<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lamented that disruptions in Parliament have unfortunately prevented several members, retiring from the Rajya Sabha, from being able to participate in debates on historic legislation like the triple talaq bill.</p>

<p>Without directly referring to the disruptions which have virtually washed out proceedings through the second leg of the budget session, he said it was unfortunate that the retiring members "lost an opportunity to leave their legacy" on important issues like triple talaq.</p>

<p>Addressing the Rajya Sabha which bade farewell to about 60 of its members whose tenures end over the next few weeks, Modi stressed that the responsibility of smooth functioning of Parliament lay not only with the opposition but also the government.</p>

<p>"It is not necessary that whatever happens in the Green House (Lok Sabha), should happen in the Red House (Rajya Sabha)," Modi said, adding the Upper House was a distinguished House with eminent members serving and playing a vital role in the Indian democracy.</p>

<p>He said many members of the House of Elders would have thought of raising major issues vital to the country before retiring, but were debarred from the opportunity to leave behind their great ideals and legacy.</p>

<p>"It is unfortunate that the retiring members will not be part of Parliament when the long due decision on Triple Talaq is taken," Modi said, adding they would be unable to participate in the debates when the House decides on important bills.</p>

<p>He, however, said those members who would return to the House on being re-elected, would be able to participate in this historic bill.</p>

<p>"We will realise in the next 10-20 years that we have not been able to contribute to this historic legislation," he said in his brief speech.</p>

<p>"It would have been much better had they left behind some good things but they could not get the opportunity," Modi said, indicating the noisy protests which have disrupted the proceedings.</p>

<p>The Prime Minister said the outgoing members must have prepared speeches on important issues so that their contribution is remembered but have not been able to do so.</p>

<p>He said the Upper House, which has senior members, has a unique significance and plays a key role in policy formulation.</p>

<p>Commending the contributions of all retiring members of the Rajya Sabha and wishing them well for the future, he expressed confidence after retiring from the House, they would play an even stronger role in social service.</p>

<p>He said all of them have unique strengths and have contributed in their own way and added that they have worked to the best of their ability for the brighter future of the nation which can never forget their contribution.</p>

<p>The Prime Minister made special mention of some of the retiring MPs and their contributions including former Attorney General K Parasaran, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and former Indian hockey captain and BJD member Dilip Tirkey.</p>

<p>Modi especially mentioned Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, saying he would be remembered for running the House smoothly even during crises and sending serious messages with a smile.</p>

<p>He assured the retiring members that the doors of Parliament and his office would always remain open for them and urged them to continue sharing their thoughts on vital issues.&nbsp</p>


Disruptions in Parliament have unfortunately prevented several members from being able to participate in debates on historic legislation like the triple talaq bill, said PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lamented that disruptions in Parliament have unfortunately prevented several members, retiring from the Rajya Sabha, from being able to participate in debates on historic legislation like the triple talaq bill. Without directly referring to the disruptions which have virtually washed out proceedings through the second leg of the budget session, he said it was unfortunate that the retiring members "lost an opportunity to leave their legacy" on important issues like triple talaq. Addressing the Rajya Sabha which bade farewell to about 60 of its members whose tenures end over the next few weeks, Modi stressed that the responsibility of smooth functioning of Parliament lay not only with the opposition but also the government. "It is not necessary that whatever happens in the Green House (Lok Sabha), should happen in the Red House (Rajya Sabha)," Modi said, adding the Upper House was a distinguished House with eminent members serving and playing a vital role in the Indian democracy. He said many members of the House of Elders would have thought of raising major issues vital to the country before retiring, but were debarred from the opportunity to leave behind their great ideals and legacy. "It is unfortunate that the retiring members will not be part of Parliament when the long due decision on Triple Talaq is taken," Modi said, adding they would be unable to participate in the debates when the House decides on important bills. He, however, said those members who would return to the House on being re-elected, would be able to participate in this historic bill. "We will realise in the next 10-20 years that we have not been able to contribute to this historic legislation," he said in his brief speech. "It would have been much better had they left behind some good things but they could not get the opportunity," Modi said, indicating the noisy protests which have disrupted the proceedings. The Prime Minister said the outgoing members must have prepared speeches on important issues so that their contribution is remembered but have not been able to do so. He said the Upper House, which has senior members, has a unique significance and plays a key role in policy formulation. Commending the contributions of all retiring members of the Rajya Sabha and wishing them well for the future, he expressed confidence after retiring from the House, they would play an even stronger role in social service. He said all of them have unique strengths and have contributed in their own way and added that they have worked to the best of their ability for the brighter future of the nation which can never forget their contribution. The Prime Minister made special mention of some of the retiring MPs and their contributions including former Attorney General K Parasaran, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and former Indian hockey captain and BJD member Dilip Tirkey. Modi especially mentioned Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, saying he would be remembered for running the House smoothly even during crises and sending serious messages with a smile. He assured the retiring members that the doors of Parliament and his office would always remain open for them and urged them to continue sharing their thoughts on vital issues.

Modi in Rajya Sabha laments disruptions, says prevented MPs from debating issues

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<p>BJP won 11 of the remaining 25 seats at stake in crucial Rajya Sabha biennial polls in seven states today amid high drama in Uttar Pradesh where it clinched an extra ninth seat overcoming the newfound bonhomie between former arch rivals SP and BSP.</p>

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<p>British regulators on Friday began searching the London offices of Cambridge Analytica (CA),&nbsp;the scandal-hit communications firm at the heart of the Facebook data scandal, shortly after a judge approved a search warrant.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-2-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-in-anantnags-dooru-36900" target="_blank">Jammu and Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-2-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-in-anantnags-dooru-36900" target="_blank">encounter</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-2-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-in-anantnags-dooru-36900" target="_blank"> in Anantnag&#39;s </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-2-terrorists-killed-in-encounter-in-anantnags-dooru-36900" target="_blank">Dooru</a></p>

<p>Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at&nbsp;Anantnag&#39;s district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-police-officer-fighting-for-his-life-after-hostage-swap-36891" target="_blank">French police officer &#39;fighting for his life&#39; after hostage swap</a></p>

<p>A French policeman shot by an Islamist gunman Friday after swapping himself for a hostage in a siege at a supermarket in southwest France is &quot;fighting for his life&quot;, President Emmanuel Macron said.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/musk-deletes-facebook-pages-of-tesla-spacex-after-challenged-on-twitter-36893" target="_blank">Elon Musk deletes Facebook pages of Tesla, SpaceX after challenged on Twitter</a></p>

<p>Verified Facebook pages of&nbsp;Elon&nbsp;Musk&#39;s rocket company SpaceX and electric carmaker Tesla Inc&nbsp;disappeared on Friday, minutes after the Silicon Valley billionaire promised on Twitter to take down the pages when challenged by users.</p>


BJP bags 11 Rajya Sabha seats, crushes SP-BSP bonhomie in UP BJP won 11 of the remaining 25 seats at stake in crucial Rajya Sabha biennial polls in seven states today amid high drama in Uttar Pradesh where it clinched an extra ninth seat overcoming the newfound bonhomie between former arch rivals SP and BSP. UK regulators search Cambridge Analytica offices British regulators on Friday began searching the London offices of Cambridge Analytica (CA), the scandal-hit communications firm at the heart of the Facebook data scandal, shortly after a judge approved a search warrant. Jammu and Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed in encounter in Anantnag's Dooru Two terrorists were killed in an encounter between security personnel and terrorists at Anantnag's district Dooru in Jammu and Kashmir. French police officer 'fighting for his life' after hostage swap A French policeman shot by an Islamist gunman Friday after swapping himself for a hostage in a siege at a supermarket in southwest France is "fighting for his life", President Emmanuel Macron said. Elon Musk deletes Facebook pages of Tesla, SpaceX after challenged on Twitter Verified Facebook pages of Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX and electric carmaker Tesla Inc disappeared on Friday, minutes after the Silicon Valley billionaire promised on Twitter to take down the pages when challenged by users.

WION Morning News Brief, March 24, 2018

<p>The Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted yet again today due to noisy protests by the AIADMK and TRS members, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expressed her inability to take up the notices for no- confidence motion and adjourned the proceedings for the day.</p>

<p>The Speaker also announced a holiday for members on Monday on account of Ramnavmi on Sunday as many of them had conveyed they would be busy in various events on the festival and would find it difficult to join the House the next day.</p>

<p>The House was adjourned till noon soon after it met at 11 am following noisy protests by members of the AIADMK and the TRS over Cauvery dispute and quota issue respectively.</p>

<p>As the house reassembled at noon, the protests continued and Mahajan said she cannot take up the notices for no-confidence motions moved by the TDP and YSR Congress as the House is not in order and the requisite head-count of members supporting the notices can be done only if they are in their seats.</p>

<p>At least 50 members need to support a no-confidence notice for the House to accept it and start a debate.</p>

<p>The Speaker said the government had expressed its readiness for a discussion on it.</p>

<p>The BJP-led NDA government enjoys a comfortable majority in the House.</p>

<p>The Lok Sabha was then adjourned for the day as protests continued.</p>

<p>This is the 15th straight day that the lower house was adjourned without undertaking any significant business.</p>

<p>As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan paid tributes to freedom fighters -- Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev-- who were hanged on March 23, 1931 by the British. The House observed silence as a mark of respect to the martyrs.</p>

<p>Before taking up the question hour, the Speaker appealed to members to maintain order but members from the AIADMK and TRS trooped into the Well holding placards and raising slogans.</p>

<p>While the AIADMK is pressing for immediate setting up of the Cauvery river management board, the TRS is demanding that the states be given the right to determine the proportion of reservations. Some members were heard shouting &#39;we want justice&#39;.</p>

<p>Congress members too were on their feet protesting against the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act. The Congress has been demanding that the Centre seek a review of the court order which diluted provisions related to immediate arrest in cases related to atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.</p>

<p>Expelled RJD member Pappu Yadav was seen holding two placards demanding special status for Bihar.</p>

<p>Amid the din, Mahajan tried to proceed with the Question Hour, but adjourned the House within minutes as the protests continued.</p>

<p>The House has been witnessing disruptions every day since March 5 over issues like PNB scam, special status to Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery water dispute after it re-assembled to continue the Budget session.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">YSR Congress Party held protest outside Gandhi Statue in Parliament demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh (earlier visuals) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/pLEOcFVbvH">pic.twitter.com/pLEOcFVbvH</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977059925301047296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">TDP MP Naramalli Sivaprasad dresses up as a cattle herder to protest over demand of special status for Andhra Pradesh, other TDP MPs also staged protest in Parliament premises. Sivaprasad had also dressed up as a women &amp; a school boy among others <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/4WtewVdCx9">pic.twitter.com/4WtewVdCx9</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977055121774403584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: TDP MPs protest in Parliament premises demanding special status for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AndhraPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AndhraPradesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/Skh4Me2JuR">pic.twitter.com/Skh4Me2JuR</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/977048684306358272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Speaker also announced a holiday for members on Monday on account of Ramnavmi on Sunday as many of them had conveyed they would be busy in various events on the festival and would find it difficult to join the House the next day

The Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted yet again today due to noisy protests by the AIADMK and TRS members, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expressed her inability to take up the notices for no- confidence motion and adjourned the proceedings for the day. The Speaker also announced a holiday for members on Monday on account of Ramnavmi on Sunday as many of them had conveyed they would be busy in various events on the festival and would find it difficult to join the House the next day. The House was adjourned till noon soon after it met at 11 am following noisy protests by members of the AIADMK and the TRS over Cauvery dispute and quota issue respectively. As the house reassembled at noon, the protests continued and Mahajan said she cannot take up the notices for no-confidence motions moved by the TDP and YSR Congress as the House is not in order and the requisite head-count of members supporting the notices can be done only if they are in their seats. At least 50 members need to support a no-confidence notice for the House to accept it and start a debate. The Speaker said the government had expressed its readiness for a discussion on it. The BJP-led NDA government enjoys a comfortable majority in the House. The Lok Sabha was then adjourned for the day as protests continued. This is the 15th straight day that the lower house was adjourned without undertaking any significant business. As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan paid tributes to freedom fighters -- Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev-- who were hanged on March 23, 1931 by the British. The House observed silence as a mark of respect to the martyrs. Before taking up the question hour, the Speaker appealed to members to maintain order but members from the AIADMK and TRS trooped into the Well holding placards and raising slogans. While the AIADMK is pressing for immediate setting up of the Cauvery river management board, the TRS is demanding that the states be given the right to determine the proportion of reservations. Some members were heard shouting 'we want justice'. Congress members too were on their feet protesting against the Supreme Court verdict on the SC/ST Act. The Congress has been demanding that the Centre seek a review of the court order which diluted provisions related to immediate arrest in cases related to atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Expelled RJD member Pappu Yadav was seen holding two placards demanding special status for Bihar. Amid the din, Mahajan tried to proceed with the Question Hour, but adjourned the House within minutes as the protests continued. The House has been witnessing disruptions every day since March 5 over issues like PNB scam, special status to Andhra Pradesh and Cauvery water dispute after it re-assembled to continue the Budget session. YSR Congress Party held protest outside Gandhi Statue in Parliament demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh (earlier visuals) #Delhi pic.twitter.com/pLEOcFVbvH — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2018 × TDP MP Naramalli Sivaprasad dresses up as a cattle herder to protest over demand of special status for Andhra Pradesh, other TDP MPs also staged protest in Parliament premises. Sivaprasad had also dressed up as a women & a school boy among others #Delhi pic.twitter.com/4WtewVdCx9 — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2018 × Delhi: TDP MPs protest in Parliament premises demanding special status for #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/Skh4Me2JuR — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2018 ×

Lok Sabha adjourned for 15th consecutive day, to meet on Tuesday

<p>Voting for Rajya Sabha seats has begun across six states.</p>

<p>For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats is being held in six states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.</p>

<p>The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress.</p>

<p>Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga - will retire in April.</p>

<p>The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP&#39;s media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh.</p>

<p>Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar.</p>

<p>The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term.</p>

<p>Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat.</p>

<p>In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand.</p>

<p>Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively.</p>

<p>West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi.</p>

<p>Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls.</p>

<p>Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj">pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj</a></p>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present.  &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj href=https://t.co/DwSfe53Aqj&gt;pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977033352443322368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977033352443322368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker &amp; people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ">pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker &amp; people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ href=https://t.co/UGCRm6hciZ&gt;pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977058659887976448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have voted for BJP, I don&#39;t know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabhaElections</a> <a href="https://t.co/28R7njmfnP">pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabhaElections?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabhaElections&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/28R7njmfnP href=https://t.co/28R7njmfnP&gt;pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977047651286908928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajyaSabha</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UttarPradesh</a> this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya <a href="https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW">pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet data-lang=en&gt;&lt;p lang=en dir=ltr&gt;BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajyaSabha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#RajyaSabha&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;#UttarPradesh&lt;/a&gt; this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW href=https://t.co/7w4IWoWFRW&gt;pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) &lt;a  data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977038525731426304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 23, 2018&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress

Voting for Rajya Sabha seats has begun across six states. For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats is being held in six states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress. Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga - will retire in April. The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP's media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar. The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term. Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat. In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand. Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi. Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls. Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening. Lucknow: Visuals from Uttar Pradesh Assembly; CM Yogi Adityanath meets party MLAs, Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma also present. #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/DwSfe53Aqj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × All the 9 candidates of BJP will win. SP insulted their worker & people will answer them for choosing a candidate that entertains the society rather than one who serves the society: Nitin Agrawal, BJP (son of Naresh Agrawal) #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/UGCRm6hciZ — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest: Anil Singh, BSP MLA #RajyaSabhaElections pic.twitter.com/28R7njmfnP — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × BJP will win all the nine Rajya Sabha seats where we have fielded our candidates. Nine more BJP candidates will make entry to #RajyaSabha from #UttarPradesh this time: Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya pic.twitter.com/7w4IWoWFRW — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 ×

Voting for Rajya Sabha polls begins across six states

<p>The kin of Indians who died in Iraq are demanding a compensation for the families as they announced that they would hold&nbsp;a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar from Saturday.</p>

<p>The Brother-in-law of one of the Indian killed in Iraq said that &quot;we&#39;ve given govt time till tomorrow morning to announce a compensation to secure future of families of deceased. If they aren&#39;t able to do it then we&#39;ll protest at Jantar Mantar tomorrow.&quot;</p>

<p>Sister of Manjinder Singh, Gurpidner Kaur also claimed that the government is not responding to the demands even External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has not replied to the &#39;repeated attempts of contact.&#39;</p>

<p>&nbsp;&quot;We won&#39;t do a violent protest, we&#39;ll just sit peacefully. Union govt hasn&#39;t contacted us yet. EAM Sushma Swaraj has not replied to us even after repeated attempts to contact and meet her: Gurpinder Kaur, sister of Manjinder Singh who was among 39 Indians killed in Iraq,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>Sushma Swaraj informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday about the 39 kidnapped Indians&nbsp;who had gone missing since 2014 in Iraq are dead. Most of them were from Punjab.</p>

<p>All of them were shot in the head.The bodies have also been recovered from a mound in Badush village near Mosul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 39 Indians were kidnapped in 2014. On Wednesday Swaraj said they had been killed by the Islamic State.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh has flown to Mosul to bring back the bodies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government has come under much flak for its handling of the case. The families of the 39 killed have said they heard about the deaths when Swaraj made her speech in Parliament, and that they were not told beforehand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The opposition meanwhile has said the government knew about the deaths beforehand but had been misleading the public.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Kin of Indians who died in Iraq are demanding a compensation for the families as they announce to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar from Friday

The kin of Indians who died in Iraq are demanding a compensation for the families as they announced that they would hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar from Saturday. The Brother-in-law of one of the Indian killed in Iraq said that "we've given govt time till tomorrow morning to announce a compensation to secure future of families of deceased. If they aren't able to do it then we'll protest at Jantar Mantar tomorrow." Sister of Manjinder Singh, Gurpidner Kaur also claimed that the government is not responding to the demands even External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has not replied to the 'repeated attempts of contact.' "We won't do a violent protest, we'll just sit peacefully. Union govt hasn't contacted us yet. EAM Sushma Swaraj has not replied to us even after repeated attempts to contact and meet her: Gurpinder Kaur, sister of Manjinder Singh who was among 39 Indians killed in Iraq," she said. Sushma Swaraj informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday about the 39 kidnapped Indians who had gone missing since 2014 in Iraq are dead. Most of them were from Punjab. All of them were shot in the head.The bodies have also been recovered from a mound in Badush village near Mosul. The 39 Indians were kidnapped in 2014. On Wednesday Swaraj said they had been killed by the Islamic State. Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh has flown to Mosul to bring back the bodies. The government has come under much flak for its handling of the case. The families of the 39 killed have said they heard about the deaths when Swaraj made her speech in Parliament, and that they were not told beforehand. The opposition meanwhile has said the government knew about the deaths beforehand but had been misleading the public.

Families of Indians killed in Iraq to hold a protest in Delhi over compensation demand

<p>The polls to the Rajya Sabha, which will have 58 vacancies in April, were held on Friday.</p>

<p>For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected.</p>

<p>The results of the anticipated&nbsp;election to 25 seats of the Rajya Sabha have started pouring in from across the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The counting for Rajya Sabha elections for 25 seats is currently underway across six states - Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The polling began on Friday morning.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, after initially being put on hold, the counting has also started in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. It was put on hold in UP after SP-BSP filed a complaint against the two MLAs who cross-voted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Counting began only after the Election Commission gave its clearance after some parties raised objections over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cross-voting-reported-in-rajya-sabha-elections-36867">cross-voting</a>. Though the ruling BJP is confident of shoring up its numbers in the Rajya Sabha, two seats - in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka - have emerged as prestige battles for the party.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li>BJP has won the prestige fight in Uttar Pradesh by winning 9 Rajya Sabha seats out of 10.</li>
	<li>The Trinamool Congress won four seats in West Bengal. All four TMC candidates - sitting Rajya Sabha member Nadimul Haque and first-time nominees Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas and Santanu Sen - emerged victorious.</li>
	<li>Congress&#39;s Abhishek Manu Singhvi won the Rajya Sabha election from West Bengal.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>MP Veerendra Kumar, the state president of the Janata Dal (U)&#39;s Sharad Yadav faction, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala.</li>
	<li>Candidates of Telangana&#39;s ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) - B Prakash, J Santosh Kumar and AB Lingaiah Yadav - bagged all three Rajya Sabha seats.</li>
	<li>TDP leader CM Ramesh was unanimously elected to the Rajya Sabha in Andhra Pradesh.</li>
	<li>Dr L Hanumanthaiah, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and G C Chandrasekhar from Congress and the BJP&#39;s Rajeev Chandrashekar bagged the Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka.</li>
	<li>BJP&#39;s Saroj Pandey won the Rajya Sabha election from Chhattisgarh by beating Congress&#39;s Lekhram Sahu.</li>
	<li>Samajwadi Party candidate Jaya Bachchan has bagged 38 votes to win another Rajya Sabha term.</li>
</ul>


The voting for Rajya Sabha elections for 25 seats is currently underway across six states - Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana

The polls to the Rajya Sabha, which will have 58 vacancies in April, were held on Friday. For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. The results of the anticipated election to 25 seats of the Rajya Sabha have started pouring in from across the country. The counting for Rajya Sabha elections for 25 seats is currently underway across six states - Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The polling began on Friday morning. Meanwhile, after initially being put on hold, the counting has also started in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. It was put on hold in UP after SP-BSP filed a complaint against the two MLAs who cross-voted. Counting began only after the Election Commission gave its clearance after some parties raised objections over cross-voting. Though the ruling BJP is confident of shoring up its numbers in the Rajya Sabha, two seats - in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka - have emerged as prestige battles for the party. BJP has won the prestige fight in Uttar Pradesh by winning 9 Rajya Sabha seats out of 10. The Trinamool Congress won four seats in West Bengal. All four TMC candidates - sitting Rajya Sabha member Nadimul Haque and first-time nominees Subhasish Chakraborty, Abir Biswas and Santanu Sen - emerged victorious. Congress's Abhishek Manu Singhvi won the Rajya Sabha election from West Bengal. MP Veerendra Kumar, the state president of the Janata Dal (U)'s Sharad Yadav faction, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala. Candidates of Telangana's ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) - B Prakash, J Santosh Kumar and AB Lingaiah Yadav - bagged all three Rajya Sabha seats. TDP leader CM Ramesh was unanimously elected to the Rajya Sabha in Andhra Pradesh. Dr L Hanumanthaiah, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain and G C Chandrasekhar from Congress and the BJP's Rajeev Chandrashekar bagged the Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka. BJP's Saroj Pandey won the Rajya Sabha election from Chhattisgarh by beating Congress's Lekhram Sahu. Samajwadi Party candidate Jaya Bachchan has bagged 38 votes to win another Rajya Sabha term.

