Page 4 - Rajya Sabha

Division of Vande Mataram song led to partition of India: Amit Shah

The division of 'Vande Mataram' song for "politics of appeasement" led to partition of India, Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, as he slammed Opposition for linking the debate on 150 years of the national song with the upcoming West Bengal elections. Initiating the debate in the House, Shah said Vande Mataram was the "mantra" that awakened India's cultural nationalism, and remains as relevant today as it was during the freedom struggle. He stressed that the song will remain relevant in the days to come as well, in taking the country towards Viksit Bharat. Shah also attacked Congress for questioning the need for a debate on Vande Mataram, and accused first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru of "dividing" the poem and limiting it to two stanzas. "Yesterday some MPs in the Lok Sabha questioned what is the need to discuss Vande Mataram. The need for discussion...was as relevant when the song was written, during the freedom movement, today, and will be as relevant

No conclusive data links deaths exclusively to air pollution: MoS Health

There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution, Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav, told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases, Jadhav said in a written reply. The health effects of air pollution are a synergistic manifestation of factors, which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals. The government of India has taken several steps to address air pollution issues, he said. The National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has been implemented with an objective to create awareness, capacity building, health sector preparedness and response and partnerships related activities on climate sensitive health issues since 2019, according to the reply. Under NPCCHH, the government of India has develope

Govt to curb IndiGo's winter schedule, reassign slots: Aviation Minister

The Civil Aviation Minister made these remarks hours after he warned of strict action against IndiGo following days of chaos led by the massive number of flight cancellations

Congress likely to field Gogoi, Priyanka during Vande Mataram debate in LS

Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda and A Bimol Akoijam are likely to be among the party's speakers during the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha on Monday, party sources said. The party is also likely to field Praniti Shinde, Prashant Padole, Chamala Reddy and Jyotsana Mahant during the debate, they said on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha on December 8 while Home Minister Amit Shah will begin the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on December 9. According to sources, Prime Minister Modi will initiate the debate on the national song at noon in the Lower House while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other ministers will also participate in the day-long debate. The last speaker in the Lok Sabha debate will be someone from the ruling BJP, they said. A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Modi on October

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: FM moves Health Security se National Security Cess Bill in Lok Sabha

Parliament Winter Session Day 4 LIVE Updates: Follow all the latest updates from Parliament as government and opposition debate key issues

Sitharaman to move Health and National Security Cess Bill in LS today

Earlier on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed a Bill aimed at increasing excise duty on tobacco products and their manufacturing after a discussion

Parliament clears Manipur GST Amendment Bill; FM explains key reforms

Parliament clears the Manipur GST amendment, aligning the state with national GST reforms, including track-and-trace, simplified voucher rules, clarified definitions and uniform appeal procedures

Parliament Winter Session highlights: Lok Sabha adjourned for the day amid Oppn protest against SIR

Parliament Winter Session LIVE Updates: Follow all the latest updates from Parliament as government and opposition debate key issues

MPs raise Anganwadi upgrades, Bhojpuri academy, pollution concerns in RS

Members of Parliament on Tuesday raised issues ranging from modernisation of Anganwadi kitchens and establishment of a Bhojpuri literary academy to the growing air pollution crisis during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha. Rekha Sharma (BJP) demanded a national programme for modernising Anganwadi nutrition kitchens, proposing upgrades including stainless steel utensils and food storage, clean preparation counters, safe drinking water units and exhaust systems for ventilation. While acknowledging the Anganwadi network as one of India's proudest social welfare achievements, she said nutrition kitchens require modernisation to meet today's needs. Sharma stressed the importance of millet-based nutrition menus and urged states yet to adopt this practice, to follow the example of those already implementing it. She also called for integration of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for supply of nutritious food and strengthening of digital monitoring and growth tracking systems in Anganwadis. Kunwar Ratan

Winter Session of Parliament begins today: Check key bills, dates here

The three-week-long session follows the overwhelming victory of the BJP-led NDA in the Bihar Assembly elections

Govt open to talks on electoral reforms as Opposition pushes for SIR

On a tense opening day of the Winter Session, the government said it was willing to discuss electoral reforms and SIR after Opposition-led disruptions

Three National Conference leaders from J&K take oath as Rajya Sabha MPs

The three recently elected MPs from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday took oath as members of the Upper House. National Conference leaders -- Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and party treasurer Gurwinder Singh Oberoi took oath as Rajya Sabha members at the start of Parliament's Winter Session. While Kichloo took the oath in Urdu, Oberoi did the same in Punjabi. Ramzan took the oath in Kashmiri. After the oath, the three leaders exchanged pleasantries with Chairman C P Radhakrishnan and greeted other leaders present in the House. Last month, the National Conference won three Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, while the BJP won the fourth seat in the elections.

