Derek O’Brien

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Saturday described the demonetisation in 2016 as the "biggest fraud on Indians", while sharing an excerpt from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech days after the note ban was announced. Sharing a post on X on the anniversary of the note ban, the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader also shared his own speech from Parliament post-demonetisation. "On this day, exactly nine years ago, the biggest fraud on Indians. Demonetisation. PM Narendra Modi outside Parliament versus us, inside Parliament," O'Brien said in a post on X. The video shared by the TMC MP showed an excerpt from Modi's speech post-demonetisation, where he sought 50 days to evaluate the impact of the decision. "If after December 30, there are shortcomings in my work or there are mistakes or a bad intention found in my work, I will be prepared for the punishment that the country decides for me," Modi said in the video. O'Brien also shared his own speech from the Rajya Sabha,

After the TMC and the Samajwadi Party, AAP on Sunday announced that it will not join the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to look into three bills seeking removal of the prime minister and chief ministers, alleging that the purpose of the proposed legislations is to "bring down" opposition governments. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien said on Sunday that the JPC is "valueless". "More parties calling out Modi coalition's stunt to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Valueless JPC," O'Brien said on X. AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said his party has decided not to nominate any members to the JPC. "How can the leader of the corrupt bring a bill against corruption? Trapping leaders in fake cases and putting them in jail, bringing down governments this is the objective of this bill," Singh said in a post in Hindi on X. "That is why @ArvindKejriwal ji and @AamAadmiParty have decided not to join the JPC," he said. The TMC had announc

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Leader Derek O'Brien on Sunday accused the Centre of "running away" from issues raised by the Opposition, and alleged that it would continue to "mock" Parliament for the remaining Monsoon session. The remarks came in a post on X, as Parliament is set to resume on Monday, after a short break on account of Independence Day and other festivals. "Skittish Modi coalition keeps running away every Session from discussing issues of urgent national importance raised by Opposition," the TMC leader said. "Prediction: for last four days of this Session, government will continue to mock Parliament," he said. "This is Parliament, not Mann Ki Baat," he added, jibing at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio broadcast. On the Election Commission, the TMC leader told PTI, "The institution is working hard to firmly establish itself as the branch office of the BJP." All Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the ongoing Special Intensive Revisio

Rajya Sabha proceedings on Tuesday were adjourned till the post-lunch session within minutes of its assembly, as Opposition MPs insisted on a discussion be taken up on the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Soon after listed official papers were laid on the table of the House, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he has rejected all 21 notices that invoked Rule 267, which allows suspension of listed business to discuss matters being raised in them. Without indicating the subject, he said the notices were received on four different subjects but none of them contained a motion drawn in a proper manner. As many as 11 notices sought discussion on a matter which is sub judice, he said. The Supreme Court is hearing petitions filed against SIR. Tiruchi Siva of DMK cited the rule book to say that the ruling of the Chair is supreme and urged him to take up discussion on subjects listed in the Rule 267 notice. Even before he could finish,

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to 10 TMC leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale, in a case registered against them for their protest in April last year in front of the Election Commission of India despite a prohibitory order being in place. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal also granted relief to TMC leaders Santanu Sen, Dola Sen, Nadimul Haque, Vivek Gupta, Arpita Ghosh, Abir Ranjan Biswas and Sudip Raha, on an application moved by their lawyer. While nine TMC leaders were physically present before the court, Vivek Gupta appeared through video conferencing. The court has granted bail to five of the leaders, who are sitting MPs, on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each. The rest were granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 along with a surety of like amount. While granting bail, the judge noted that the chargesheet was filed without the arrest of the accused persons. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on May ...

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien has said a deputy speaker may not be appointed even during the current Budget session, even as he asked people to "wait and watch" if the opposition brings another impeachment motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. In a post published on his blog on the first day of the Budget session of Parliament, the TMC Parliamentary party leader in RS shared notes on the upcoming Session, and said speeches by two women President Droupadi Murmu, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will present the Budget will dominate the news space in the next few days. He, however, added that of the six largest political parties, Trinamool Congress at 39 per cent has the highest number of women lawmakers. In contrast, Telugu Desam Party has 6 per cent women MPs, BJP has 13 per cent, and INC, DMK and SP have 14 per cent each, he said. On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's saying that India has massive scope for live concerts, the TMC leader wondere