Highlights from the 2018 Rajya Sabha election

<p>The polls to Rajya Sabha, which will have 58 vacancies in April, will be held on Friday.</p>

<p>For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected.</p>

<p>Voting for the remaining 25 seats will be held in six states. They are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana.</p>

<p>The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress Party.</p>

<p>Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga -- will retire in April.</p>

<p>The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP`s media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh.</p>

<p>Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar.</p>

<p>The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term.Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat.</p>

<p>In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand.Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively.</p>

<p>West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi.Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls.</p>

<p>Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening.&nbsp;</p>


Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening

The polls to Rajya Sabha, which will have 58 vacancies in April, will be held on Friday. For the 58 Rajya Sabha seats to be filled, 33 candidates from 10 states have been unanimously elected. Voting for the remaining 25 seats will be held in six states. They are Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana. The Rajya Sabha vacancies next month include 17 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 12 from the Congress Party. Three nominated members - actress Rekha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and social worker Anu Aga -- will retire in April. The BJP has filed 18 candidates for the biennial polls. They include Anil Baluni, the national head of the BJP`s media wing, from Uttarakhand and Saroj Pandey, BJP general secretary, from Chhattisgarh. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has filed nomination papers as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will contest from Uttar Pradesh and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from Bihar. The BJP has also fielded Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot from Madhya Pradesh for another Rajya Sabha term.Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh L. Mandaviya and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala will contest from Gujarat. In Congress, Naranbhai Rathwa and Amee Yajnik will contest from Gujarat and Dhiraj Prasad will contest from Jharkhand.Akhilesh Prasad Singh and Lekhram Sahu will contest from Bihar and Chhattisgarh respectively, while Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, Porika Bairam Naik and Abhishek Manu Singhvi are contesting from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and West Bengal, respectively. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said the Trinamool Congress would back Singhvi.Mahendra Prasad Singh and Bashistha Narain Singh are the Janata Dal (United) candidates for the polls. Counting of votes will begin from 5 pm onwards on Friday. Results are expected to will be announced the same evening.

Rajya Sabha polls: Electoral battle for 25 seats today

<p>As polling for Rajya Sabha continued on Friday afternoon, speculations on which lawmaker voted for which party started floating around with open declaration of few leaders of cross-voting many assumed, that Bharatiya Janata Party may end up with big gains, thanks to the cross-voting.</p>

<p>Counting of votes for Rajya Sabha elections begins after clearance from the Election Commission.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UttarPradesh</a> Counting of votes for Rajya Sabha elections begins after clearance from the Election Commission.</p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/977176394940764161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Election Commission had not given permission to begin the counting of votes for Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh due to some objections in ballot papers, reports ANI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Counting will begin only after EC gives clearance. In a complaint to Election Commission, BSP and SP have expressed fear of rigging during the polling and also alleged that Ballot paper was torn by BJP leader.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BSP MLA Anil Singh indicated that he had cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls, saying &quot;I am with Maharaj-ji&quot;, referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I have voted for BJP, I don&#39;t know about the rest,&rdquo; proclaimed Singh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>OP Rajbha, a minister in Yogi Adityanath&#39;s UP Cabinet, also confirmed the floating allegations of cross-voting. According to him, Nishad Party MLA Vijay Mishra and Singh were present in BJP&#39;s meeting with it&#39;s allies on Thursday.</p>

<p>Reports of cross-voting also emerged from Karnataka Rajya Sabha polls.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Two senior Congress leaders cross-voted in the first ballot paper. Returning officer allowed them to vote again in fresh ballot paper. Illegal voting is going on, requested EC Observer to counter mandate the process,&rdquo; said Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports of Congress MLA Naresh Saini voting for a rival party has also emerged, though he thoroughly denied all allegations.</p>

<p>Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary, on the other hand, claimed that BJP MLAs are annoyed with their own high command.</p>

<p>After the Election Commission of India or ECI received a complaint by the All India Congress Committee over Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prakash Ram, who cross- voted, the Commission said &quot;further view will be taken after receiving Returning Officer&#39;s report&quot;.&nbsp;</p>


The Election Commission has not given permission to begin the counting of votes for Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh due to some objections in ballot papers

As polling for Rajya Sabha continued on Friday afternoon, speculations on which lawmaker voted for which party started floating around with open declaration of few leaders of cross-voting many assumed, that Bharatiya Janata Party may end up with big gains, thanks to the cross-voting. Counting of votes for Rajya Sabha elections begins after clearance from the Election Commission. #UttarPradesh Counting of votes for Rajya Sabha elections begins after clearance from the Election Commission. — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 23, 2018 × Earlier, Election Commission had not given permission to begin the counting of votes for Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh due to some objections in ballot papers, reports ANI. Counting will begin only after EC gives clearance. In a complaint to Election Commission, BSP and SP have expressed fear of rigging during the polling and also alleged that Ballot paper was torn by BJP leader. BSP MLA Anil Singh indicated that he had cross-voted in favour of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls, saying "I am with Maharaj-ji", referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “I have voted for BJP, I don't know about the rest,” proclaimed Singh. OP Rajbha, a minister in Yogi Adityanath's UP Cabinet, also confirmed the floating allegations of cross-voting. According to him, Nishad Party MLA Vijay Mishra and Singh were present in BJP's meeting with it's allies on Thursday. Reports of cross-voting also emerged from Karnataka Rajya Sabha polls. “Two senior Congress leaders cross-voted in the first ballot paper. Returning officer allowed them to vote again in fresh ballot paper. Illegal voting is going on, requested EC Observer to counter mandate the process,” said Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy. Reports of Congress MLA Naresh Saini voting for a rival party has also emerged, though he thoroughly denied all allegations. Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary, on the other hand, claimed that BJP MLAs are annoyed with their own high command. After the Election Commission of India or ECI received a complaint by the All India Congress Committee over Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prakash Ram, who cross- voted, the Commission said "further view will be taken after receiving Returning Officer's report".

Cross-voting reported in Rajya Sabha elections

<p>The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party on Wednesday again press for taking up the no-confidence motion in Parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Lok Sabha has so far failed to take up the motion amid continuing uproar in the House over a host of issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two Andhra Pradesh parties are seeking to move the motion on trust vote against the Narendra Modi government over its refusal to grant special category status to the southern state.</p>

<p>&quot;The discussions are zero, while on the other hand, money worth crores are getting spent,&quot; said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.</p>


The Lok Sabha has so far failed to take up the motion amid continuing uproar in the House over a host of issues.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party on Wednesday again press for taking up the no-confidence motion in Parliament. The Lok Sabha has so far failed to take up the motion amid continuing uproar in the House over a host of issues. The two Andhra Pradesh parties are seeking to move the motion on trust vote against the Narendra Modi government over its refusal to grant special category status to the southern state. "The discussions are zero, while on the other hand, money worth crores are getting spent," said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

Ruckus continues, Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow 

<p>As Rekha&#39;s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sp-targets-tendulkar-rekha-over-poor-attendance-in-rajya-sabha-13976"> term in Rajya Sabha comes to</a> an end, the race has begun among&nbsp;Bollywood&#39;s celebrities to replace her&nbsp;in India&#39;s upper House of Parliament.</p>

<p>Rekh&#39;s stint is set to end soon as she has almost completed her six-year term in the Rajya Sabha.</p>

<p>The seat is reportedly&nbsp;been&nbsp;allotted to a celebrity from art, culture and social work background.</p>

<p>This time, in the race for a seat in the Rajya Sabha, superstar Akshay Kumar&#39;s name is has come up, sources say, along with Gajendra Chauhan, a famous television and film actor and ex-FTII chairman.</p>

<p>Gajendra Chauhan, former Film and Television Institute of India(FTII) chairman&#39;s stint was highly controversial as FTII students had protested against Chauhan&rsquo;s appointment and even boycotted his classes for several days. Later, Anupam Kher was appointed as the new chairman of FTII, Pune.</p>

<p>Rekha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the former president&nbsp;Pranab Mukherjee&nbsp;in 2012.</p>


Bollywood's iconic actress' term ends after the completion of six years of work in the house

As Rekha's term in Rajya Sabha comes to an end, the race has begun among Bollywood's celebrities to replace her in India's upper House of Parliament. Rekh's stint is set to end soon as she has almost completed her six-year term in the Rajya Sabha. The seat is reportedly been allotted to a celebrity from art, culture and social work background. This time, in the race for a seat in the Rajya Sabha, superstar Akshay Kumar's name is has come up, sources say, along with Gajendra Chauhan, a famous television and film actor and ex-FTII chairman. Gajendra Chauhan, former Film and Television Institute of India(FTII) chairman's stint was highly controversial as FTII students had protested against Chauhan’s appointment and even boycotted his classes for several days. Later, Anupam Kher was appointed as the new chairman of FTII, Pune. Rekha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the former president Pranab Mukherjee in 2012.

Akshay Kumar, Gajendra Chauhan in race to replace Rekha in Rajya Sabha

<p>Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Tuesday disallowed for the third time no-confidence motions against the government, citing a disorderly House.</p>

<p>Sushma Swaraj announced in the Rajya Sabha that all the 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq are dead.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is not proper, do not be so insensitive, please do not indulge in such politics! : Lok Sabha Speaker to MPs raising slogans when EAM wanted to deliver statement on death of 39 Indians in Iraq&#39;s Mosul <a href="https://t.co/fHrQ5XlKAF">pic.twitter.com/fHrQ5XlKAF</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975985530851807232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>She said that the mortal remains of the labourers were sent to Baghdad and for verification of the bodies the DNA samples of the relatives were sent there. She said that the DNA samples of 38 people have matched entirely with their relatives and the DNA sample of the 39th person matched 70 per cent.</p>

<p>Minister of state for external affairs, General VK Singh, will go to Iraq to bring back mortal remains, the minister said.</p>

<p>The external affairs minister, however, couldn&rsquo;t make a statement in the Lok Sabha as loud slogans were shouted by the opposition members when she sought the Speaker&rsquo;s permission to speak on the issue. The House was adjourned till Wednesday.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Agencies)</em></p>


Sushma Swaraj announced in the Rajya Sabha that all the 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq are dead

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Tuesday disallowed for the third time no-confidence motions against the government, citing a disorderly House. Sushma Swaraj announced in the Rajya Sabha that all the 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Iraq are dead. This is not proper, do not be so insensitive, please do not indulge in such politics! : Lok Sabha Speaker to MPs raising slogans when EAM wanted to deliver statement on death of 39 Indians in Iraq's Mosul pic.twitter.com/fHrQ5XlKAF — ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2018 × She said that the mortal remains of the labourers were sent to Baghdad and for verification of the bodies the DNA samples of the relatives were sent there. She said that the DNA samples of 38 people have matched entirely with their relatives and the DNA sample of the 39th person matched 70 per cent. Minister of state for external affairs, General VK Singh, will go to Iraq to bring back mortal remains, the minister said. The external affairs minister, however, couldn’t make a statement in the Lok Sabha as loud slogans were shouted by the opposition members when she sought the Speaker’s permission to speak on the issue. The House was adjourned till Wednesday. (With inputs from Agencies)

39 Indians missing in Iraq killed:  MPs continue protesting, Sushma not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha

<p>The Lok Sabha was adjourned Tuesday almost as soon as it began.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As soon as proceedings began, chants of &quot;we want justice&quot; echoed through the house. The house has been adjourned till Wednesday morning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PTI reported that the house was adjourned till noon following protests over different issues by several parties.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stormy scenes had been expected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The YSR Congress and the TDP have been trying since last week to table a motion for a no-trust vote against the government over the Andhra &quot;special status&quot; row.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They have so far been unsuccessful because of the adjournments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More stormy scenes can be expected tomorrow:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">YSRCP&#39;s YV Subba Reddy writes to Lok Sabha Secretary General, gives notice to include no-confidence motion in the list of business for tomorrow. <a href="https://t.co/ucxSyaE7Lq">pic.twitter.com/ucxSyaE7Lq</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975992667623567360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Rajya Sabha meanwhile was able to conduct a little business. External Affairs Minister was able to inform the house that the 39 Indians missing in Iraq had been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/39-indians-missing-in-iraq-dead-sushma-swaraj-36459" target="_blank">confirmed as </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/39-indians-missing-in-iraq-dead-sushma-swaraj-36459" target="_blank">dead</a>, before that house too was adjourned for the day.&nbsp;</p>


The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 12 noon. The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day

The Lok Sabha was adjourned Tuesday almost as soon as it began. As soon as proceedings began, chants of "we want justice" echoed through the house. The house has been adjourned till Wednesday morning. PTI reported that the house was adjourned till noon following protests over different issues by several parties. Stormy scenes had been expected. The YSR Congress and the TDP have been trying since last week to table a motion for a no-trust vote against the government over the Andhra "special status" row. They have so far been unsuccessful because of the adjournments. More stormy scenes can be expected tomorrow: YSRCP's YV Subba Reddy writes to Lok Sabha Secretary General, gives notice to include no-confidence motion in the list of business for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ucxSyaE7Lq — ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2018 × The Rajya Sabha meanwhile was able to conduct a little business. External Affairs Minister was able to inform the house that the 39 Indians missing in Iraq had been confirmed as dead, before that house too was adjourned for the day.

