Today in Parliament, the Centre informed the Upper House that a total of 5,161 people were taken into preventive detention after the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5.
Speaking on the situation in J&K, Home Minister Amit Shah pointed out that not a single person has died due to police firing since the Centre’s decision.
Here are the main highlights from the Parliament:
- Amit Shah told the Rajya Sabha that the internet in Kashmir will be restored soon. “As we all know, the situation in Kashmir remains tensed due to threats from across the border. As far as internet is concerned, its restoration will be carried out at an appropriate time on admin inputs,” he said.
- Lok Sabha passed Chit Funds (Amendments) Bill, 2019.
लोक सभा में चिट फंड संशोधन विधेयक 2019 में चर्चा पूरी होने के बाद विपक्ष के संशोधनों पर वोटिंग pic.twitter.com/9S5u12FK3G
— Lok Sabha TV (@loksabhatv) November 20, 2019
- Earlier in the day, the withdrawal of Special Protection Group (SPG) cover to former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Gandhi family was the focus of discussion.
- Before the session began, Sonia Gandhi chaired a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs to discuss Parliament strategy.
- Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla inaugurated the MP health check-up centre in Parliament.
Delhi: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla inaugurated MP (Member of Parliament) Health check up centre in Parliament. Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Anurag Thakur and Ashwini Kumar Chaubey also present. pic.twitter.com/YcoFR0ZLIF
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2019
- “There is no such proposal with the government for linking Aadhaar with social media accounts of individuals,” Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
ALSO READ: Not a single person has died in police firing since August 5 in J&K: Amit Shah in RS
- Talking about National Register for Citizens (NRC), Amit Shah said the NRC exercise will be carried out across the country, asserting that “no one from any religion should be worried”.
- “The Assam exercise was carried out under a Supreme Court order. NRC will be carried out across the country, will be done in Assam again at the time, no one from any religion should be worried,” Shah said.
- “Accusing each other on the issue of pollution will not work. Every three minutes a child dies from pollution. We have to find long-term solutions,” BJP MP Gautam Gambhir.
प्रदूषण के मुद्दे पर एकदूसरे पर आरोप लगाने से काम नहीं चलेगा। हर तीन मिनट में प्रदूषण से एक बच्चे की मौत होती है। हमें दीर्घकालिक समाधान खोजने होंगेः गौतम गंभीर, बीजेपी#WinterSession #शीतकालीनसत्र @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/bTLqSi50tR
— Lok Sabha TV (@loksabhatv) November 19, 2019
- Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in Lok Sabha on ‘whether the government has taken cognizance of reports of alleged use and purchase of Pegasus spyware by government agencies’: Some statements have appeared, based on media reports, regarding this. These attempts to malign government for reported breach are misleading. Government is committed to protect the fundamental rights of citizens, including the right to privacy.
- Government operates strictly as per provisions of law and laid down protocols. There are adequate provisions in the IT Act, 2000 to deal with hacking, spyware etc, he added.
- The Lower House of Parliament has been adjourned till 11 am tomorrow.
The Winter Session of Parliament, which will observe 20 sittings, began on November 18 and will continue till December 13. This marks the 250th Session of Rajya Sabha.