Page 2 - Monsoon Session Of Parliament

Over 78,000 hectares of India's forest land diverted since 2021: Centre

The Centre on Thursday informed Rajya Sabha that over 78,100 hectares of forest land have been approved for diversion across the country in the last four years for various projects. In a written reply, Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh also said that the government approved diversion of 12,324.32 ha of forest land in the first half of 2025. The data, shared by Singh, shows that a total of 78,135.84 hectares were approved for non-forest use between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2025. Madhya Pradesh accounted for the highest area of forest land approved for diversion at 17,393.65 hectares, followed by Odisha with 11,033.08 hectares, Arunachal Pradesh with 6561.47 hectares, Uttar Pradesh with 5480.43 hectares and Chhattisgarh with 4,092.01 hectares. Gujarat reported diversion of 4,959 hectares of forest land, while Jharkhand saw 4,431.91 hectares being approved for non-forest purposes. Rajasthan recorded diversion of 4,180.06 hectares, Maharashtra 3,603.62 hectares and Uttar Pradesh .

LS adjourned till 4 pm amid continued Oppn protest over various issues

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the second time on Thursday amid protests by Opposition members over various issues, including poll roll revision in Bihar. As soon as the House met again at 2 pm, the Chair had to adjourn the proceedings till 4 pm as Opposition members continued with their noisy protests. Some Opposition members were in the Well of the House raising slogans as they sought to raise certain issues. Awadhesh Prasad, who was chairing the House, urged the members to take their seats but adjourned the proceedings as his pleas went unheard. Earlier, Speaker Om Birla had urged the protesting members to stop shouting slogans and go back to their seats. "You (protesting members) don't want to discuss issues?...," he said and also asked whether people have chosen them to indulge in sloganeering in the House. The House is for discussing issues and the behaviour of the members is not appropriate, Birla said before adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm. As the din cont

RS adjourned till 2 pm as Opposition parties press for discussion on SIR

Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday after Opposition MPs created uproar over the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls. The House was adjourned twice during the pre-lunch session over the SIR issue. Soon after the House met at 12 noon after one adjournment in the morning, Opposition MPs were on their feet raising slogans in support of their demand for a discussion on SIR of Bihar's electoral rolls. The MPs demanded that the special revision of electoral rolls should be discussed in the House. The Opposition has been demanding a roll back of the SIR in Bihar till the after the Assembly polls, which are due later this year. Ghanshyam Tiwari who was in the Chair urged the potesting MPs to maintain decorum in the House and allow the Question Hour to function. Unrelenting Opposition members, however, continued to raise slogans. Some of the TMC members also trooped into the Well and continued with their sloganeering. Amid t

Chidambaram calls Shah's Afzal Guru execution remark 'lie, distortion'

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed as a "lie and distortion" Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks alleging delay in carrying out the death sentence for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The Congress leader's remarks came in response to Shah's statement in the Rajya Sabha that the death sentence for Guru could not be carried out for as long as Chidambaram was the home minister. In a statement, Chidambaram said, "Home Minister Mr Amit Shah made a statement in the Rajya Sabha that 'Afzal Guru could not be executed as long as P Chidambaram was Home Minister'. The statement is a mixture of insinuation, lie and distortion." After the conviction and sentence by the courts, Guru's wife filed, on his behalf, a mercy petition to the President of India in October 2006, Chidambaram said. "The President rejected the mercy petition on 3-2-2013. Afzal Guru was hanged six days later on 9-2-2013. I was Home Minister during 1-12-2008 and 31-7-2012," he said. "During the entire perio

Sonowal to move shipping bill in LS; ST quota bill for Goa up for debate

Meanwhile, in Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move a resolution to extend President's Rule in Manipur for a further period of six months

INDIA bloc continues protest against Bihar's SIR, Congress leaders join in

Sonia Gandhi joined the protest, holding the large banner 'SIR-attack on Democracy,' and stood beside her daughter and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi

PM Modi denies foreign pressure to stop Operation Sindoor offensive

Coincidentally, the PM opened and ended his speech by saying that he has put forth "Bharat's perspective" on Operation Sindoor

Jan Aushadhi outlets saved ₹38,000 crore for citizens in 11 years: Govt

Jan Aushadi outlets have saved about Rs 38,000 crore for the citizens over the last 11 years, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel said 16,912 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened across the country till June 30, 2025. "As a result of the scheme, in the last 11 years, estimated savings of about Rs 38,000 crore have accrued to citizens in comparison to the prices of branded medicines," the minister stated. The scheme has contributed significantly to the sharp reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure by households from 62.6 per cent of total health expenditure in 2014-15 to 39.4 per cent in 2021-22 as per the National Health Accounts Estimates, she added. "With a view to further expand reach to jan aushadhi medicine and thereby reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, the government has set a target to open 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras by March 2027," Patel said. The outlets cover 2,11

Op Sindoor debate: Nadda apologises to Kharge over 'mental balance' remark

The Rajya Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches after Leader of the House J P Nadda made some objectionable remarks against Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge that he later withdrew and apologised. Rising soon after Kharge spoke over one hour during the discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, Nadda first accused him of "losing his mental balance" as he made some remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nadda demanded that Kharge's remarks on the Prime Minister be expunged from the records as they were made in a "flow of emotions". However, Kharge as well as Opposition benches made strong objections to Nadda's "mental balance" remark and demanded an apology. Kharge also said that Nadda is one of the ministers in the NDA government whom he respected, but said it was a matter of shame that he made such remarks against him and demanded his apology. Nadda soon got up to say that he has already withdrawn his wo