No-confidence motion: Both houses of Parliament adjourned till Wednesday

<p>The no-confidence motion against the government was again not taken up after both houses of Parliament were adjourned Monday morning.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No confidence motion not introduced, Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after continuous uproar. <a href="https://t.co/bdT3dbBWA8">pic.twitter.com/bdT3dbBWA8</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975622822293893120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Lok Sabha had earlier been adjourned till 12 pm. But a little after the house sat down,&nbsp;it was adjourned after a continuous uproar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The TDP&#39;s MPs would not allow Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to run the house.&nbsp; Each time the Lok Sabha would convene, they would run into the well of the house.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Rajya Sabha had earlier already been adjourned till Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The YSR Congress and the TDP have asked for a trust vote against the government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. The central government had refused to give the state the special status it was asking for, but had said it would give Andhra the monetary equivalent of special status.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had recently asked the two TDP ministers in the union cabinet &mdash; Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary &mdash; to put in their papers. He had then later he would take his next steps accordingly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The YSR Congress and the TDP had asked for the trust vote &mdash; a minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion for the vote to be held &mdash; last week. The Left, the AIADMK, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the AIMIM will support the vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Should the motion be accepted, this will be the first no-trust vote against the central government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That said, the Narendra-led Modi NDA government is at the moment in no danger of falling. It has a simple majority on its own, and enough independent MPs in the house it could approach, should the need ever arise, to sail through a no-trust vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The parties asking for the vote seem to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-no-trust-vote-debate-but-not-trying-to-make-government-fall-tdp-mp-36314" target="_blank">understand</a> that. The TDP MP RM Naidu said Monday morning:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We are going to go move no-confidence motion,gather support of all respective parties in Parliament. It&#39;s responsibility of all parties in Parliament to support us. Trying to gather as much support as possible so debate happens, not trying to make the govt fall: RM Naidu, TDP MP <a href="https://t.co/LbdfpLAQAd">pic.twitter.com/LbdfpLAQAd</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975587133309313024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The TDP however, commentators says, wishes to attack the government on the issue before assembly elections in Andhra next year &mdash; which is exactly what opposition parties in the state are doing to it. Taking on the central government also allows the TDP to ward off the YSR Congress&#39;s Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been pushing for special status for Andhra for some four years now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More fireworks can be expected on Tuesday when Parliament reconvenes; the YSR Congress&#39;s YV Subba Reddy has asked for the motion to be taken up tomorrow again.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy again writes to Secretary General Lok Sabha to include in list of business for tomorrow &#39;no confidence motion in the council of ministers&#39;. <a href="https://t.co/6fsIhkk10H">pic.twitter.com/6fsIhkk10H</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975639641847140352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The YSR Congress and the TDP have been trying to push the motion over the 'special status' issue for Andhra Pradesh

The no-confidence motion against the government was again not taken up after both houses of Parliament were adjourned Monday morning. No confidence motion not introduced, Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after continuous uproar. pic.twitter.com/bdT3dbBWA8 — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2018 × The Lok Sabha had earlier been adjourned till 12 pm. But a little after the house sat down, it was adjourned after a continuous uproar. The TDP's MPs would not allow Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to run the house. Each time the Lok Sabha would convene, they would run into the well of the house. The Rajya Sabha had earlier already been adjourned till Tuesday. The YSR Congress and the TDP have asked for a trust vote against the government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. The central government had refused to give the state the special status it was asking for, but had said it would give Andhra the monetary equivalent of special status. Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had recently asked the two TDP ministers in the union cabinet — Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary — to put in their papers. He had then later he would take his next steps accordingly. The YSR Congress and the TDP had asked for the trust vote — a minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion for the vote to be held — last week. The Left, the AIADMK, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the AIMIM will support the vote. Should the motion be accepted, this will be the first no-trust vote against the central government. That said, the Narendra-led Modi NDA government is at the moment in no danger of falling. It has a simple majority on its own, and enough independent MPs in the house it could approach, should the need ever arise, to sail through a no-trust vote. The parties asking for the vote seem to understand that. The TDP MP RM Naidu said Monday morning: We are going to go move no-confidence motion,gather support of all respective parties in Parliament. It's responsibility of all parties in Parliament to support us. Trying to gather as much support as possible so debate happens, not trying to make the govt fall: RM Naidu, TDP MP pic.twitter.com/LbdfpLAQAd — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2018 × The TDP however, commentators says, wishes to attack the government on the issue before assembly elections in Andhra next year — which is exactly what opposition parties in the state are doing to it. Taking on the central government also allows the TDP to ward off the YSR Congress's Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been pushing for special status for Andhra for some four years now. More fireworks can be expected on Tuesday when Parliament reconvenes; the YSR Congress's YV Subba Reddy has asked for the motion to be taken up tomorrow again. YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy again writes to Secretary General Lok Sabha to include in list of business for tomorrow 'no confidence motion in the council of ministers'. pic.twitter.com/6fsIhkk10H — ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2018 ×

No-confidence motion not taken up, both houses of Parliament adjourned till Tuesday

<p>Congress leader Ripun Bora moved a private member&#39;s resolution in Rajya Sabha on Friday, seeking amendment of the National Anthem and replacing the word &quot;Sindh&quot; with &quot;Northeast India.&quot;</p>

<p>The lawmaker hailing from Assam directed that the National Anthem of India &quot;Jana Gana Mana&quot; mentions &quot;Sindh&quot; which is no longer a part of India, further adding that Northeast India, a very important part of India, finds no mention in the anthem.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congress&#39; Ripun Bora moves private member&#39;s resolution in Rajya Sabha, seeking amendment of the National Anthem &amp; replacing the word &#39;Sindh&#39; with &#39;Northeast India.&#39; <a href="https://t.co/iqEWI9ADOz">pic.twitter.com/iqEWI9ADOz</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/974575516081631232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Bora said that Sindh is a part of Pakistan, which is a &quot;hostile country.&quot; The state became a part of Pakistan following the bifurcation of India in 1947.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">North East is important part of India, it is unfortunate that it is not part of national anthem on other hand Sindh is mentioned, which is no longer part of India but part of Pakistan, which is a hostile country: Ripun Bora,Cong MP on his resolution in RS to amend National Anthem <a href="https://t.co/3X72VJMCMK">pic.twitter.com/3X72VJMCMK</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/974580096089690112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>In 2016, a similar demand was made by &nbsp;Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant - the word &#39;Sindh&#39; in the national anthem be removed and replaced with an appropriate word, saying there was no state by that name in the country.</p>

<p>The issue was raised during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he said that as the national anthem was adopted by Parliament, it should initiate action to remove the word.</p>

<p>Sawant said a correct word with appropriate pronunciation should replace the word &#39;Sindh&#39;.</p>

<p>National anthem &#39;Jana Gana Mana&#39;, composed by Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore in 1911, was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>


Congress leader Ripun Bora moved a private member's resolution in Rajya Sabha on Friday, seeking amendment of the National Anthem

Congress leader Ripun Bora moved a private member's resolution in Rajya Sabha on Friday, seeking amendment of the National Anthem and replacing the word "Sindh" with "Northeast India." The lawmaker hailing from Assam directed that the National Anthem of India "Jana Gana Mana" mentions "Sindh" which is no longer a part of India, further adding that Northeast India, a very important part of India, finds no mention in the anthem. Congress' Ripun Bora moves private member's resolution in Rajya Sabha, seeking amendment of the National Anthem & replacing the word 'Sindh' with 'Northeast India.' pic.twitter.com/iqEWI9ADOz — ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2018 × Bora said that Sindh is a part of Pakistan, which is a "hostile country." The state became a part of Pakistan following the bifurcation of India in 1947. North East is important part of India, it is unfortunate that it is not part of national anthem on other hand Sindh is mentioned, which is no longer part of India but part of Pakistan, which is a hostile country: Ripun Bora,Cong MP on his resolution in RS to amend National Anthem pic.twitter.com/3X72VJMCMK — ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2018 × In 2016, a similar demand was made by Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant - the word 'Sindh' in the national anthem be removed and replaced with an appropriate word, saying there was no state by that name in the country. The issue was raised during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he said that as the national anthem was adopted by Parliament, it should initiate action to remove the word. Sawant said a correct word with appropriate pronunciation should replace the word 'Sindh'. National anthem 'Jana Gana Mana', composed by Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore in 1911, was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.

Replace Sindh with Northeast in national anthem: Congress MP

<p>Opposition Congress today protested against former minister Y S Chowdary&#39;s remarks on the previous UPA regime over the division of Andhra Pradesh, forcing adjournment of proceedings in Rajya Sabha till 3 pm.</p>

<p>Congress members trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans after TDP MP Chowdhary said the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was carried out in a &quot;hasty, unjust and unscientific&quot; manner.</p>

<p>Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the former minister had been allowed permission under Rule 241 to make a statement on reasons for quitting the Union Cabinet.</p>

<p>The TDP&#39;s two ministers had resigned after the party pulled out of the government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh.</p>

<p>Chowdary began by thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party leader N Chandrababu Naidu for giving him an opportunity to be part of the Cabinet and then went on to state that he was making the statement to set the perspective right and &quot;separate truth from propaganda&quot;.</p>

<p>He said the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was done in a &quot;hasty, unjust and unscientific manner&quot; and the government of the time should have kept to states at par for 10 years.</p>

<p>The comment drew a sharp reaction from the Congress members who shouted in protest and started moving into the Well.</p>

<p>Naidu asked Chowdary not to deviate from the approved text of the statement and anything that he said beyond it would not go on record.</p>

<p>But this did not satisfy the Congress members who started to move into the Well with some holding placard supporting a special package for Andhra Pradesh.</p>

<p>Naidu said the House was not a place to play politics and adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.</p>

<p>Earlier the House mourned the death of its former member Hamida Habibullah.</p>

<p>Hamida, a qualified nurse who served in the military hospital in Lucknow till World War-II, died on March 13 at the age of 101 years.</p>

<p>A social worker, she represented the state of Uttar Pradesh from April 1976 to April 1982, Naidu said.</p>

<p>&quot;In passing away of Shrimati Hamida Habibullah, the country has lost a distinguished Parliamentarian, an able administrator and a dedicated social worker,&quot; Naidu said reading an obituary reference.<br />
Members stood in silence as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed.&nbsp;</p>


Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that the House was not a place to play politics and adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm

Opposition Congress today protested against former minister Y S Chowdary's remarks on the previous UPA regime over the division of Andhra Pradesh, forcing adjournment of proceedings in Rajya Sabha till 3 pm. Congress members trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans after TDP MP Chowdhary said the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was carried out in a "hasty, unjust and unscientific" manner. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the former minister had been allowed permission under Rule 241 to make a statement on reasons for quitting the Union Cabinet. The TDP's two ministers had resigned after the party pulled out of the government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. Chowdary began by thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party leader N Chandrababu Naidu for giving him an opportunity to be part of the Cabinet and then went on to state that he was making the statement to set the perspective right and "separate truth from propaganda". He said the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was done in a "hasty, unjust and unscientific manner" and the government of the time should have kept to states at par for 10 years. The comment drew a sharp reaction from the Congress members who shouted in protest and started moving into the Well. Naidu asked Chowdary not to deviate from the approved text of the statement and anything that he said beyond it would not go on record. But this did not satisfy the Congress members who started to move into the Well with some holding placard supporting a special package for Andhra Pradesh. Naidu said the House was not a place to play politics and adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm. Earlier the House mourned the death of its former member Hamida Habibullah. Hamida, a qualified nurse who served in the military hospital in Lucknow till World War-II, died on March 13 at the age of 101 years. A social worker, she represented the state of Uttar Pradesh from April 1976 to April 1982, Naidu said. "In passing away of Shrimati Hamida Habibullah, the country has lost a distinguished Parliamentarian, an able administrator and a dedicated social worker," Naidu said reading an obituary reference. Members stood in silence as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed.

