Parliament roundup: On day 6, Amit Shah's statement on civilian killing in Nagaland & more

New Delhi, Dec 6: On the sixth day of the ongoing Winter Session in Parliament, the opposition parties continued to create ruckus seeking revocation of suspension of 12 MPs in Rajya Sabha, while in Lok Sabha the leaders condemned the killing of civilians in an anti-insurgency operation by security forces in Nagaland and demanded an impartial probe into the incident.

Members also called for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) enforced in Nagaland that allows security personnel to use force and even open fire after due warning in case of breach of law and order. Here is the round-up of day six:

Amit Shah Makes a Statement on Nagaland Tragedy

Expressing regret over the Nagaland firing incident, Home Minister Amit Shah said a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be completed within a month and asserted that all agencies must ensure such happenings do not recur while taking action against insurgents.

In a statement in Lok Sabha, he said the government is keeping a close watch on the evolving situation and necessary measures are being taken to ensure peace and tranquility in the region. The state authorities, as a precautionary measure, have imposed prohibitory orders in the affected areas, he informed the House.

Shah offered deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the case of mistaken identity on December 4 and subsequent episodes. "The Government of India sincerely regrets this unfortunate incident in Nagaland and offers its deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives," the home minister said.

Security forces opened fire on civilians killing 14 and injuring 11 more in Nagaland's Mon district in three consecutive episodes, the first of which was a case of mistaken identity, police said on Sunday. One soldier also died in rioting which followed.

Narrating the sequence of events, Shah said the Army received information on the movement of insurgents in Nagaland's Mon and '21 Para Commando' unit laid an ambush. A vehicle was signalled to stop but it tried to speed away. Suspecting the presence of insurgents in the vehicle, the security personnel opened fire, he said. Six out of eight occupants of the vehicle died in the firing by security forces, Shah said, adding that later, it was found to be "a case of mistaken identity".

Two persons who sustained injuries were evacuated to the medical facilities by the Army personnel. He said local people, on getting news of the firing, surrounded and attacked the troops and one soldier was killed in the violence while several others were injured. Shah said that in self-defence and to disperse the crowd, the troops had to open fire in which seven more civilians were killed.

Bill to correct drafting error in NDPS Act introduced in Lok Sabha

A bill was introduced in Lok Sabha to correct a drafting error in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act that rendered a key provision dealing with punishment of those financing illicit trafficking inoperable.

Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad introduced the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to replace an ordinance that was promulgated on September 30 this year.

Tharoor not to host Sansad TV show until suspension of 12 RS MPs revoked

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he is suspending hosting a talk show on Sansad TV in solidarity with the 12 Rajya Sabha members suspended from the House, and would not resume his anchoring until their suspension is revoked and a "semblance of bipartisanship restored to the conduct of Parliament".

Tharoor's decision to stop hosting the talk show "To The Point" on Sansad TV comes a day after Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who is among the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, said she has stepped down as the anchor of the Sansad TV's show "Meri Kahaani".

Rajya Sabha Adjourned After Amit Shah's Statement

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday amid protests by Opposition parties over their demand to revoke the suspension of 12 members of the House.

As soon the House reassembled at 4 pm following four adjournments of varying durations, Deputy Chairman Harivansh called Home Minister Amit Shah to give a statement on the Nagaland firing incident in which 14 civilians were killed.

Even as the minister was making a statement, Opposition members kept raising slogans against the government. Shah had made the same statement earlier in the Lok Sabha.

As soon as Shah finished his statement, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House for the day as Opposition members refused to relent and continued their uproar over the suspension of 12 MPs.

Opposition Continues to Demand Revocation of Suspension of 12 MPs

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge asked the chair to first revoke the suspension of the 12 MP and allow them to participate in the discussion. Kharge said, "In a democracy, it is a crime to run the House and start a discussion after suspending 12 members."

Patra said that the proposal for the short-term discussion was brought by them only and now they don't want to discuss it. "This topic is decided by them. The opposition wanted to discuss this and the government has agreed for this discussion," said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

"They are talking about democracy and we have agreed for it. Is it not democracy and spirit of the house?" "We are not running away from debate. We want to debate and discuss price hikes but you are seeing this. This is the hypocrisy of the opposition," Sitharaman said pointing towards the MPs who trooped in the well of the House with placards and were raising slogans.

After this, Patra asked Congress leader Anand Sharma to speak on the inflation issue as Kharge was not speaking on it. However, there was no answer. "You had given a proposal for short-duration discussion," Patra said.

Patra also called NCP MP Fouzia Khan to participate in the debate, who too asked the Chair to first revoke the suspension of the opposition MPs. Patra again called for Kharge, who asked him to first bring the House in order, then only he would speak.

You first bring the House in order: Kharge

"You first bring the House in order. I am ready to speak but you revoke the suspension," the Leader of Opposition said.

Patra requested the protesting MPs to return to their seats saying Kharge was ready to speak, The protest, however, continued. Amid the din, Leader of House Piyush Goyal said, "Now the leader of opposition claims that he is ready to speak and wants to start the discussion and asks you to bring the House in order. This is like playing a game. Their own members are here (in the Well)... The Congress members are in the House." The Leader of the Opposition "on one hand claims to bring the House in order and on other hand encourages its own MPs to be in the well," Goyal said while holding the opposition responsible for the price rise, particularly of petroleum.

