Parliament roundup: Third day washed out amid Oppn protests over price rise

New Delhi, July 20: The third day of the monsoon session of parliament was marked by disruptions and sloganeering. Both the houses were adjourned for the day on Wednesday amid vociferous protests by Opposition members over price rise and the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on some daily-use items.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till tomorrow earlier in the day, but Lok Sabha that resumed at 4pm could only work for a few minutes during which panel speaker Midhun Reddy repeatedly urged opposition MPs to be seated. However, they continued to hold placards and shout slogans, "Jawab do, jawab do", prompting the Lower House to be adjourned for the day as well.

Here's how the day unfolded:

Opposition MPs carry Milk, Curd packets to protest GST Rates
Opposition members, some displaying placards and shouting slogans, trooped into the Well of the Lower House on Wednesday. Some were also seen carrying packets of milk, buttermilk, butter and curd to protest against the levying of GST.

Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that he would give them the opportunity to raise the issues during Zero Hour. "This House is for discussions and not for shouting slogans. This kind of conduct is not appropriate for the decorum of the House and there is a process to be followed by the members," he said.

Govt obstinacy reason for dent in Parliament proceedings: Cong on demand for discussion on GST hike
The Congress alleged the Parliament's functioning is being affected because of the government's obstinacy to not allow the Opposition's demand for a discussion on hike in GST on food items.

Congress General Secretary and Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition has been demanding an urgent discussion on inflation and hike in GST rates but is being denied.

118 civilians killed since August 2019 in J&K; 21 of them Hindus
As many as 118 civilians, including five Kashmiri Pandits and 16 other Hindus and Sikhs, were killed in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the government said on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai also said in Rajya Sabha that 5,502 Kashmiri Pandits have been provided jobs in different departments of government of Jammu and Kashmir in the valley and no Kashmiri Pandit has reportedly migrated from the valley since August 2019.

Substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 2018 to 2021
There has been a substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 2018 to 2021, Union Minister Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Rai said there has been substantial decline in terrorist attacks in last three years - from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021.

"From August 5, 2019 till July 9, 2022, 128 security force personnel and 118 civilians were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Out of 118 civilians killed, 5 were Kashmiri Pandits and 16 belonged to other Hindu and Sikh communities," he said, in a written reply to a question. He said no pilgrim has been killed during this period.

'Inclination To radical ideologies miniscule in India': Centre in Lok Sabha
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that global terrorist groups and foreign agencies have been making efforts to radicalise people, however, "inclination towards radical ideologies is miniscule" as compared to the population of the country.

In a written answer, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the government has made efforts to stop the inclination to radical ideologies owing to various factors, and the efforts by the government include "promotion of composite culture and coexistence among various communities" and "constitutional safeguards to minorities".

Govt to lay annual report of National Human Rights Commission for 2019-20

In the Upper House, MoS for home affairs Nityanand Rai will be laying the Annual Report of the National Human Rights Commission for the year 2019-20 and will also be discussing the actions taken on the recommendations made in the report.

Individual info collected for census not made public or used in database like NRC: MHA

The Union home ministry said individual information collected for the census is not made public or used for preparation of any other database including the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and only aggregated data at various administrative levels is released.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha that the census scheduled in 2021 and related field activities got postponed until further orders due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, adding when held, it will be the first digital census with provision for self enumeration.

"The individual data collected in census under the Census Act, 1948 are not made public as per the provisions contained in the Act. Only the aggregated census data at various administrative levels are released," he said in a written reply to a question.

In the census, Rai said data is collected on demographic and various socio-economic parameters like education, SC, ST, religion, language, marriage, fertility, disability, occupation and migration of the individuals. "The individual data are not used for the preparation of any other database including National Register of Citizens," he said.