Amit Shah slams Chidambaram for 'clean chit' to Pakistan in Pahalgam attack

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused P Chidambaram, a previous incumbent of the ministry, of giving a "clean chit" to Pakistan in the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that it amounted to questioning India's attack on terror facilities in the country. Shah lashed out at the senior Congress leader as informed Lok Sabha during a discussion on the terror strike and Operation Sindoor that three terrorists killed by security forces in Kashmir on Monday were behind the horrific Pahalgam incident. He said the government had proof of the three being from Pakistan, including that the voter numbers of two of them. He added that they carried chocolates made in Pakistan, turning up the heat on the former home minister. The Congress leader, a Rajya Sabha member, Shah said, raised the questions when Parliament was to begin this discussion. "Whom do you want to save? What will you gain by shielding Pakistan?" In an interview, Chidambaram had raised questions on the claim that the terrorists

3 terrorists killed in Op Mahadev linked to Pahalgam attack: Amit Shah

Speaking on Operation Mahadev on the floor of the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah said the killed terrorists have been identified as Suleiman, Afghan, and Jibran

Lok Sabha sees Question Hour proceed smoothly after 6 days of disruption

Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed smooth functioning of the Question Hour for the first time since the beginning of the Monsoon session on July 21. The House has been witnessing repeated disruptions over the Opposition's demand for a debate on electoral roll revision in Bihar and Operation Sindoor. While the debate on Operation Sindoor commenced in the House on Monday, the Opposition disrupted the first half of the day demanding an assurance from the government that a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar will be held after that. Tuesday was the first time in six days that the House could take up the Question Hour without disruptions. Speaker Om Birla has been insisting that members should participate in the Question Hour as issues related to key ministries are taken up and the government is held accountable.

'Halted trade but play cricket': Owaisi questions govt over India-Pak match

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said his conscience won't permit him to watch the September 14 India-Pakistan Asia Cup match

Pakistan 'admitted defeat' in Op Sindoor, Rajnath Singh tells Lok Sabha

In Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said over 100 terrorists were killed in PoK in a 22-minute strike; India stopped Pakistan's missile-drone attack and gave a strong reply by hitting key military sites

RS adjourned for day as Oppn protest continues over Bihar's SIR issue

The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned twice on Monday as Opposition protests over various issues, including electoral rolls revision in Bihar, continued to rock the House. As soon as the House reassembled for the Question Hour at 12 noon, various Opposition MPs were on their feet and Sushmita Dev (TMC) trooped into the Well, and sought to raise various issues. As the din continued, the proceedings were adjourned again till 2 pm. During the morning session (Zero Hour), Deputy Chairman Harivansh said he has received 26 notices under Rule 267 demanding discussion on various issues including Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and alleged discrimination against Bengali migrant workers in other states. He declined all the adjournment notices, and called Sudha Murty (nominated member) to make her Zero Hour mention. However, Opposition members, including from TMC and Congress were on their feet protesting the Chair's decision. They were raising slogans like 'Vote Ki Chori Band Karo' (s

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress and its leader P Chidambaram of "speaking the same language" as used by Pakistan and claimed that the Opposition was "running away" from a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor out of fear of being unmasked. Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, he said when the government is ready to discuss the issue then why is the Opposition running away from it. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, delaying the start of the discussion on Operation Sindoor. A political row erupted on Monday over Chidambaram's reported remarks that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam could have been "homegrown". "It was their demand only that a discussion should be held on Operation Sindoor. And, when the government is ready for discussion, why is it running away from it? The entire Opposition is not letting a discussion on terror and terrorism

Tharoor declines to speak on Op Sindoor, opts for ports bill debate

The Congress asked its MP Shashi Tharoor if he was interested in speaking during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament but he declined and instead expressed a desire to speak on 'The Indian Ports Bill, 2025', party sources said on Monday. There has been intense speculation on whether Tharoor, who led the delegation to the US among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress given that his enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with tge party. Asked whether Tharoor was asked to speak during the debate, a senior Congress functionary told PTI, "It is a practise that senior leaders are asked whether they are interested in speaking on a major issue. Gaurav Gogoi and K Suresh had reached out to him and asked if he was interested in speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, to which he said he is not interested and would like to speak on the ports bill." There was no immediate response from Tharoor on

Send leaders empowered to take decisions for all-party meetings: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday urged leaders of political parties to send representatives who are empowered to take decisions to meetings for finalising the agenda for Parliament. Birla's remarks came as the opposition members sought an assurance from the government on discussion on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar after the conclusion of the debate on Operation Sindoor. The opposition members were in the Well of the House, raising slogans and seeking an assurance before the Lok Sabha took up the discussion on Operation Sindoor. Birla said that at the all-party meeting chaired by him last week, all leaders sought a discussion on Operation Sindoor, which was agreed to, and 16 hours were allocated for the same. "There is something called commitment. Leaders of all parties had sought a discussion on Operation Sindoor and now you are in the Well of the House raising other issues," he said, addressing opposition members. "You can't demand a discussion on any issue from th

INDIA bloc holds meeting ahead of discussion on Operation Sindoor in LS

This meeting comes as the Lok Sabha gears up for a 16-hour-long discussion on Operation Sindoor today

Don't speak Pak's language: Rijiju appeals to Oppn ahead of Parl discussion

The Union Minister stated that the opposition, including the Congress, should refrain from making any statements that could harm national interests