised my hand at that time as well but I wasn’t given a chance to speak then. We all decided to cooperate and were sitting silently because we were having a discussion on the Constitution.”

“We all protested today against this. I demand his resignation,” he further said. 

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in Parliament to discuss issues faced by pomegranate farmers. 

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju attacked Congress in Rajya Sabha, saying the grand old party always insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Opposition MPs including Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi hold a protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech in the Rajya Sabha during the Constitution debate yesterday. MPs allege Union HM insulted Dr BR Ambedkar in his speech yesterday.

The proceedings in Lok Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm moments after commencement on Wednesday.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari has strongly criticized the One Nation One Election Bill, calling it a diversionary tactic to shift attention away from pressing issues. Tiwari expressed his skepticism about the government's intentions, questioning how they plan to amend the Constitution without securing a majority in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha ¹.

Tiwari's concerns echo those of other opposition leaders, who have condemned the bill as a threat to federalism and democracy. The Congress MP emphasized the need for consensus-building, suggesting that the government could have called a meeting of opposition leaders to discuss the bill earlier.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav has cast doubts on the passage of the One Nation One Election Bill, citing the requirement of a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Yadav emphasised that the bill cannot be introduced in Parliament without being referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

A crucial meeting of Congress MPs will be held today at 10:30 am at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) office to discuss their strategy for the Floor of the House. The meeting comes in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remark on Dr. BR Ambedkar, which has sparked outrage among the Congress party.

During the meeting, Congress MPs are expected to discuss ways to raise the issue in Parliament and demand an apology from Shah. The party has already condemned Shah's remark, with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh calling it "disgusting" and demanding an apology.

Congress MP Vijay Vasanth has given an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the pressing issue of disparities in MGNREGA wages. This move aimed to bring attention to the significant differences in wages paid to workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) across various states.