Govt Passes National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill that seeks to accord institute of national importance status to six more institutes of pharmaceutical education and research, start new courses and also set up an advisory council for them.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said all seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research will have the same enhanced status after Parliament gives its nod to the bill and new NIPERs will also automatically enjoy similar provisions. Read full story...

Environment-related offences rose by 68 pc in 2020, compared to previous year: Centre

Environment-related offences have increased by 68 per cent in India in 2020 compared to the previous year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday. Responding to a query, Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Choubey said that the number of cases registered for investigation under environment-related offences have increased from 40,968 in 2019 to 68,921 in 2020.

Giving out the data of the last three years, the minister said that in 2017 the number of such cases was 44,808 and in 2018, it reduced slightly to 41,441. Out of the total number of such offences, India recorded 7,482 cases under the Noise Pollution Act in 2020, down from 8,574 in 2017, the minister said.

Data showed that the number of cases registered under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act increased from 27,407 in 2019 to 55,251 in 2020.

344 wildlife criminals Arrested in 2019-20

Responding to another query about violations under the Forest Act, the minister said that to prevent illegal trafficking of endangered animals and wildlife species and to conserve wild flora and fauna of the country, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) conducted joint operations with state enforcement agencies to apprehend criminals involved in smuggling.

"One hundred and fifty-three joint operations were conducted in 2019-20 which led to the arrest of 344 wildlife criminals, while in the year 2020-21, 101 joint operations resulted in the arrest of 304 criminals and in 2021-22 till September 2021, 74 joint operations were conducted in which 202 wildlife criminals were arrested," he said in a written response.

The WCCB also conducted capacity-building for forests and police officials on investigation of wildlife cases under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 with 26 such programs being conducted and 1,081 officials from state police and forest department being trained in 2018-19.

"Twenty-four programs were conducted and 1,102 officials trained in 2019-20, while 11 programs were conducted and 403 officials trained in 2020-21. In 2021-22 till September, 2021, three such capacity building programmes have been conducted resulting in the training of 141 officials," the MoS said.

In schools, 93 pc teaching staff, 87 pc non-teaching staff fully or partially vaccinated: Govt

Over 93 per cent teaching staff and 87 per cent non-teaching staff in schools across the country have been either fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19, with four states achieving 100 per cent coverage, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted state-wise data on the vaccination status of teaching and non-teaching staff employed in schools in response to a written question. Delhi has achieved 98.45 per cent vaccination among teaching and 98.40 per cent among non-teaching staff.

According to the data, states where 100 per cent teaching and non-teaching staff have been vaccinated are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Tripura. In terms of state-wise breakup, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed 91.9 per cent vaccination among teaching and 88.3 per cent among non-teaching staff; Uttarakhand has recorded 95.2 pc among teaching and 95.25 pc among non-teaching staff; and Odisha has achieved 95.65 pc vaccination among teaching and 93.29 pc among non-teaching staff. Kerala has recorded 97.39 pc vaccination among teaching and 97.84 pc among non-teaching staff and in Bihar 98.9 pc teaching staff and 96.6 pc non-teaching staff have been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, several states still have low vaccination coverage among non-teaching staff. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, 63.85 pc non-teaching staff has been vaccinated compared to 96.42 pc among teaching staff. In Manipur, 70.34 pc of non-teaching staff received at least one vaccine shot against 80.84 pc among teaching staff and in Haryana 68.06 pc non-teaching staff has been covered against 78.94 pc teaching staff.

38,408 schools, 2.86 lakh anganwadi centres don't have functional toilets, govt tells Rajya Sabha

As many as 38,408 schools and 2,86,310 anganwadi centres across the country do not have functional toilets, the Union government informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to a question of NCP MP Vandana Chavan in the Upper House, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel also said that 2,85,103 schools do not have handwashing facilities.

The minister said 6,50,481 schools sourced drinking water from handpumps, while 61,627 schools got it from unprotected wells. He added that 82,708 schools received drinking water from protected wells, while 4,15,102 schools had tap water supplies.

As many as 68,374 schools supplied packaged or bottled drinking water, while 1,74,632 schools accessed drinking water from "other sources". Of the 2,86,310 anganwadi centres without functional toilets, the maximum of 53,496 were in Maharashtra followed by 40,444 in Odisha.

In Rajasthan, 29,098 anganwadi centres did not have toilet facilities, while in Assam 22,819 centres lacked such facilities, Patel said. In West Bengal, 20,884 anganwadi centres did not have toilet facilities, followed by Telangana (18,072), Andhra Pradesh (14,731), Karnataka (13,518), Uttar Pradesh (12,891), Jharkhand (12,883).

According to data from the states/Union Territories 47,022 tests for quality of water have been conducted in schools and anganwadi centres, using Field Test Kits during 2021-22, Patel said. He said under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a special campaign was launched on October 2, 2020, to provide potable piped water to all schools, anganwadi centres, tribal residential schools, across rural India for ensuring safe water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for the wellbeing of children.

In reply to a separate question, Patel said 5.37 crore households have been provided tap water connections since August 2019, when the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched. Before the launch of the mission, 3.23 crore or 17 per cent of the total 18.93 crore households had tap water connections, he said, adding that under JJM, tap water connection is provided to a household for potable water in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis.