Page 11 - Lok Sabha

Thackeray dubs 'Saugat-e-Modi' as 'Saugat-e-Satta', slams BJP's 'hypocrisy'

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday criticised the BJP for its 'Saugat-e-Modi' initiative for Muslims, labelling it as 'Saugat-e-Satta' intended solely for the upcoming Bihar elections, a remark that prompted strong response from the ruling party, which insisted it does not harbour anti-Muslim or anti-Christian sentiments. At a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray accused the BJP of hypocrisy, arguing when the Shiv Sena (UBT) garnered significant support from Muslim voters in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP condemned him for supposedly abandoning Hindutva, coining phrases like "Satta Jihad." "But now, the same people have reversed their position," he said. Questioning the sincerity of the BJP's 'Saugat-e-Modi' programme, Thackeray asked, "Will this 'Saugat-e-Satta' (gift of power) be limited to the Bihar elections (scheduled in 2025-end), or will it have a lasting impact? The BJP should also declare that it has given up Hindutva." In response, Maharashtra BJP

Rahul says he's never allowed to speak in Parl as INDIA bloc meets Speaker

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed he is "never allowed" to speak in Parliament, as a host of INDIA bloc leaders met Speaker Om Birla to raise the issue of the Congress leader being denied the opportunity to speak in the House the previous day. "I am never allowed to speak brother...I don't know what they are scared of," Gandhi told reporters on the Parliament complex on Thursday when asked about his allegations the House was being run "non-democratically". His latest charge come on a day several opposition leaders met Speaker Birla over Gandhi being denied the opportunity to speak in the House on Wednesday. They also flagged an alleged "politicisation" of the institution of Speaker. Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said an INDIA bloc delegation comprising leaders from the Congress, SP, TMC, DMK, Kerala Congress, RJD, IUML, RLP and the MDMK, met the Speaker during Zero Hour. "We have given a letter, which was signed by many .

Amid Oppn pushback, Lok Sabha passes Immigration & Foreigners Bill, 2025

Various amendments moved by Opposition members were negated and the bill was passed by a voice vote

School enrollments drop in last 2 years: Union Minister in Lok Sabha

The country has reported a worrying drop in school enrollments in 2023-24, especially at the elementary level where numbers declined by around eight percentage points compared to 2021-22, according to government data presented in Parliament on Thursday. Replying to a question on the living standards of tribal people, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey told Lok Sabha that the gross enrollment ratio of tribal students at the elementary level declined from 103.4 per cent in 2021-22 to 97.1 per cent in 2023-24. In comparison, the GER of students from all communities dropped sharply from 100.13 per cent in 2021-22 to 91.7 per cent in 2023-24. At the secondary level (classes 9-10), the GER of tribal students dropped from 78.1 per cent in 2021-22 to 76.9 per cent in 2023-24, the data showed. For students from all communities, the GER at the secondary level decreased from 79.56 per cent in 2021-22 to 77.4 per cent in 2023-24. At the senior secondary level (classes .

LS passes bill for 'Tribhuvan' Sahkari University, Amit Shah defends name

Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to set up 'Tribhuvan Sahkari University' in Gujarat's Anand with an aim to create a qualified manpower for co-operative societies. The university has been named after Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, who was one of the pioneers of cooperative movement in India and instrumental in laying the foundation of Amul, Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said during a debate on the "Tribhuvan" Sahkari University Bill, 2025. Shah took a swipe at some opposition members for their demand that the university should have been named after Verghese Kurien, associated with the growth of milk cooperatives in Gujarat, saying that Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel was a Congress leader who gave job to Kurien. The Amul's journey started in 1946 has transformed into the one of the world's biggest dairy brands with a turnover of over Rs 60,000 crore, he said. The proposed university will also address the long pending issue of capacity building of employees and board members in

Highlights: RBI releases Monetary Policy Committee meeting calendar for FY26

Latest news updates: Catch all the live news updates from around the world here

'Speaker did not let me speak': Rahul Gandhi hits out at Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla | Parliament

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, " I don't know what is going on...I requested him to let me speak but he (Speaker) just ran away.

5.6 mn public grievances redressed during Nov 2022-Feb 2025: Jitendra Singh

As on February 28, 2025, there exists a pendency of 59,946 public grievances cases in ministries/departments of the Government of India, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha being run in 'undemocratic' manner, says LoP Rahul Gandhi

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that he was not being given a chance to speak and the House was being run in an "undemocratic manner". His remarks came after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked him to follow the rules of procedure that members are expected to observe to uphold the dignity of the House. It was not immediately clear what was the reason for the Speaker to make the observation. Gandhi said the Speaker made remarks about him and then adjourned the House without giving him an opportunity to speak. He said that in the last week he had not been allowed to speak. About 70 Congress Lok Sabha MPs, including deputy leader of Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, party general secretary KC Venugopal and party's whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore, met the Lok Sabha speaker and raised the "denial" of opportunity to Gandhi to speak in the House, party sources said.