Rajya Sabha adjourned over TDP MP's remarks

<p>Union ministers Thawar Chand Gehlot and Dharmendra Pradhan were among the five candidates elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh today.</p>

<p>Gehlot, Pradhan, Ajay Pratap Singh, and Kailash Soni (BJP) and Rajmani Patel (Congress) were declared elected unopposed, after the 3 PM deadline for withdrawing nominations, a state Assembly official said.</p>

<p>The five candidates had filed their nominations for as many RS seats from the state.</p>

<p>Gehlot, who heads the Union social justice and empowerment ministry, was nominated from Madhya Pradesh for the second time, while Petroleum Minister Pradhan for the first time. He was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Bihar earlier.</p>

<p>The elevation to the Rajya Sabha of Ajay Pratap Singh, a former state BJP functionary, and Soni, the national president of the MISA Bandi Sangathan, is expected to strengthen the ruling BJP in the Vindhya and Mahakoushal regions.</p>

<p>Madhya Pradesh will go to the Assembly polls later this year.</p>

<p>OBC leader Patel is a former state minister, who hails from the Vindhya region.</p>

<p>The Congress, out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, is eyeing around 45 per cent of the OBC vote-bank in the upcoming polls.</p>

<p>According to numerical strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP was in a position to send four candidates to the Rajya Sabha, while the Congress one as each candidate needed the support of 39 MLAs.</p>

<p>In the 230-member House, the BJP has 165 MLAs, the Congress 57, the BSP four, besides three independents and a nominated member.</p>


Gehlot, Pradhan, Ajay Pratap Singh, and Kailash Soni (BJP) and Rajmani Patel (Congress) were declared elected unopposed, after the 3 PM deadline for withdrawing nominations, a state Assembly official said.

Union ministers Thawar Chand Gehlot and Dharmendra Pradhan were among the five candidates elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh today. Gehlot, Pradhan, Ajay Pratap Singh, and Kailash Soni (BJP) and Rajmani Patel (Congress) were declared elected unopposed, after the 3 PM deadline for withdrawing nominations, a state Assembly official said. The five candidates had filed their nominations for as many RS seats from the state. Gehlot, who heads the Union social justice and empowerment ministry, was nominated from Madhya Pradesh for the second time, while Petroleum Minister Pradhan for the first time. He was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Bihar earlier. The elevation to the Rajya Sabha of Ajay Pratap Singh, a former state BJP functionary, and Soni, the national president of the MISA Bandi Sangathan, is expected to strengthen the ruling BJP in the Vindhya and Mahakoushal regions. Madhya Pradesh will go to the Assembly polls later this year. OBC leader Patel is a former state minister, who hails from the Vindhya region. The Congress, out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, is eyeing around 45 per cent of the OBC vote-bank in the upcoming polls. According to numerical strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP was in a position to send four candidates to the Rajya Sabha, while the Congress one as each candidate needed the support of 39 MLAs. In the 230-member House, the BJP has 165 MLAs, the Congress 57, the BSP four, besides three independents and a nominated member.

Rajya Sabha polls: Pradhan, Gehlot among five elected unopposed from MP

<p>The Finance Bill was&nbsp;passed in Lok Sabha today after&nbsp;it was&nbsp;tabled amid a major din in the House.</p>

<p>Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Finance Bill, as well as the Appropriation Bill which were passed by a voice vote.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day as NDA ally&nbsp;TDP continued to protest.&nbsp;</p>


Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Finance Bill

The Finance Bill was passed in Lok Sabha today after it was tabled amid a major din in the House. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Finance Bill, as well as the Appropriation Bill which were passed by a voice vote. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day as NDA ally TDP continued to protest.

Finance Bill passed in Lok Sabha

<p>The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day today amid continuing protests by regional parties over various issues.</p>

<p>It was the sixth straight day of washout of proceedings in the lower house since the second leg of the Budget Session began on March 5.</p>

<p>Speaker Sumitra Mahajan first adjourned the House immediately after the Question Hour started as the TRS, TDP, AIADMK and YSR Congress members stormed the Well carrying placards and raised slogans in support of their demands.</p>

<p>There was no let-up in protests as the House met again at noon but the Speaker went ahead with the proceedings, including introduction of two bills by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, amid the din.</p>

<p>Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD opposed the introduction of The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, saying its provisions violated the citizens&#39; fundamental rights and that it is based on the premise of &quot;guilty till proven innocent&quot; and not the other way round.</p>

<p>He questioned the provision of seizing assets of an accused before he was proven guilty.&nbsp;However, Shukla said these provisions can be debated during the discussion on the bill and introduced the bill. Soon after this, the House was adjourned.</p>

<p>The Lok Sabha has been witnessing similar scenes since March 5 with opposition parties besides the TDP, which remains a member of the ruling NDA though it has pulled out of the central government, raising a host of issues such as special status for Andhra Pradesh, enhanced reservation in Telangana and constitution of the Cauvery river board to settle Tamil Nadu&#39;s water dispute with neighbours.</p>


It was the sixth straight day of washout of proceedings in the lower house since the second leg of the Budget Session began on March 5.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day today amid continuing protests by regional parties over various issues. It was the sixth straight day of washout of proceedings in the lower house since the second leg of the Budget Session began on March 5. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan first adjourned the House immediately after the Question Hour started as the TRS, TDP, AIADMK and YSR Congress members stormed the Well carrying placards and raised slogans in support of their demands. There was no let-up in protests as the House met again at noon but the Speaker went ahead with the proceedings, including introduction of two bills by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, amid the din. Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD opposed the introduction of The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, saying its provisions violated the citizens' fundamental rights and that it is based on the premise of "guilty till proven innocent" and not the other way round. He questioned the provision of seizing assets of an accused before he was proven guilty. However, Shukla said these provisions can be debated during the discussion on the bill and introduced the bill. Soon after this, the House was adjourned. The Lok Sabha has been witnessing similar scenes since March 5 with opposition parties besides the TDP, which remains a member of the ruling NDA though it has pulled out of the central government, raising a host of issues such as special status for Andhra Pradesh, enhanced reservation in Telangana and constitution of the Cauvery river board to settle Tamil Nadu's water dispute with neighbours.

Lok Sabha adjourned for sixth day as parties continue protests

<p>The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were washed out for the third consecutive day today as parties protested on various issues, including vandalisation of statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar and PNB scam.</p>

<p>While the Congress continued to press for prime minister&#39;s reply on the Rs 12,700-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, members from AIADMK and AAP were in the Well, holding photos of Periyar and raising slogans condemning the vandalism in Vellore.</p>

<p>The TRS members raised slogans demanding a hike in Telangana&#39;s quota in reservation. While TDP continued to press for special status for Andhra Pradesh, another NDA ally Shiv Sena protested, like yesterday, demanding classical language status for Marathi.</p>

<p>Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Shiv Sena member Anandrao Adsul to speak on his demand. Adsul said that Marathi is an ancient language and fulfills all criteria to be given the classical language status.</p>

<p>He said Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam (rpt Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam) and Odia have classical language status. &quot;Several of our members have raised this issue repeatedly. We have given our submission to the minister but our demand was not fulfilled till date,&quot; Adsul said.</p>

<p>Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House, assured Adsul that the matter would be looked into.</p>

<p>&quot;The issue does not pertain to the Home Ministry. I will speak to the Culture Ministry on this,&quot; Singh said.</p>

<p>Even as Shiv Sena stopped protesting on the issue, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans against the desecration of the statue of Periyar -- the founder of Dravidian movement.</p>

<p>&quot;We strongly condemn vandalisation of statute of Thanthai Periyar by BJP members,&quot; read the placards held by AIADMK members.</p>

<p>As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and TMC started raising slogans on their respective issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour.</p>

<p>Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings.</p>

<p>The opposition has been protesting over issues like the PNB scam since Monday when Parliament was reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session.</p>

<p>The AIADMK, which has been protesting for last two days over demands for creation of Cauvery water management board, today raised the issue of statue vandalisation.</p>

<p>The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act.</p>

<p>Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned.</p>

<p>When the House reassembled at noon, protesting members were already in the Well and Mahajan asked Adsul to speak. After Home Minister&#39;s reply, the House was adjourned for the day.</p>


The opposition has been protesting over issues like the PNB scam since Monday

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were washed out for the third consecutive day today as parties protested on various issues, including vandalisation of statue of Dravidian icon Thanthai Periyar and PNB scam. While the Congress continued to press for prime minister's reply on the Rs 12,700-crore bank fraud allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, members from AIADMK and AAP were in the Well, holding photos of Periyar and raising slogans condemning the vandalism in Vellore. The TRS members raised slogans demanding a hike in Telangana's quota in reservation. While TDP continued to press for special status for Andhra Pradesh, another NDA ally Shiv Sena protested, like yesterday, demanding classical language status for Marathi. Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Shiv Sena member Anandrao Adsul to speak on his demand. Adsul said that Marathi is an ancient language and fulfills all criteria to be given the classical language status. He said Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam (rpt Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam) and Odia have classical language status. "Several of our members have raised this issue repeatedly. We have given our submission to the minister but our demand was not fulfilled till date," Adsul said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House, assured Adsul that the matter would be looked into. "The issue does not pertain to the Home Ministry. I will speak to the Culture Ministry on this," Singh said. Even as Shiv Sena stopped protesting on the issue, AIADMK members continued to raise slogans against the desecration of the statue of Periyar -- the founder of Dravidian movement. "We strongly condemn vandalisation of statute of Thanthai Periyar by BJP members," read the placards held by AIADMK members. As soon as the House met for the day, members from various parties, including TDP, Shiv Sena, TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK and TMC started raising slogans on their respective issues, following which Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings for an hour. Most of the protesting members were in the Well before the Speaker took her chair to conduct the proceedings. The opposition has been protesting over issues like the PNB scam since Monday when Parliament was reconvened after a month-long recess in the Budget session. The AIADMK, which has been protesting for last two days over demands for creation of Cauvery water management board, today raised the issue of statue vandalisation. The YSR Congress was demanding implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act. Mahajan took up the Question Hour but adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon soon after. She was visibly upset and left the House amid the din. A Lok Sabha official had to repeat loudly that the House has been adjourned. When the House reassembled at noon, protesting members were already in the Well and Mahajan asked Adsul to speak. After Home Minister's reply, the House was adjourned for the day.

Lok Sabha adjourned over PNB, Periyar statute vandalisation

<p>The second part of the Budget session resumes today with the Opposition determined to corner the government on the PNB scam.</p>

<p>Union railway minister Piyush Goyal was quick to take on the Opposition asserting that &nbsp;&quot;Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are connected to Congress&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;The problem started during their time, they cannot mislead the nation on this issue,&quot; the railway minister told reporters outside Parliament.</p>

<p>Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11.20 am after protests&nbsp;by TDP over &#39;Special Category Status&#39; to Andhra Pradesh.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">YSR Congress Party MPs protest in Delhi demanding &#39;Special Category Status&#39; to Andhra Pradesh. <a href="https://t.co/DO6ox9oNFe">pic.twitter.com/DO6ox9oNFe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970535699471523840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the Lok Sabha too Opposition MPs were quick to raise a ruckus on&nbsp;the Nirav Modi connection in the PNB scam, as a result, the lower house of Parliament had to adjourned&nbsp;by the Speaker.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Telugu Desam Party MP Siva Prasad dressed as Lord Krishna during TDP protest demanding &#39;Special Category Status&#39; to Andhra Pradesh <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BudgetSession?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BudgetSession</a> <a href="https://t.co/wp0nyAW4Ez">pic.twitter.com/wp0nyAW4Ez</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">PM Narendra Modi arrives in parliament, welcomed by BJP Chief Amit Shah and Union Ministers. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BudgetSession?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BudgetSession</a> <a href="https://t.co/fKOA0C4Shb">pic.twitter.com/fKOA0C4Shb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970527939505872896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Union railway minister Piyush Goyal was quick to take on the Opposition asserting that "Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are connected to Congress".