Amid the opposition's charge that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar does not allow them to speak, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliamentary Party Leader Derek O'Brien on Friday alleged that the Rajya Sabha chairman spoke for around 30 per cent of the time the Upper House functioned. Slamming the chairman on the last day of the Winter Session, O'Brien in a brief statement said that the Upper House ran for a total of 43 hours till December 18 and Dhankhar spoke for around four and a half hours. There are no official records of speaking time of the Rajya Sabha chairman or its members. "As of December 18, the Rajya Sabha ran for a total of 43 hours. Of this, the bills were discussed for 10 hours," the TMC leader said. "The debate on the Constitution lasted for 17 and a half hours. Of the remaining 15 and a half hours who spoke for four and a half hours or nearly 30 per cent of the time? It was the Rajya Sabha chairman and vice president," O'Brien said. "Did Jagdeep Dhankhar set a new recor

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Friday said only two of the newly-constituted parliamentary panels are headed by women -- the Commerce Committee headed by the TMC's Dola Sen and the Consumer Affairs Committee headed by the DMK's Kanimozhi. In a post on X, O'Brien said only two parties, the TMC and the DMK, have "walked the talk". "At long last. Chairpersons for 24 Parliamentary Standing Committees announced," the Parliamentary Party leader of the TMC in the Rajya Sabha said. "Just two of these are headed by women. TMC and DMK walk the talk. The others? Only talk!" he said. "Bravo TMC Dola Sen heading Commerce and DMK Kanimozhi heading Consumer Affairs," O'Brien added. The parliamentary standing committees were constituted on Thursday. The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Bhartruhari Mahtab will head the key panel on finance and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will head the panel on external affairs. The committee on defence will be chaired by former Union minister Radha Mohan

TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Sunday alleged parliamentary standing committees had not been formed despite the 18th Lok Sabha completing 100 days since its constitution and said Parliament was being turned into a "deep, dark chamber". In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) leader in the Rajya Sabha said seven out of 10 Bills were sent to department-related standing committees of Parliament in the 15th Lok Sabha while only two out of 10 Bills were sent to the panels in the last Lok Sabha. "Parliamentary standing committees have not yet been formed. In the 15th Lok Sabha, seven out of 10 Bills were sent to committees for scrutiny. In the last Lok Sabha, only two out of 10 Bills got scrutinised ," O'Brien said. "Parliament is being turned into a deep, dark chamber," he added. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on September 11 that department-related standing committees and consultative committees of Parliament would be constituted shortly. According to data compile

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Monday questioned why petrol prices in India are not decreasing despite a decline in global crude oil prices. In a post on X, the Rajya Sabha MP said the crude oil prices have come down by around 24 per cent in last ten years, but petrol price in India has gone up by 30 per cent. In August 2014, crude oil was priced USD 102 per barrel and petrol price was Rs 73, while in August 2024, crude oil is at USD 78 per barrel, and yet petrol price is Rs 95, he said. "Why are petrol prices in India not decreasing despite a decline in global crude oil prices?" wrote O'Brien, TMC's parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha. "In the last 10 years, crude oil price down by nearly 24 percent, but petrol price in India increased by 30 percent," he said. "Windfall profits of oil companies are not being passed on to consumers," the TMC leader added. Petrol, diesel prices in India were last revised ahead of the general election in March when it was redu

TMC leader Derek O'Brien has written to Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha J P Nadda expressing concern over the delay in the re-constitution of Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees (DPSCs), saying that it has profound implications for the democratic process. In his letter to Nadda dated August 27, O'Brien said that as per the request of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat dated July 9, different parties had to submit their nominations before July 17, prior to the start of the monsoon session. He said the Trinamool Congress submitted its nominations on July 12. "When we met in the Rajya Sabha, I had verbally brought this up. You had verbally assured me that the committees would be formed within the duration of the Monsoon Session. Unfortunately, even as August slips by, the parliamentary committees have still not been constituted," O'Brien said in his letter. "This has profound implications for our democratic process and the quality of legislation enacted. Allow me to point

TMC leader Derek O'Brien has urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to "urgently review" and withdraw the 18 per cent GST on health and life insurance premiums during the upcoming GST Council meeting. O'Brien, in a letter dated August 24, demanded that the GST on health and life insurance premiums be withdrawn at the 54th meeting of the GST Council. "The 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on health and life insurance premiums is a burden on 45 crore Indians comprising the middle-class," said O'Brien, the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) leader in the Rajya Sabha. "These insurance schemes provide financial security during times of distress, may it be an illness, accident, or untimely death. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all sections of society are able to afford this crucial social safety net," he said. O'Brien also expressed fear that levying a high GST rate on health and life insurance might lead to many citizens not opting for insurance schemes or even ...