GoM reviewing GST on farm equipment and inputs: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Says existing provisions under I-T Act have gaps in addressing digital data

Parliament passes bill to replace century-old Boiler Act with new measures

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to provide for the regulation of boilers, safety of life and property of persons from the danger of explosions of steam-boilers and uniformity in registration. The Boilers Bill, 2024, seeks to repeal the century-old Boilers Act, 1923. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in December last year. Now it will be sent for assent of the President of India. The bill, which has provisions to ensure the safety of persons working inside a boiler and promoting ease of doing business, was cleared in the Lower House by a voice vote. The legislation provides that repair of boilers should be undertaken by qualified and competent persons. Piloting the bill, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said several colonial-era redundant and obsolete provisions have been removed and the bill seeks to do away with the colonial mindset. "We have made the bill simple and readable," he said. Allaying concerns of certain members, he said the legislation is not

Taxmen to assess only undisclosed income in search cases: Finance Bill

The amendment, which was approved by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, will be made effective retrospectively from September 1, 2024

12,957 new cooperative societies registered in past 2 years, says Amit Shah

A total of 12,957 new multi-purpose primary agricultural credit societies, dairy and fishery cooperative societies have been established across the country in past two years, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday in Parliament. Shah, in his written reply to the Lok Sabha, said the government had in February 2023 approved the plan for strengthening cooperative movement in the country and deepening its reach up to the grassroots. The plan entails establishment of new multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (M-PACS), Dairy, Fishery Cooperative Societies covering all the panchayats/villages in the country over a period of five years. As per National Cooperative Database, a total of 12,957 new PACS, Dairy and Fishery Cooperative Societies have been registered across the country as on Janury 27, 2025, Shah added. Out of which, 1,995 new cooperatives have been registered in Rajasthan, 1,535 in Odisha, 1,464 in Uttar Pradesh and 1,118 in Jammu and Kashmir, he said. Th

Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill 2025 with 35 amendments, Rajya Sabha next

The amendments include one that abolishes a 6 per cent digital tax, popularly known as the 'Google Tax,' on online advertisements

Govt rejects allegations of bias in MGNREGA fund release amid Oppn protest

The government on Tuesday said it has never discriminated against any state in the release of MGNREGA funds amid a protest by opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha against the alleged delay in payment to some states for the rural employment scheme. As the issue was raised during the Question Hour, the Lok Sabha witnessed protests with DMK and Trinamool Congress MPs entering the well of the House. Speaker Om Birla urged them to return to their seats, but they did not budge. Following this, the House was adjourned till 12 pm. Birla urged the Opposition not to "politicise" the questions raised during the Question Hour. Congress MP from Kerala Adoor Prakash highlighted a decline in the MGNREGA workforce in his state and attributed it to delayed payments and low wages. "Workers in Kerala have not received their wages for the past three months, and Rs 811 crore is due under the scheme. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has recommended linking MGNREGA wages to inflation

LS approves motion to extend tenure of JPC on 'One Nation, One Election'

Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), PP Chaudhary, had moved the motion in the Lok Sabha regarding an extension of time

Govt proposes to abolish Equalisation Levy on online advertisements

These changes are part of the 59 amendments to the Finance Bill introduced by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in the Lok Sabha

Tax departments withdrew 6,599 appeals from tribunals, courts: Govt

The tax departments have withdrawn 6,599 appeals filed before tribunals, High Courts and the Supreme Court following enhancement of monetary limits for filing such cases, Parliament was informed on Monday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said CBDT has enhanced monetary limit for filing appeals by Income Tax Department before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), High Courts and the Supreme Court to Rs 60 lakh, Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore, respectively. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has identified 4,951 appeals for withdrawal from ITAT, High Courts and the apex court. Similarly, following revised monetary limit, the Customs and the Central Excise & Service Tax departments have withdrawn 477 and 1,171 appeals, respectively. In case of Central Excise and Service Tax, the government has set monetary limit for filing appeals by departmental officers before Customs Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal .

Delimitation must not reduce any states LS, RS representation: Jagan to PM

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to carry out the delimitation exercise in such a manner that no state would suffer any reduction in representation in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, especially in terms of the share of total number of seats in the House. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the YSRCP chief highlighted that the gravity of the delimitation issue has the potential to disrupt the social and political harmony in the country. "Request for the delimitation exercise to be conducted in such a manner that no state would have to endure any reduction in its representation in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, in terms of its share in total no. (number) of seats in the house," said Reddy. The opposition leader emphasised that the Constitution should be amended in such a fashion that no state would have to encounter any reduction in its representation in the House of the People.

First JAC meet on Delimitation begins under Stalin; BJP calls it 'cover up'

The first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation commenced here on Saturday with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin in the chair. The meeting witness the participation of 14 leaders from at least five states and they would deliberate on the 'threat' posed by the Lok Sabha seats delimitation exercise to states with high economic growth and literacy. The opposition BJP, which staged a black flag protest, slammed Stalin for not convening similar meetings on the Cauvery and Mullaiperiar water-sharing disputes with Karnataka and Kerala, respectively. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan described the meeting as "corruption hiding meeting" by the respective leaders. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, "at any cost, we cannot let down our country and our seats to be reduced." He claimed South India had always upheld the census regulations and family planning policies, making it a progressive region. "Economically and in terms of literacy, we have ...