New Delhi: Reaching out to Opposition members in Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that only a single party cannot protect India's unity and integrity. "We all will have to make collective efforts for that," Rajnath Singh said.
"As far as terrorism is concerned, it has no colour, caste and community," the Home Minister said in Rajya Sabha.
Earlier at noon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that Parliament is a place where debates take place but asserted that certain boundaries need to be maintained to have a fruitful discussion, while addressing the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Modi cited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi -- who disapproved of House disruptions -- and said everybody has a right to question the government but needs to maintain a certain level of decorum.
"Debate will be more fruitful if procedure is followed, these are not my words, this was said by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi," he said.
Modi expressed grave concern about the recent happenings in Parliament. "When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers. Treasury benches don't suffer as much as the country. Lawmakers suffer the most as they are not able to raise voice of the people in the House," he said.
Prime Minister Modi said every party needs to cooperate to pass the important bills. He thanked President Pranab Mukherjee for highlighting India's growth in his speech. "We must always seek President's advice," he said while giving the vote of thanks to the President's speech on the opening day of the Budget Session.
Earlier in the day, Congress members protested at the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises against HRD MoS Ram Shankar Katheria over his 'anti-Muslim' remarks made in Agra.
Katheria, who attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur shot dead in Agra last Thursday, said: "This conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be be alert to recognise it and strengthen ourselves."
Here are the live updates:
3.45 pm: Only a single party cannot protect India's unity and integrity. We all will have to make collective efforts for that, says Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha.
- I heard Ram Shankar Katheria's speech, made others hear it. We all agreed there is nothing inflammatory in the speech.
- India is a nation where people from all sects of Islam are found.
- India is the most secular country in the world.
- A subject like communal harmony should not be measured in terms of political gain or loss.
- Terrorism has no colour, no caste and no community.
2.50 pm: What happened in Agra is not an isolated incident. Mother India is being insulted, Home Minister should answer what he plans to do, says D Raja on Katheria’s comments.
2.45 pm: BJP MPs making communal/polarising statements should have sedition case filed against them, no matter what community they belong to, says Ghulam Nabi Azad.
1.45 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm.
1.05 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.
12.15 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi replies on the motion of thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha.
- I want to thank the President for expressing in detail India's pride and strides in development to the world.
- Parliament is where arguments are put forth and answers are sought, where the government is questioned, where the government has to give its opinion and explain its stand and no body is spared in the Parliament and neither should one expect that anybody will be spared but there must be a certain decorum so that people can present their views with more clarity.
- This is not something I am saying, this has been said by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
- When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers and more than that the MPs suffer because they can't discuss issues.
- Hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive.
- Bills that are to be passed are for the people. They are for freeing the system from middlemen
- I appeal the Opposition to help pass important bills in both Houses of Parliament.
- Saying all this because people must know that bills have been passed here but have been stopped thereafter.
- March 8 is International Women's Day and I would like that only women members of the Parliament should speak.
- We can also set time where only first time MPs can speak. This will bring a fresh perspective to the proceedings
- There should be one day when there will be parliamentary discussion on how India can add on to sustainable development.
- Be it our government or the Opposition's government, one should pay heed to the pervading loop holes in primary education.
- People are mocking 'Make in India. If the initiative is not successful, then suggest way to make it successful.
- Whenever we introduce new schemes in the House, some people fail to comprehend them, some people age, but their intellect does not grow with them.
- There is this tendency to oppose work in progress with arguments pertaining to work which is apparently undone.
- 18,000 villages, after so many years of freedom are still plunged in darkness, and if we bring them electricity, tomorrow you can say with pride, Modiji, we have given these 18,000, that is why you are able to do it
- MGNREGA and NREGA aren't isolated schemes. There were other schemes earlier which have been juxtaposed to form the above scheme.
- We have pushed this country to such a deplorable state wherein even a skilled labourer is forced to take up unskilled jobs.
- Needy states haven't been given pro-poor schemes like NREGA or MGNREGA, we should work to exterminate poverty in such areas.
- This house shouldn't be used to fulfill one's personal or selfish wishes, we aren't here to compare one's work progress.
- Our schemes Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna and MGNREGA have indeed created assets.
- Its your bankruptcy that you run short of issues and that's why you tend to bring the issue of Godhra on the floor, Modi takes a dig.
- Kerala, Mizoram, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh still do not have Food Security Act and all these administered by the Congress.
- One MP said Fasal Bima Yojana is only for a few districts. I want to say that this scheme will be applicable everywhere.
- In 14 years, I have learnt to live with criticism.
- It is necessary that executives be accountable.
- Accountability needs to be increased. And I can't do this by myself. You (Opposition) are experienced and I need your support.
- I am new, I need cooperation and help to bring development to this nation. Let's work shoulder to shoulder.
Earlier in Parliament today:
12.05 pm: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he had received a letter seeking Rajiv Gandhi assasins' release from the Tamil Nadu government. "Will adhere to Supreme Court's decision on the issue," Singh told Lok Sabha.
Read: Government examining Tamil Nadu’s letter on Rajiv killers, says Rajnath Singh
11.45 am: Emphasizing on the need to overhaul the education system, Smriti Irani says in Rajya Sabha that special training workshops for government principals will help take care of the quality of teachers.
National Programme on School Standards and Evaluation Framework (Shala Siddhi) have been launched.
11.40 am: Rahul Gandhi once again attacked Modi government. "What the government is doing with regard to EPF is unfair, I would request the PM to take back the Tax on EPF," says Rahul Gandhi.
11.30 am: Had it been my government in Uttar Pradesh, they (who made controversial remarks in Agra) would have been behind bars, says Mayawati on Katheria remarks.
11.00 am: Congress protest at Gandhi statue in Parliament premises against HRD MoS Ram Shankar Katheria over his remarks made in Agra. Katheria had made comments against the Muslim community at a condolence meet.
Congress members protests in Parliament premises in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter)
On Wednesday, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi attacked Modi in Lok Sabha on a slew of issues, right from the JNU row to the issue of black money to Pakistan policy as well as the “invisible” Naga peace accord.
In a calculated attack, he took on the government on all the aforementioned issues turn by turn. He said Mr Modi brought a “Fair and Lovely Yojna” to convert black money into white and blamed him for destroying the UPA’s work against insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and against terrorism.
Responding on Gandhi's allegations, the BJP criticised him for his attack on the government in the Lok Sabha, saying it was 'full of drama but lacked in content', and dubbed the Congress vice president a lying machine" and a "non-serious, part-time politician".
Slamming Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's speech targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised questions about his knowledge and maturity, Home Minister Rajnath Singh denied the Congress leader's claim that he was not kept in the loop before signing a peace pact with Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM.