The public outrage over the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata is understandable but the CBI taking over the case shouldn't lead to it "being quietly buried", Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Friday. "It is hard to conceive of a more bestial, heinous crime than the murder and rape of a young woman that took place in Kolkata. The public outrage is entirely understandable. Thoughts and prayers with her family," the Rajya Sabha MP said in a post on X. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a rally over the incident at 4 pm on Friday, demanding that the CBI should give daily updates on the investigation, and that the probe should be completed before August 17. Explaining the reason, Banerjee was holding the rally, O'Brien posted, CBI, which is now handling the case, must give daily updates on the investigation... The deadline given by the CM to Kolkata Police to complete the investigation was August 17. The same must apply to ...

Senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Monday urged the government to reduce 18 per cent GST on health insurance policies, saying the high tax rate is burdening people, especially the middle class. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, he also referred to a letter written to the finance minister by senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari making similar demand. "The demand is straightforward. Reduce 18 per cent GST on medical and health insurance. We should reduce it because this is an issue which is burdening people, mainly the middle class. That's why it needs to be reduced," said Derek. The TMC leader pointed out that insurance penetration in India is low at 4 per cent compared to more than 7 per cent globally. Further, he said there is an imbalance in the insurance sector, where 75 per cent is life insurance policies, and 25 per cent medical insurance. Derek said the West Bengal chief minister has written to the finance minister in this regard and many ...

The TMC party leader in Rajya Sabha wondered whether the BJP is so nervous of facing the people that it is turning the EC into "its party office"

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday accused the government of making a "mockery" of Parliament by extending the ongoing session by one day. He said the government is extending the session by a day, while eight Parliament sessions were in a row cut short. "Hypocrisy of the Narendra Modi government. Make a full mockery of Parliament and then extend last session by one day!" O'Brien said in a post on X. "Between 2020-2022, 8 sessions in a row cut short. Lowest number of sittings ever for a full 5-year Lok Sabha term," he said. "In 8 years, no 267 notice from Opposition allowed for discussion in Rajya Sabha," he said. Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rule book allows for suspension of day's business to debate the issue suggested by a Member. The Budget session of Parliament has been extended by a day till February 10, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced on Wednesday. The session, which began on January 31, was otherwise slated to end on February 9.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday said Chowdhury speaks the language of the BJP

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien Thursday held West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury responsible for an alliance not working out between the two parties in West Bengal. The remark came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee announced that her party will fight the Lok Sabha polls "alone" in the state. Claiming that Chowdhury was the reason the alliance did not work out in West Bengal, O'Brien said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had many detractors but only two -- the BJP and Chowdhury -- have repeatedly spoken out against the bloc. "After the general elections, if the Congress does its job and defeats the BJP on a substantial number of seats, the Trinamool Congress will very much be a part of the front that believes and fights for the Constitution," O'Brien told reporters here. Banerjee's sudden comments on Wednesday forced the Congress to adopt a conciliatory approach with party general secretary ...

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien on Tuesday said the government perhaps wants opposition members to behave like BJP lawmakers Ramesh Bidhuri and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh -- both of whom are facing allegations of misconduct -- as 14 opposition MPs continue to remain suspended from Parliament. A hundred opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha and 46 in the Rajya Sabha were suspended during the recent Winter session of Parliament after they held protests in the two Houses to demand a discussion and a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the December 13 security breach. In a post on X, O'Brien -- who was among the MPs to be suspended -- took a jibe at the government and mentioned Bidhuri, accused of using a communal slur in the Lok Sabha, and Singh, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment by six women wrestlers. The accusation against Bidhuri is being looked into by a privileges committee. "Two impeccably well-behaved Members of Parliament continue to grace the Lok Sabha --

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, urging him to revoke the suspension of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien. Kharge said the TMC leader was only demanding a statement by the Home Minister on the security breach issue in Parliament. "All he (O' Brien) was trying to do was to attract your attention so as to raise the collective demand of INDIA parties for a statement by the Minister of Home Affairs on the shocking incident that took place in Lok Sabha on December 13," the Congress leader said. He said the Home Minister not speaking on the issue is a "breach of Parliamentary traditions and conventions". "These are perfectly legitimate demands. It is a breach of Parliamentary traditions and conventions that the Minister of Home Affairs can speak about the events of December 13 at a media function but refuses to say anything about in form of a statement in Parliament when the Parliament itself is in session," he ...