The second part of the Budget session resumes today with the Opposition determined to corner the government on the PNB scam. Union railway minister Piyush Goyal was quick to take on the Opposition asserting that "Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are connected to Congress". "The problem started during their time, they cannot mislead the nation on this issue," the railway minister told reporters outside Parliament. Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11.20 am after protests by TDP over 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh. YSR Congress Party MPs protest in Delhi demanding 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/DO6ox9oNFe — ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018 × In the Lok Sabha too Opposition MPs were quick to raise a ruckus on the Nirav Modi connection in the PNB scam, as a result, the lower house of Parliament had to adjourned by the Speaker. Delhi: Telugu Desam Party MP Siva Prasad dressed as Lord Krishna during TDP protest demanding 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/wp0nyAW4Ez — ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018 × PM Narendra Modi arrives in parliament, welcomed by BJP Chief Amit Shah and Union Ministers. #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/fKOA0C4Shb — ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018 ×

Parliament Budget Session: House adjourned after Opposition protests

<p>Out of 553 tiger deaths from 2012-2017, over 22 per cent were due to poaching, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.</p>

<p>Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Mahesh Sharma, in a written reply to a question, also said that more than 15 per cent of the deaths were related to seizures.</p>

<p>&quot;Out of 553 tiger deaths from 2012 to 2017, 22.1 per cent were due to poaching while 15.4 per cent were seizures. 62.4 per cent deaths were attributed to natural causes not attributable to poaching,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>In his reply, the minister also enunciated the measures taken by the Union government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to check the causes of unnatural deaths of tigers in the country, which include using information technology for improved surveillance, and advising states for combing forest floor to check for snares or traps.</p>

<p>&quot;Tiger deaths have to be viewed vis-a-vis recruitment of cubs, annual growth rate of the species, number of adult breedable females dying, besides targeted versus non-targeted poaching. Invoking all these factors, the tiger population in India is ecologically stable,&quot; he said in the reply.&nbsp;</p>


Out of 553 tiger deaths from 2012-2017, over 22 per cent were due to poaching, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday

Out of 553 tiger deaths from 2012-2017, over 22 per cent were due to poaching, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Mahesh Sharma, in a written reply to a question, also said that more than 15 per cent of the deaths were related to seizures. "Out of 553 tiger deaths from 2012 to 2017, 22.1 per cent were due to poaching while 15.4 per cent were seizures. 62.4 per cent deaths were attributed to natural causes not attributable to poaching," he said. In his reply, the minister also enunciated the measures taken by the Union government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to check the causes of unnatural deaths of tigers in the country, which include using information technology for improved surveillance, and advising states for combing forest floor to check for snares or traps. "Tiger deaths have to be viewed vis-a-vis recruitment of cubs, annual growth rate of the species, number of adult breedable females dying, besides targeted versus non-targeted poaching. Invoking all these factors, the tiger population in India is ecologically stable," he said in the reply.

553 tiger deaths from 2012-2017; 22.1% of poaching

<p>Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs &nbsp;Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech.</p>

<p>The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: &ldquo;Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such &quot;unruly behaviour&quot;. He also told her to go to a doctor &quot;if you have any problem&quot;.</p>

<p>Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that &quot;he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial&quot;. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chowdhury said the PM&#39;s &quot;personal remark&quot; was &quot;denigrating the status of a woman&quot;.&nbsp;</p>


On Thursday, Rijiju posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post. Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech. The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: “Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.” Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such "unruly behaviour". He also told her to go to a doctor "if you have any problem". Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that "he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial". "Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai," Modi said. Chowdhury said the PM's "personal remark" was "denigrating the status of a woman".

Renuka Chowdhury moves privilege motion in Rajya Sabha

<p>The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said on Thursday that even though they may not be opposed to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/triple-talaq-all-you-need-to-know-19324">Triple Talaq</a> Bill but are raising objections on the major flaws which are against fundamentals rights of Muslim men and women, saying that it is a big &quot;dhoka.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Muslim Personal Law Board is not opposing the Triple Talaq Bill, but raising objections on the major flaws which are against fundamental rights of Muslim men &amp; women. The Bill is big &#39;Dhoka&#39;: AIMPLB.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961497299489886208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/one-million-indian-muslims-mostly-women-sign-petition-against-triple-talaq-13524"> Triple Talaq bill,</a> called The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has already been passed in the Lok Sabha and is awaiting a nod from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/triple-talaq-bill-tabled-in-rajya-sabha-28436">Rajya Sabha.</a></p>

<p>The AIMPLB has maintained that it is not against the practice of triple talaq, but it has opposed the proposed legislation saying it is an interference in Muslim personal law. The Board has, however, faced criticism for failing to bring reforms in personal laws.</p>

<p>The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is all set to introduce a new clause in its &quot;Model Nikahnama&quot; or marriage contract, where the groom will have to pledge in writing that he will not give instant divorce to his wife.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Yes... we are making a provision in the model nikahnama (Islamic marriage contract) in which there will be column - &#39;I will not give triple talaq&#39;. Once during nikah (marriage) this column is ticked, one will not be able to give triple talaq,&quot; AIMPLB spokesman Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani said in Lucknow.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/triple-talaq-bill-gets-mixed-reactions-who-said-what-27993">Triple talaq bill gets mixed reactions: Who said what </a></p>

<p>The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) would discuss the new model as well as future course of action on key issues during a meeting in Hyderabad which will go on for three days from February 9-11 which will include over 600 Muslic scholars from across the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In August, the Supreme Court struck down the controversial Islamic practice of instant divorce or &#39;talaq- e-biddat&#39; as arbitrary and unconstitutional<br />
The government later brought the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 28. It seeks to declare instant triple a criminal offence with a provision of up to three years in jail for the husband.</p>


The Triple Talaq bill, called The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has already been passed in the Lok Sabha and is awaiting a nod from the Rajya Sabha

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said on Thursday that even though they may not be opposed to the Triple Talaq Bill but are raising objections on the major flaws which are against fundamentals rights of Muslim men and women, saying that it is a big "dhoka." Muslim Personal Law Board is not opposing the Triple Talaq Bill, but raising objections on the major flaws which are against fundamental rights of Muslim men & women. The Bill is big 'Dhoka': AIMPLB. — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2018 × The Triple Talaq bill, called The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has already been passed in the Lok Sabha and is awaiting a nod from the Rajya Sabha. The AIMPLB has maintained that it is not against the practice of triple talaq, but it has opposed the proposed legislation saying it is an interference in Muslim personal law. The Board has, however, faced criticism for failing to bring reforms in personal laws. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is all set to introduce a new clause in its "Model Nikahnama" or marriage contract, where the groom will have to pledge in writing that he will not give instant divorce to his wife. "Yes... we are making a provision in the model nikahnama (Islamic marriage contract) in which there will be column - 'I will not give triple talaq'. Once during nikah (marriage) this column is ticked, one will not be able to give triple talaq," AIMPLB spokesman Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman Sajjad Nomani said in Lucknow. Also read: Triple talaq bill gets mixed reactions: Who said what The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) would discuss the new model as well as future course of action on key issues during a meeting in Hyderabad which will go on for three days from February 9-11 which will include over 600 Muslic scholars from across the country. In August, the Supreme Court struck down the controversial Islamic practice of instant divorce or 'talaq- e-biddat' as arbitrary and unconstitutional The government later brought the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 28. It seeks to declare instant triple a criminal offence with a provision of up to three years in jail for the husband.

Triple Talaq bill a big 'dhoka,' says All India Muslim Personal Law Board

<p>The backlash between <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-continues-attack-on-opposition-says-congress-mukt-bharat-was-gandhis-idea-32115">PM Modi</a> and Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury continues after PM Modi&#39;s remarks at the Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chowdhury has since addressed the issue and said: &quot;This is highly objectionable, and I am going to file for privilege.&quot; The Congress also criticised Modi&#39;s remark calling him &nbsp;&quot;anti-women.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is highly objectionable, and I am going to file for privilege: Renuka Chowdhury, Congress on Kiren Rijiju posting a video of PM Modi&#39;s remarks on Renuka Chowdhury in Rajya Sabha yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/9d7gEL0IqC">pic.twitter.com/9d7gEL0IqC</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961491270526033920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>PM Modi, on Wednesday, called<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/renuka-chowdhury-interrupts-modi-in-rajya-sabha-spat-follows-32123"> Chowdhury out for laughing</a> during his remarks on Aadhaar in Parliament.</p>

<p>&quot;SabhapatiJi meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai. (Chairman sir, I request you to not say anything to Renukaji. After Ramayan serial, we have got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter today),&quot; the PM had said.</p>

<p>&quot;We condemn PM Modi&#39;s derogatory remark in the Parliament against former Union Minister and RS MP Renuka Chowdhury. We also urge the RS Speaker Shri Venkaiah Naidu to not act in a partisan manner and accord due respect to a fellow member of the house. #ModiAntiWomen,&quot; the party&#39;s official handle tweeted.</p>

<p>Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu chided the members for their &quot;unbecoming&quot; behaviour and asked them to resume their places.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I have no option other than to adjourn the House,&quot; he said, suspending the proceedings till 1200 hrs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till noon after the Congress members created an uproar over Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s remarks against party MP Renuka Chowdhury.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


PM Modi had yesterday in Parliament called Chowdhury out for laughing during his remarks on Aadhaar.

The backlash between PM Modi and Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury continues after PM Modi's remarks at the Rajya Sabha. Chowdhury has since addressed the issue and said: "This is highly objectionable, and I am going to file for privilege." The Congress also criticised Modi's remark calling him "anti-women." This is highly objectionable, and I am going to file for privilege: Renuka Chowdhury, Congress on Kiren Rijiju posting a video of PM Modi's remarks on Renuka Chowdhury in Rajya Sabha yesterday. pic.twitter.com/9d7gEL0IqC — ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2018 × PM Modi, on Wednesday, called Chowdhury out for laughing during his remarks on Aadhaar in Parliament. "SabhapatiJi meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai. (Chairman sir, I request you to not say anything to Renukaji. After Ramayan serial, we have got the privilege of hearing this kind of laughter today)," the PM had said. "We condemn PM Modi's derogatory remark in the Parliament against former Union Minister and RS MP Renuka Chowdhury. We also urge the RS Speaker Shri Venkaiah Naidu to not act in a partisan manner and accord due respect to a fellow member of the house. #ModiAntiWomen," the party's official handle tweeted. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu chided the members for their "unbecoming" behaviour and asked them to resume their places. "I have no option other than to adjourn the House," he said, suspending the proceedings till 1200 hrs. Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till noon after the Congress members created an uproar over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against party MP Renuka Chowdhury.

'I am going to file for privilege', says Renuka Chowdhury after Modi's remarks

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking in the Rajya Sabha:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: PM Narendra Modi speaking on Motion of Thanks to President&#39;s address in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/Vt63UrFhfQ">https://t.co/Vt63UrFhfQ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961184299604090880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Modi had spoken earlier today in the Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking in the Rajya Sabha: #WATCH: PM Narendra Modi speaking on Motion of Thanks to President's address in Rajya Sabha https://t.co/Vt63UrFhfQ — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 ×

Watch live: Congress-mukt Bharat was Gandhi's idea, Modi says in Rajya Sabha

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-continues-attack-on-opposition-says-congress-mukt-bharat-was-gandhis-idea-32115" target="_blank">speech</a> in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday was&nbsp;interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who began laughing during his address.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such &quot;unruly behaviour&quot;. He also told her to go to a doctor &quot;if you have any problem&quot;.</p>

<p>Modi however told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that &quot;he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Sabhapati Ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai: PM Modi on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury laughing during his speech in Rajya Sabha</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961192558591430657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Chowdhury said the PM&#39;s &quot;personal remark&quot;&nbsp;was &quot;denigrating the status of a woman&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">PM made a personal remark, what else do you expect from him? I can&#39;t fall to that level to reply to him. This is actually called denigrating the status of a woman: Renuka Chowdhury,Congress <a href="https://t.co/5DIEYAOfdf">pic.twitter.com/5DIEYAOfdf</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961229554126815232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Union MInister Smriti Irani said it was Chowdhury who had been making &quot;indecent remarks&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;I was present there. I heard the kind of indecent remarks she was making on PM Modi,&quot; Irani said.</p>

<p>&quot;Is it justified that she makes indecent remarks and when those remarks are met sarcastically, she makes her gender her shield?&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was present there. I heard the kind of indecent remarks she was making on PM Modi. Is it justified that she makes indecent remarks &amp; when those remarks are met sarcastically she makes her gender her shield?: Union Minister Smriti Irani on PM Modi&#39;s remark on Renuka Chowdhury <a href="https://t.co/WeIicEjpRX">pic.twitter.com/WeIicEjpRX</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961221794018545673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Chowdhury had started laughing during Modi's address

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who began laughing during his address. Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such "unruly behaviour". He also told her to go to a doctor "if you have any problem". Modi however told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that "he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial". "Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai," Modi said. Sabhapati Ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai: PM Modi on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury laughing during his speech in Rajya Sabha — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × Chowdhury said the PM's "personal remark" was "denigrating the status of a woman". PM made a personal remark, what else do you expect from him? I can't fall to that level to reply to him. This is actually called denigrating the status of a woman: Renuka Chowdhury,Congress pic.twitter.com/5DIEYAOfdf — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × While Union MInister Smriti Irani said it was Chowdhury who had been making "indecent remarks". "I was present there. I heard the kind of indecent remarks she was making on PM Modi," Irani said. "Is it justified that she makes indecent remarks and when those remarks are met sarcastically, she makes her gender her shield?" I was present there. I heard the kind of indecent remarks she was making on PM Modi. Is it justified that she makes indecent remarks & when those remarks are met sarcastically she makes her gender her shield?: Union Minister Smriti Irani on PM Modi's remark on Renuka Chowdhury pic.twitter.com/WeIicEjpRX — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 ×

Renuka Chowdhury interrupts Modi's speech in Rajya Sabha, spat follows

<p>In a second mammoth talk in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi continued his attack on the Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi, who had earlier spoken in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/opposition-heckles-pm-modi-as-he-speaks-in-lok-sabha-32078" target="_blank">Lok Sabha for over two hours</a>, spoke in the Rajya Sabha this time for over an hour. The first speech too had been vitriolic in content -- and was interrupted again --&nbsp;with Modi saying it was not Nehru who had won India its independence (like the Congress likes to keep reminding us).&nbsp;</p>

<p>This time Modi said the idea of a Congress-mukt Bharat was Gandhiji&#39;s:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Aapko Gandhi Ji wala Bharat chahaiye mujhe bhi Gandhi Ji wala Bharat chahiye. Gandhi Ji ne kaha tha ab aazaadi mil gayi ab Congress ki zaroorat nahi hai: PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/Qw1jj8DY2P">pic.twitter.com/Qw1jj8DY2P</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961187854566207488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Look at what all you mocked- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please but why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking Triple Talaq Bill. Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBCs?: PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/rG169fwcdQ">pic.twitter.com/rG169fwcdQ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961197451519684608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Modi took on the Congress for their opposition to the triple talaq bill.</p>

<p>You say there will be no one to look after the family of a Muslim man who uses triple talaq to leave his wife and is then jailed, said Modi. But what happens when a Hindu man gets married for a second time is jailed?&nbsp;Who will look after his family? &nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi said the opposition was obsessed with him but that in in criticising him, they cross the line.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-takes-on-opposition-during-parliament-speech-highlights-32083" target="_blank">PM Modi takes on opposition during Parliament speech:</a> Top 20 highlights</p>

<p>Mock me, Modi said, mock the BJP -- but don&#39;t hurt India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;BJP ki burai karte karte aap Bharat ki burai karne lag jaate hain. Modi par hamla bolte bolte aap Hindustan par hamla bolne lag jaate hain,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Congress culture to take credit, refuse responsibility</strong></p>

<p>It is the Congress&#39; culture to take credit, Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>​&quot;You complain that I don&#39;t give enough credit to your party and its legacy. Well, starting projects and then putting them on the backburner is your legacy and I give you credit for it,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi&#39;s speech in the Rajya Sabha was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Sabhapati Ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai: PM Modi on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury laughing during his speech in Rajya Sabha</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961192558591430657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We were waiting for the PM to make some serious response to the points raised by the opposition, he said nothing. Only Bhashan, no action, no vision so after 15 minutes TMC staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha while the PM was speaking : Derek O&#39;Brien, Trinamool Congress MP <a href="https://t.co/OAz2BbZuuL">pic.twitter.com/OAz2BbZuuL</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961206886929518598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">बहुत लम्बी थी साहेब की बात<br />
सदन में दिन को बता दिया रात<br />
<br />
अपनी नाकामियों पर डाले पर्दे<br />
अफसोस भाषण से गायब थे देश के मुद्दे<br />
<br />
प्रधानमंत्रीजी चुप्पी कब तोड़ेंगे<br />
राफेल डील पर आखिर कब बोलेंगे?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PradhanMantriJawabDo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PradhanMantriJawabDo</a></p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/961194197683462144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>A visibly-angry Modi&#39;s speech in the Lok Sabha had also been interrupted by the Opposition.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Simulatenous elections</strong></p>

<p>Modi again brought up the idea of simulatenous general and state elections. &quot;Let us have a constructive discussion,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You said we are Name Changers and not Game Changers but if you notice our mode of operation and working pattern you will realise we are Aim Changers. We plan our action, set the road map so that we take the nation on the path to development: PM Modi <a href="https://t.co/SFyMzRmgee">pic.twitter.com/SFyMzRmgee</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961189054476963841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have always said that for the nation&#39;s development so far, all the previous govt&#39;s have made a contribution: PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/p5wWy7dyCr">pic.twitter.com/p5wWy7dyCr</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/961189440478728192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>He added that the Congress had ignored Sardar Patel&#39; for years, and had invoked his memory only for political gain.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>And he added that it was the BJP which first thought up the idea of Aadhaar. &quot;Congress keeps saying we brought Aadhaar. Let me remind them about a debate in the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and what LK Advani Ji said. It is in his speech that you will find the genesis of Aadhaar,&quot; he said.</p>


After having spoken in the Lok Sabha, Modi was speaking in the Rajya Sabha

In a second mammoth talk in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi continued his attack on the Congress. Modi, who had earlier spoken in the Lok Sabha for over two hours, spoke in the Rajya Sabha this time for over an hour. The first speech too had been vitriolic in content -- and was interrupted again -- with Modi saying it was not Nehru who had won India its independence (like the Congress likes to keep reminding us). This time Modi said the idea of a Congress-mukt Bharat was Gandhiji's: Aapko Gandhi Ji wala Bharat chahaiye mujhe bhi Gandhi Ji wala Bharat chahiye. Gandhi Ji ne kaha tha ab aazaadi mil gayi ab Congress ki zaroorat nahi hai: PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/Qw1jj8DY2P — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × Look at what all you mocked- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please but why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking Triple Talaq Bill. Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBCs?: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/rG169fwcdQ — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × Modi took on the Congress for their opposition to the triple talaq bill. You say there will be no one to look after the family of a Muslim man who uses triple talaq to leave his wife and is then jailed, said Modi. But what happens when a Hindu man gets married for a second time is jailed? Who will look after his family? Modi said the opposition was obsessed with him but that in in criticising him, they cross the line. PM Modi takes on opposition during Parliament speech: Top 20 highlights Mock me, Modi said, mock the BJP -- but don't hurt India. "BJP ki burai karte karte aap Bharat ki burai karne lag jaate hain. Modi par hamla bolte bolte aap Hindustan par hamla bolne lag jaate hain," Modi said. Congress culture to take credit, refuse responsibility It is the Congress' culture to take credit, Modi said. "You complain that I don't give enough credit to your party and its legacy. Well, starting projects and then putting them on the backburner is your legacy and I give you credit for it," Modi said. Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury. Sabhapati Ji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka Ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai: PM Modi on Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury laughing during his speech in Rajya Sabha — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × We were waiting for the PM to make some serious response to the points raised by the opposition, he said nothing. Only Bhashan, no action, no vision so after 15 minutes TMC staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha while the PM was speaking : Derek O'Brien, Trinamool Congress MP pic.twitter.com/OAz2BbZuuL — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × बहुत लम्बी थी साहेब की बात सदन में दिन को बता दिया रात अपनी नाकामियों पर डाले पर्दे अफसोस भाषण से गायब थे देश के मुद्दे प्रधानमंत्रीजी चुप्पी कब तोड़ेंगे राफेल डील पर आखिर कब बोलेंगे?#PradhanMantriJawabDo — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 7, 2018 × A visibly-angry Modi's speech in the Lok Sabha had also been interrupted by the Opposition. Simulatenous elections Modi again brought up the idea of simulatenous general and state elections. "Let us have a constructive discussion," he said. You said we are Name Changers and not Game Changers but if you notice our mode of operation and working pattern you will realise we are Aim Changers. We plan our action, set the road map so that we take the nation on the path to development: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/SFyMzRmgee — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × I have always said that for the nation's development so far, all the previous govt's have made a contribution: PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/p5wWy7dyCr — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2018 × He added that the Congress had ignored Sardar Patel' for years, and had invoked his memory only for political gain. And he added that it was the BJP which first thought up the idea of Aadhaar. "Congress keeps saying we brought Aadhaar. Let me remind them about a debate in the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and what LK Advani Ji said. It is in his speech that you will find the genesis of Aadhaar," he said.

Modi continues attack on opposition, says Congress-mukt Bharat was Gandhi's idea

<p>The Congress on Tuesday carried out a &quot;pakoda&quot; protest in Chhattisgarh&#39;s Raipur in a bid to mock the Centre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Congress workers organised a &quot;Shikshit Berozgar pakoda Center&quot; in the state.&nbsp;This set up comes following Amit Shah&#39;s speech at the Rajya Sabha on Monday and Prime Ministers &quot;pakora&quot; comment last month - which started the whole fiasco.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The leaders were seen selling &#39;Arun Jaitley&#39; pakora and &#39;Raman&#39; pakora targeting the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.</p>

<p>The Congress on Tuesday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah over his statement on &quot;pakoda&quot; sellers and Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the Rajya Sabha.</p>

<p>Shah was quoted saying: &quot;A pakora seller is earning a living, not begging, who knows his next generation might rise to be a leader, after all, a tea seller has today become a Prime Minister.&quot;</p>

<p>Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan hit back at this remark and said: &quot;It is very unfortunate that our country&#39;s youth who are talented and educated in various professions are sitting unemployed, and the ruling party is telling them to go and sell pakodas.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Never has any ruling party in the past made such a despicable and disgraceful remark,&quot; he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a recent interview to a news channel last month, the Prime Minister had said a person selling &quot;pakoda&quot; outside and earning Rs 200 a day should also be considered as &quot;employed&quot;.</p>

<p>&nbsp;Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress for being unable to address the issue of unemployment.</p>

<p>While addressing his maiden speech as the member of Rajya Sabha, Shah said that the Congress ruled the nation for a decade but failed to tackle the issue of unemployment.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Congress on Tuesday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah over his statement on Pakoda sellers and Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the Rajya Sabha

The Congress on Tuesday carried out a "pakoda" protest in Chhattisgarh's Raipur in a bid to mock the Centre. The Congress workers organised a "Shikshit Berozgar pakoda Center" in the state. This set up comes following Amit Shah's speech at the Rajya Sabha on Monday and Prime Ministers "pakora" comment last month - which started the whole fiasco. The leaders were seen selling 'Arun Jaitley' pakora and 'Raman' pakora targeting the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh. The Congress on Tuesday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah over his statement on "pakoda" sellers and Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the Rajya Sabha. Shah was quoted saying: "A pakora seller is earning a living, not begging, who knows his next generation might rise to be a leader, after all, a tea seller has today become a Prime Minister." Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan hit back at this remark and said: "It is very unfortunate that our country's youth who are talented and educated in various professions are sitting unemployed, and the ruling party is telling them to go and sell pakodas." "Never has any ruling party in the past made such a despicable and disgraceful remark," he added. In a recent interview to a news channel last month, the Prime Minister had said a person selling "pakoda" outside and earning Rs 200 a day should also be considered as "employed". Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress for being unable to address the issue of unemployment. While addressing his maiden speech as the member of Rajya Sabha, Shah said that the Congress ruled the nation for a decade but failed to tackle the issue of unemployment.

