Budget Session 2024 Parliament Updates | Discussion on Airlines, Their Functioning in Lok Sabha

A private member Bill brought by CPI (M) member Dr John Brittas was defeated in the Rajya Sabha. But before the Bill, which was about confining the role of Governors strictly within the bounds of the Indian Constitution, was defeated, interesting scenes were witnessed in the Upper House of the Parliament. The BJP MPs pushed the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh to call a vote in their favour. Then, a division takes place and the Bill is defeated and now allowed to be introduced.

During the Voice Vote, a few Ayes and one No were heard in the Upper House. The BJP MPs protested against this. The Chair asks Brittas to defend his Bill. However, one BJP MP opposed it. There is a heated exchange between Brittas and BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi.

Then again a Voice Vote is taken. This time, Ayes and Noes are heard in equal force. The Deputy Chairman says 'Ayes' have it. BJP MPs protested once again. The Deputy Chairman said a division is needed but again this is too opposed by the BJP MPs. Union Minister Piyush Goyal claimed that the Harivansh mistakenly said that Ayes have it and if he says Noes have it, there will be no need for division of votes.

A Voice Vote is once again held and the Deputy Chairman suggested that a Division should take place. RJD MP Prof Manoj Jha requested the Chair to follow the procedure. First voting through the Voting Machine happened which showed that Ayes - 11 and Noes 54. Then slips of paper are distributed and the results (subject to correction) showed - Ayes 21, Noes - 56. The Bill is eventually defeated.

DMK member from Chennai North Dr Kalaneedhi Veerraswamy said when the flights are cancelled it becomes a big challenge. "Since their booking are made online, they say payments are made online. A few people from Kerala were stranded a few weeks back and they were not given services. This issue also happened in Jaffna, the passengers were stranded and they had no clue where they could stay. Indian Airlines make announcements in two languages."

Congress member from South Goa Captain Viriato Fernandes said there are attempts to close down Dambolim Airport."The airlines have shifted operations to Mopa including Spicejet," he quipped.

SP member from Shrawasti said Ram Shiromani Varma also spoke on the issue of rising airfares and he was the last speaker of the day after which the Speaker adjourned the House till Monday, July 29 till 11 AM.

A discussion is underway in Lok Sabha on the functioning of the airlines in the country. Congress MP from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla said, "Airlines raised the fares during the COVID-19 but have not reduced after that. Amritsar is a tourist city and daily 1.50 lakh tourists come." He urged the government to form a committee to regulate airfares.

BJP MP from Cuttak Bharatruhari Mahtab said that he was not against the privatisation of airports. "The airlines are taking advantage of this surging demand. We need something like SEBI," quipped Mahtab.

Rajya Sabha proceedings was adjourned for an hour after treasury and opposition members caused an uproar in the House over the issue of reservation. The ruckus began after Congress MP Neeraj Dangi said that in 1993, the Congress government under then prime minister PV Narasimha Rao made provision of 27 per cent reservation for social and educationally backwards through office memorandum which was later challenged in the Supreme Court. Amid the uproar, Dangi continued his speech demanding a caste-based census and removing the 50 per cent reservation limit. As treasury bench members started raising slogans against the Congress, S Phangnon Konyak, who was in Chair, adjourned the House for an hour at 3 pm.

Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers J P Nadda informed the Lok Sabha about the robust system which is in place to examine the quality of medicines. He was responding to the concerns raised by members about the quality of exported cough syrups.

He assuaged the fears of the members, including Congress member Gaurav Gogoi. “World’s Most effective and cheapest medicines are produced in India,” he said. Speaker Om Birla who was in the chair said he had to ask the government to increase exports of medicines in line with the requests he had received from several countries he had visited in the past. On the comments by the Department of Pharmaceuticals on small drugmakers, Nadda said they were initiating departmental proceedings against the erring officer who has sent out an informal mail to drugmakers.

The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned due to a heated debate between the opposition and the treasury benches over certain remarks on West Bengal and on an alleged scam in Karnataka. Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Kalyan Banerjee sought the Speaker Om Birla's attention to raise the issue of the division of West Bengal which was referred to as by Union Minister Sukanata Majumdar and BJP leader Nishikant Dubey.

The Speaker disallowed the request, ruling that the remarks by Majumdar were outside the House and that of Dubey was made in the "Zero Hour" mention. BJP MP PC Mohan sought to raise a scam in a corporation in Karnataka and has alleged links to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This too was disallowed by the Speaker. Disgruntled TMC members trooped into the Well of the House, resorting to sloganeering about protecting West Bengal. The House, which was adjourned till 12.30 pm, resumed.

Lok Sabha paid tributes to the armed forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas, marking India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war. Speaker Om Birla briefly recounted the showcase of bravery by the Indian soldiers in the tough conditions that prevailed during the war. He said their efforts united the country and paid his tributes. In the 1999 Kargil war, over 500 soldiers were killed in action and helped their country win the war. The House observed silence to pay their respect for the departed souls.

On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced that it has pulled off a mammoth victory in 'Operation Vijay', in a battle that lasted for nearly three-months -long battle in Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

Chaos prevailed in Rajya Sabha in terms of addressing the House, during the 'Zero Hour' discussion. Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu P Chidambaram wanted to know why unlisted business items were being taken up in the House. The member wanted to know how this can find its way in the revised list of business, which has already been shared with the numbers.

P.T. Usha's application for leave of absence in lieu of her trip leading the Indian contingent in the Paris 2024 Olympics. She has sought leave of absence from July 24 - August 12. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said she is leading the Indian contingent to the (Paris 2024) Olympics. Does she have permission? The Vice President asked. She was granted leave of absence after the vote. Permission to remain absent, granted, Jagdeep Dhankar said in his ruling admitting her application.

