Parliament LIVE: Congress oppose govt's PSU stake sale, calls it scam

Parliament Winter Session 2019: Opposition parties have used the Winter Parliament to attack the government over economic slowdown, farmer distress and the situation in Kashmir.

Parliament meets on Thursday after the government approved plans to sell stakes in five state-run companies, a move that could help bridge a widening fiscal gap.

Opposition parties have used the Winter Parliament to attack the government over economic slowdown, farmer distress and the situation in Kashmir. The Congress party has said it will speak about the government’s alleged misuses of electoral bonds.

3:12 PM

Electoral bonds allow official corruption: Congress

The Congress accuses the government of making "government corruption official" by introducing anonymous electoral bonds, saying there is no regulation over the influence of the rich on politics.

2:08 PM

Congress opposes Pragya Thakur's appointment

The Congress attacks the government for appointing controversial BJP leader Pragya Thakur to a Parliamentary Consultative Committee, saying giving her the role was "unfortunate for the country". "That is why if there is (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, anything is possible," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi outside Parliament, referring to Thakur, who is facing trial in the Malegaon blasts case.

12:46 PM

Congress calls privatisation a scam

Congress MPs protest in Lok Sabha against privatisation of a few state-owned companies. "This is a big scam. The country is being looted. Please allow us to speak," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, addressing the Speaker.

11:32 AM

Speaker appeals to Opposition MPs

11:31 AM

Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon

Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon amid protests by opposition members over electoral bonds controversy and other issues.

8:51 AM

IndiGo and GoAir to replace PW engines

IndiGo and GoAir will have to replace 111 and 54 Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines in 72 days in their A320neo planes, the government told Parliament on Wednesday. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said aviation regulator DGCA asked the airlines to replace the engines after mid-air and on-ground glitches. The engines were inducted in 2016.

 

8:41 AM

BSNL, MTNL merger target

The government on Wednesday it will merge state-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL in 18-24 months. As many as 77,000 BSNL employees have accepted the government’s voluntary retirement offer and 13,532 employees of MTNL.

8:36 AM

Aadhaar won't be linked to social media accounts

The government said on Wednesday it doesn’t propose to link Aadhaar with social media accounts of citizens. A private citizen has appealed courts for that. Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told Lok Sabha Unique Identification Authority of India from the use of Aadhaar, tracking and profiling individuals.

 

8:04 AM

NRC will be across India: Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday told Parliament the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process will be carried out across the country, insisting there would be no discrimination on the basis of religion. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was speaking in Kolkata, rejected his comment and she will not allow a citizen register in the state.