Govt not averse to taking up discussion on SIR, electoral reforms: Rijiju

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that the government is not averse to holding a discussion on SIR or electoral reforms, as he asked the Opposition not to insist on setting a timeline. He was responding to opposition members who were demanding an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls or electoral reforms in the House. Not satisfied with the minister's response, members of several opposition parties staged a walkout from the Upper House. Responding to the opposition parties' demand to start an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls or electoral reforms, the minister sought more time to respond to the matter. Chairman CP Radhakrishnan earlier disallowed the notices given by nine opposition members on several issues, including a discussion on SIR under rule 267, leading to protests by the Opposition. The chairman later asked members to raise their Zero Hour ...

Parliament Winter Session LIVE: LS passes Manipur GST reform bill; House adjourned for the day

Parliament Winter Session Live Updates: Follow all the latest updates from Parliament as government and opposition debate key issues

Row in Rajya Sabha as Kharge flags Dhankhar's 'sudden exit'; BJP hits back

A heated argument broke out in the Rajya Sabha between Mallikarjun Kharge and the BJP after the former mentioned Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden exit as vice president

Bihar election results: What NDA's win means for future Rajya Sabha polls

With the NDA heading for a sweeping majority in Bihar, the Opposition now faces a second setback, a weaker hand in upcoming Rajya Sabha elections as multiple seats will open for renewal before 2030

J&K RS polls: Sajad Lone alleges National Conference 'gifted' BJP 7 votes

People's Conference chief Sajad Lone on Saturday accused the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir of "gifting" seven votes to the BJP to ensure the saffron party's victory on one seat in the Rajya Sabha polls held on Friday, calling the elections a fixed match between the two parties. The National Conference (NC) won three seats, while the BJP managed one in the first Rajya Sabha elections held in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union territory in 2019. You (NC) have clearly gifted seven members to the BJP. It was a fixed match, Lone claimed at a press conference. The Rajya Sabha elections for four seats were divided into three notifications. In the third notification, elections were held for two seats. While NC's Chowdhry Mohammed Ramzan won the first seat, its candidate Sajjad Kitchloo won the second. For the third notification, the NC fielded two candidates -- G S Oberoi, also known as Shammi Oberoi, and Imran Nabi Dar. The BJP, on the other hand, fielded its Jam

BJP names 3 candidates for elections to 4 Rajya Sabha seats in J-K

The BJP on Sunday named three candidates, including its Jammu and Kashmir unit president Sat Pal Sharma, for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in the Union Territory scheduled for October 24. Two other candidates are Ghulam Mohammed Mir and Rakesh Mahajan. The Election Commission has issued three separate notifications for the elections to four seats. The National Conference-Congress combine has an edge in three seats while the BJP has in one, going by their strength in the assembly. The BJP's decision to force a contest will spice up the polling, as it is expected to spearhead an intensive exercise to woo MLAs from other parties to shore up support for its candidates. The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir had on Friday announced the names of its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls to be held on October 24, and said discussions were on with the Congress for the fourth seat.

Rajya Sabha polls for 4 J-K seats vacant since 2021 on Oct 24: EC

Biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir, which have been lying vacant since 2021, will be held on October 24, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. Separately, Rajya Sabha bypoll to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP member from Punjab Sanjeev Arora will also be held on October 24. He had resigned following his election to the Punjab assembly. His Rajya Sabha term was to otherwise end on April 9, 2028. The Rajya Sabha elections for the four Jammu and Kashmir seats are being held nearly a year after the assembly polls were held in the union territory. MLAs elect Rajya Sabha members of their respective states. The union territory has been unrepresented in the Upper House of Parliament since February 15, 2021, the day when Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway finished their term. Two other members, Fayaz Ahmed Mir and Shamsheer Singh Manhas, had completed their term on February 10, the same year. While announcing the schedule

Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty reports scam call, cybercrime case registered

A case has been registered after Rajya Sabha member and philanthropist Sudha Murty filed a complaint alleging that an unknown person, posing as an employee of the Ministry of Telecommunications, tried to obtain her personal information, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on September 5, following which she lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police in Bengaluru, they said. In her complaint, she alleged that on September 5, she received a call from an unknown person who introduced himself as an employee of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Government of India and tried to obtain her personal information by falsely claiming that her mobile number was registered in January without linking it to Aadhaar. He also threatened that obscene videos were being broadcast or accessed from that mobile number and that her services would be disconnected at 12 PM, the FIR stated. "The person was very rude and the call came from a mobile number, which was showed as Telecom Dept on Tr