A private member Bill brought by CPI (M) member Dr John Brittas was defeated in the Rajya Sabha. But before the Bill, which was about confining the role of Governors strictly within the bounds of the Indian Constitution, was defeated, interesting scenes were witnessed in the Upper House of the Parliament. The BJP MPs pushed the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh to call a vote in their favour. Then, a division takes place and the Bill is defeated and now allowed to be introduced.

During the Voice Vote, a few Ayes and one No were heard in the Upper House. The BJP MPs protested against this. The Chair asks Brittas to defend his Bill. However, one BJP MP opposed it. There is a heated exchange between Brittas and BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi.

Then again a Voice Vote is taken. This time, Ayes and Noes are heard in equal force. The Deputy Chairman says 'Ayes' have it. BJP MPs protested once again. The Deputy Chairman said a division is needed but again this is too opposed by the BJP MPs. Union Minister Piyush Goyal claimed that the Harivansh mistakenly said that Ayes have it and if he says Noes have it, there will be no need for division of votes.

A Voice Vote is once again held and the Deputy Chairman suggested that a Division should take place. RJD MP Prof Manoj Jha requested the Chair to follow the procedure. First voting through the Voting Machine happened which showed that Ayes - 11 and Noes 54. Then slips of paper are distributed and the results (subject to correction) showed - Ayes 21, Noes - 56. The Bill is eventually defeated.

DMK member from Chennai North Dr Kalaneedhi Veerraswamy said when the flights are cancelled it becomes a big challenge. "Since their booking are made online, they say payments are made online. A few people from Kerala were stranded a few weeks back and they were not given services. This issue also happened in Jaffna, the passengers were stranded and they had no clue where they could stay. Indian Airlines make announcements in two languages."

Congress member from South Goa Captain Viriato Fernandes said there are attempts to close down Dambolim Airport."The airlines have shifted operations to Mopa including Spicejet," he quipped.

SP member from Shrawasti said Ram Shiromani Varma also spoke on the issue of rising airfares and he was the last speaker of the day after which the Speaker adjourned the House till Monday, July 29 till 11 AM.

A discussion is underway in Lok Sabha on the functioning of the airlines in the country. Congress MP from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla said, "Airlines raised the fares during the COVID-19 but have not reduced after that. Amritsar is a tourist city and daily 1.50 lakh tourists come." He urged the government to form a committee to regulate airfares.

BJP MP from Cuttak Bharatruhari Mahtab said that he was not against the privatisation of airports. "The airlines are taking advantage of this surging demand. We need something like SEBI," quipped Mahtab.

Rajya Sabha proceedings was adjourned for an hour after treasury and opposition members caused an uproar in the House over the issue of reservation. The ruckus began after Congress MP Neeraj Dangi said that in 1993, the Congress government under then prime minister PV Narasimha Rao made provision of 27 per cent reservation for social and educationally backwards through office memorandum which was later challenged in the Supreme Court. Amid the uproar, Dangi continued his speech demanding a caste-based census and removing the 50 per cent reservation limit. As treasury bench members started raising slogans against the Congress, S Phangnon Konyak, who was in Chair, adjourned the House for an hour at 3 pm.

Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers J P Nadda informed the Lok Sabha about the robust system which is in place to examine the quality of medicines. He was responding to the concerns raised by members about the quality of exported cough syrups.

He assuaged the fears of the members, including Congress member Gaurav Gogoi. “World’s Most effective and cheapest medicines are produced in India,” he said. Speaker Om Birla who was in the chair said he had to ask the government to increase exports of medicines in line with the requests he had received from several countries he had visited in the past. On the comments by the Department of Pharmaceuticals on small drugmakers, Nadda said they were initiating departmental proceedings against the erring officer who has sent out an informal mail to drugmakers.

The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned due to a heated debate between the opposition and the treasury benches over certain remarks on West Bengal and on an alleged scam in Karnataka. Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Kalyan Banerjee sought the Speaker Om Birla's attention to raise the issue of the division of West Bengal which was referred to as by Union Minister Sukanata Majumdar and BJP leader Nishikant Dubey.

The Speaker disallowed the request, ruling that the remarks by Majumdar were outside the House and that of Dubey was made in the "Zero Hour" mention. BJP MP PC Mohan sought to raise a scam in a corporation in Karnataka and has alleged links to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This too was disallowed by the Speaker. Disgruntled TMC members trooped into the Well of the House, resorting to sloganeering about protecting West Bengal. The House, which was adjourned till 12.30 pm, resumed.

Lok Sabha paid tributes to the armed forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas, marking India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war. Speaker Om Birla briefly recounted the showcase of bravery by the Indian soldiers in the tough conditions that prevailed during the war. He said their efforts united the country and paid his tributes. In the 1999 Kargil war, over 500 soldiers were killed in action and helped their country win the war. The House observed silence to pay their respect for the departed souls.

On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced that it has pulled off a mammoth victory in 'Operation Vijay', in a battle that lasted for nearly three-months -long battle in Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

Chaos prevailed in Rajya Sabha in terms of addressing the House, during the 'Zero Hour' discussion. Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu P Chidambaram wanted to know why unlisted business items were being taken up in the House. The member wanted to know how this can find its way in the revised list of business, which has already been shared with the numbers.

P.T. Usha's application for leave of absence in lieu of her trip leading the Indian contingent in the Paris 2024 Olympics. She has sought leave of absence from July 24 - August 12. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said she is leading the Indian contingent to the (Paris 2024) Olympics. Does she have permission? The Vice President asked. She was granted leave of absence after the vote. Permission to remain absent, granted, Jagdeep Dhankar said in his ruling admitting her application.