Chhattisgarh: Congress organises 'pakora' protest, names 'pakoras' after Jaitley, Raman Singh

<p>The Lok Sabha was today adjourned for the day after paying tributes to BJP member Hukum Singh, who died on Saturday.</p>

<p>Soon after the House met, three new members -- Congress members from Rajasthan Karan Singh Yadav and Raghu Sharma as well as TMC member from West Bengal Sajda Ahmed -- took oath.</p>

<p>Yadav has been elected from Alwar while Sharma and Ahmed represent Ajmer and Uluberia constituencies, respectively.</p>

<p>After the members took oath, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the obituary reference about Hukum Singh, who represented Kairana constituency in Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>79-year-old Singh was also the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Water Resources and member of General Purposes Committee of the Lok Sabha.</p>

<p>&quot;A literary person with deep passion for reading scriptures; poetry and classics, the spirit of which he imbibed in his disciplined life and also reflected in his insightful articles,&quot; Mahajan said while mourning the demise of Singh.</p>

<p>The House stood in silence for a brief while as a mark of respect for the departed soul before the proceedings were adjourned.</p>


Soon after the House met, three new members -- Congress members from Rajasthan Karan Singh Yadav and Raghu Sharma as well as TMC member from West Bengal Sajda Ahmed -- took oath.

The Lok Sabha was today adjourned for the day after paying tributes to BJP member Hukum Singh, who died on Saturday. Soon after the House met, three new members -- Congress members from Rajasthan Karan Singh Yadav and Raghu Sharma as well as TMC member from West Bengal Sajda Ahmed -- took oath. Yadav has been elected from Alwar while Sharma and Ahmed represent Ajmer and Uluberia constituencies, respectively. After the members took oath, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the obituary reference about Hukum Singh, who represented Kairana constituency in Uttar Pradesh. 79-year-old Singh was also the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Water Resources and member of General Purposes Committee of the Lok Sabha. "A literary person with deep passion for reading scriptures; poetry and classics, the spirit of which he imbibed in his disciplined life and also reflected in his insightful articles," Mahajan said while mourning the demise of Singh. The House stood in silence for a brief while as a mark of respect for the departed soul before the proceedings were adjourned.

Lok Sabha adjourned over tributes to BJP member Hukum Singh

<p>It took a lot of time for this government to fill the &quot;hole&quot; it inherited from its predecessor, BJP President Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha Monday. Shah was making his debut speech in Parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah said that taking that into consideration, his government&#39;s &quot;achievements&quot;&nbsp;should be looked at differently.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Sarkaar ne jab kaam-kaaj sambhala, tab sarkaar ke paas virasat me kya tha? Jis prakaar ka gaddha tha, wo gaddha bharne mein hi sarkaar ka bahut saara samay gaya hai aur gaddha bharne ke baad in uplabhdhiyon ko ek alag najariye se dekhein: Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha <a href="https://t.co/W9mY8IkOEV">pic.twitter.com/W9mY8IkOEV</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960434519210897408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">BJP ne kabhi GST ka virodh nahi kiya tha, iske tarikon ka virodh kiya tha. UPA ye kar sudhar leke aayi, Cess ghatane se rajyon ko nuksaan hua, wo UPA ko chukana tha, par nahi chukaya. 37,000 crore NDA ne chukaya: Amit Shah <a href="https://t.co/LKxLhCx48e">pic.twitter.com/LKxLhCx48e</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960441082206150656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shah also referred to Prime Minister Modi&#39;s recent statement that a person selling pakodas should be seen as being employed. (The statement had been widely criticised.)</p>

<p>Shah however said Monday that he thought it better that somebody was working than begging. And that the children of the person selling pakodas would go on to become businessmen.&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Abhi mai chidambaram sahab ka tweet padh raha tha ki &#39;mudra bank ke saath kisi ne pakode ka thela laga diya, isko rozgari kehte hain?&#39; Haan main maanta hu ki bheekh maangne se to accha hai ki koi mazdoori kar raha hai. Uski dusri pidhi aage aayegi to udyogpati banegi: Amit Shah</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960436944235892736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;A chaiwala&#39;s son,&quot;&nbsp;he said, &quot;is sitting in Parliament today.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also spoke about &quot;Modicare&quot;, this government&#39;s proposal to give 500 million people health insurance. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;No other government has had the courage to do it,&quot; Shah said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Puri duniya mein jitne bhi loktantra hai, un sab ki yojanaon ko koi khangal kar dekh le, 50 crore logon ko 5 lakh ka bima suraksha dena, kisi bhi sarkaar me ye saahas nahi hai. Isiliye, Ayaushman Bharat ko ab &#39;Namo healthcare&#39; ke naam se ye janta jaanegi: Amit Shah</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960438614256701440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shah also spoke about the &quot;surgical strikes&quot;, calling them a &quot;historic moment&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;World started seeing India from a different view. They realised that after America and Israel, India is the only country which can protect its soldiers and army,&quot; Shah said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah also said that &quot;we handled the Kashmir issue very well&quot;. And that Kashmir has never been so safe in the last 35 years&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kashmir issue is very crucial problem for the nation. Kashmir has never been so safe in the last 35 years. We handled the Kashmir issue very well: Amit Shah</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960446104612556800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Sarvanumat se faisla hua hai.Aur shabd kya diya? Gabbar Singh Tax, kon hai Gabbar Singh? Sholay film me dakait ka naam tha. Kanoon se bana hua tax wasoolna daikaiti hai kya?: Amit Shah</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960443178561212416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The BJP President made his debut speech in the Rajya Sabha Monday

It took a lot of time for this government to fill the "hole" it inherited from its predecessor, BJP President Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha Monday. Shah was making his debut speech in Parliament. Shah said that taking that into consideration, his government's "achievements" should be looked at differently. Sarkaar ne jab kaam-kaaj sambhala, tab sarkaar ke paas virasat me kya tha? Jis prakaar ka gaddha tha, wo gaddha bharne mein hi sarkaar ka bahut saara samay gaya hai aur gaddha bharne ke baad in uplabhdhiyon ko ek alag najariye se dekhein: Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/W9mY8IkOEV — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 × BJP ne kabhi GST ka virodh nahi kiya tha, iske tarikon ka virodh kiya tha. UPA ye kar sudhar leke aayi, Cess ghatane se rajyon ko nuksaan hua, wo UPA ko chukana tha, par nahi chukaya. 37,000 crore NDA ne chukaya: Amit Shah pic.twitter.com/LKxLhCx48e — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 × Shah also referred to Prime Minister Modi's recent statement that a person selling pakodas should be seen as being employed. (The statement had been widely criticised.) Shah however said Monday that he thought it better that somebody was working than begging. And that the children of the person selling pakodas would go on to become businessmen. Abhi mai chidambaram sahab ka tweet padh raha tha ki 'mudra bank ke saath kisi ne pakode ka thela laga diya, isko rozgari kehte hain?' Haan main maanta hu ki bheekh maangne se to accha hai ki koi mazdoori kar raha hai. Uski dusri pidhi aage aayegi to udyogpati banegi: Amit Shah — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 × "A chaiwala's son," he said, "is sitting in Parliament today." He also spoke about "Modicare", this government's proposal to give 500 million people health insurance. The announcement was made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech. "No other government has had the courage to do it," Shah said. Puri duniya mein jitne bhi loktantra hai, un sab ki yojanaon ko koi khangal kar dekh le, 50 crore logon ko 5 lakh ka bima suraksha dena, kisi bhi sarkaar me ye saahas nahi hai. Isiliye, Ayaushman Bharat ko ab 'Namo healthcare' ke naam se ye janta jaanegi: Amit Shah — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 × Shah also spoke about the "surgical strikes", calling them a "historic moment". "World started seeing India from a different view. They realised that after America and Israel, India is the only country which can protect its soldiers and army," Shah said. Shah also said that "we handled the Kashmir issue very well". And that Kashmir has never been so safe in the last 35 years". Kashmir issue is very crucial problem for the nation. Kashmir has never been so safe in the last 35 years. We handled the Kashmir issue very well: Amit Shah — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 × Sarvanumat se faisla hua hai.Aur shabd kya diya? Gabbar Singh Tax, kon hai Gabbar Singh? Sholay film me dakait ka naam tha. Kanoon se bana hua tax wasoolna daikaiti hai kya?: Amit Shah — ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2018 ×

Better to sell pakodas than beg: Amit Shah in Parliament

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shook hands with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die.</p>

<p>The cordial &quot;handshake&quot; came barely weeks after the duo had been locked in a bitter war of words over Gujarat elections.</p>

<p>As soon as Chairman M Venkiah Naidu adjourned the House sine die and &#39;Vande Mataram&#39; was rendered, PM Modi was seen moving towards the opposition benches shaking hands with some members, including his predecessor.</p>

<p>He reached the seat of the former premier, shook hands with him for quite some time and spoke to him.</p>

<p>Among others with whom the Prime Minister was seen shaking hands were Deputy Chairman P J Kurien and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, who was bid farewell by the Upper House today as his tenure ends on January 27.</p>

<p>The show of cordiality between the incumbent and the former premier follows a rare row that broke out last month after Modi insinuated that Manmohan Singh had colluded with Pakistan in the Gujarat polls and latter hitting back saying a &quot;dangerous precedent&quot; was being set by such accusations and seeking apology.</p>

<p>Both the Houses had witnessed stormy protests over the issue with an adamant opposition seeking apology from Modi for his statement during Gujarat poll campaign and the BJP sticking to its point that PM would not apologise.</p>


Among others with whom the Prime Minister was seen shaking hands were Deputy Chairman P J Kurien and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shook hands with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon after the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die. The cordial "handshake" came barely weeks after the duo had been locked in a bitter war of words over Gujarat elections. As soon as Chairman M Venkiah Naidu adjourned the House sine die and 'Vande Mataram' was rendered, PM Modi was seen moving towards the opposition benches shaking hands with some members, including his predecessor. He reached the seat of the former premier, shook hands with him for quite some time and spoke to him. Among others with whom the Prime Minister was seen shaking hands were Deputy Chairman P J Kurien and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, who was bid farewell by the Upper House today as his tenure ends on January 27. The show of cordiality between the incumbent and the former premier follows a rare row that broke out last month after Modi insinuated that Manmohan Singh had colluded with Pakistan in the Gujarat polls and latter hitting back saying a "dangerous precedent" was being set by such accusations and seeking apology. Both the Houses had witnessed stormy protests over the issue with an adamant opposition seeking apology from Modi for his statement during Gujarat poll campaign and the BJP sticking to its point that PM would not apologise.

PM Modi walks up to Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha, shakes hands

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