Parliament Monsoon Session 2023 Live: Amid the logjam in Parliament between the treasury bench and the Opposition over the Manipur issue, the BJP Parliamentary Board is scheduled to meet at 9:30 am on Tuesday, before the commencement of Parliament proceedings to discuss the government’s strategy for the remaining days of the ongoing monsoon session. The ongoing deadlock in Parliament and counter-strategy to retaliate against the attacks of Opposition parties can also be discussed in the meeting.
In the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi can give important instructions to the party MPs regarding the strategy for communication with the public after the session.
Besides PM Modi, BJP President JP Nadda and all Union Ministers, party MPs from both the Houses — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — will be present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, the INDIA alliance parties will also meet at 10:45 am in the office of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, in Parliament, to chalk out the floor strategy for the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Follow the Latest Updates From Parliament Monsoon Session 2023:
▶As the deadlock in Parliament persisted for the third day on Monday, Home Minister Amit Shah asked the opposition to allow a debate on the Manipur issue to begin but both sides stood rigid on their stand while AAP MP Sanjay Sanjay Singh was suspended during an uproar in the Upper House for the rest of the monsoon session.
▶Relentless protests from opposition members, who insisted on a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi before any debate, marred the proceedings in both Houses while charges and countercharges flew thick and fast outside Parliament.
▶The Congress alleged that the prime minister was “scared” of a discussion in Parliament, but the BJP claimed the opposition was running away as it does not want certain facts to come to the fore.
▶The RS Chairman later met the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the way forward to break the deadlock on both sides.
▶Protests ruled the day inside both Houses despite attempts by Dhankhar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to end the impasse. Defence Minister Singh, who is also the deputy leader of Lok Sabha, reiterated his statement made on Friday that the government is ready for a discussion.
▶Since the session began on July 20, little work has been done in Parliament. Opposition members have seized on the viral video of two women stripped and paraded by a mob from another community in the violence-hit state to corner the government.
▶While the government has expressed its willingness to debate on the situation in the BJP-ruled state, the opposition has made a statement from Modi a precondition for any discussion on the issue.
▶As slogan-shouting by opposition members in Lok Sabha, many of whom were in the well of House, continued, Shah spoke briefly, questioning their intent despite his willingness to debate.
▶The government has said that the Home Minister will reply to any such debate on the Manipur issue. “I am willing for discussion in Lok Sabha on the situation in Manipur but do not know why the opposition does not want it,” Shah said.
He said opposition leaders should allow a debate, saying it was important for the truth to come out before the country on the Manipur issue.
▶The MPs of the BJP as well as the Opposition staged protests near the Mahatma Gandhi statue to highlight their demands. The opposition members were holding placards that read “INDIA wants discussion on Manipur violence”, “INDIA for Manipur” etc. INDIA is the name opposition parties have chosen for their alliance.
▶Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP sources said, has spoken to opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress and DMK leader T R Baalu, in an attempt to break the impasse but in vain.
▶Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar also held a meeting with opposition leaders from the Upper House, including Jairam Ramesh, BRS’ K Keshava Rao, BJD’s Sasmit Patra and AAP’s Raghav Chadha, in this regard as well. Sources said the meeting ended within minutes, as the opposition walked out and said they were “boycotting it”.
When does the Monsoon Parliament Session 2023 begin and end?
The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 20 and continue till August 11. The session has been spread across 23 days and will have 17 sittings.
Which bills are scheduled to be discussed and passed during the Parliament Monsoon Session?
Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said that 31 bills will be taken up in the monsoon session. Among these include the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023.
Other important legislations that are expected to be taken up in the Session are the Bill to replace the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, promulgated in May this year.
Other Bills on the agenda of the government include Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019; Mediation Bill, 2021; Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 ; Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022; Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022 amongst others.
Order of business in Parliament Monsoon Session 2023 till now
In Lok Sabha, the government succeeded in transacting some legislative business amid uproar, with three Bills introduced and one withdrawn.
While the government withdrew the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019, it introduced the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Earlier in the day, as soon as the Lower House met at 11 am, opposition members from the Congress, DMK, Left parties and others were on their feet. Speaker Om Birla allowed Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to speak and he raised the demand for the prime minister’s statement The speaker said, “The government will reply.. but you will not decide who will reply to the debate”.
Why was AAP MP Sanjay Singh Suspended?
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh, one of the more vocal voices in Rajya Sabha, was suspended for repeatedly “violating” the directives of the Chair after he rushed to the well of the House and pointed at the Chair during protest by opposition members on the Manipur issue.
Moving a motion for Singh’s suspension that was adopted by voice vote, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said such behaviour was not acceptable as the member was disturbing the House and was disregarding its ethics and rules.
Prior to that, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar named Singh for his “unruly behaviour” and cautioned him. Opposition parties condemned the action against Singh and accused the government of trying to throttle their voice.
Sanjay Singh, however, remained inside the Rajya Sabha chamber as a mark of protest, and moved out after the house was adjourned for the day. He then sat on a protest before the Gandhi statue along with other opposition MPs. Leaders of various parties urged the chairman to reconsider his decision and revoke the suspension.
What is Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha?
The Opposition is demanding a discussion on Manipur in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267, under which the House can suspend all of its pending business in order to focus on a matter that requires immediate attention.
Rule 267 states that “any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being: Provided further that this rule shall not apply where specific provision already exists for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rules,” according to Rajya Sabha website.