Parliament LIVE Updates: CAA, NRC a ‘sinister design’ foiled by people, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury 

The leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday attacked the government over the NRC and CAA, saying it was a "sinister design" foiled by the people.

"Our people are coming out to save the Constitution from you," he said in the lower house while participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

Referring to the CAA and NRC, he said: "It was your sinister design foiled by the common people."

Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday voiced concern over the detention of NC leader Farooq Abdullah and attacked the government over the CAA and NRC, saying it was destroying the social fabric of the nation.

Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address in the Upper House, the ruling BJP defended the government's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir and the amended citizenship law, saying they have strengthened democracy and the nation, and slammed the opposition for backing protests like in Shaheen Bagh.

Members from the NCP, DMK, TDP and RJD said the Constitution was "under threat" and the protests against the CAA were spontaneous.

They questioned the government's intent behind detaining Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, since August 5 last year when Article 370 was scrapped.

A total of 389 people are currently in detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said detention orders has been issued against 444 people under the JK Public Safety Act since August 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated.

At present, 389 people are in detention under the PSA, he said in reply to a written question.

Regular reviews are undertaken on a case-by-case basis and accordingly, extension in detention or revocation is made based on reports of field agencies and the ground situation.

Moments after Delhi High Court rejected Centre's plea against the stay of execution of four convicts of the December 16 gangrape case, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad assured the Lok Sabha that they will be hanged soon.

"We are very strict...justice will be given to her. Convicts will be hanged soon," he assured the House.

The culprits are trying to delay punishment which is not justified, he said. Expressing deep anguish over such incidents, Prasad said, "I have deep concern in this regard."

A Congress member from Kerala on Wednesday demanded in Lok Sabha that the government announce a special incentive for the state where three cases of coronavirus have been detected.

During Zero Hour, Ramya Haridas (INC) said although the Kerala government is taking preventive steps, there is a need for more vigilance.

"It need fiscal incentive. I request the central government to announce a special package for the state and also send a full fledged team," she said.

There were over 6.83 lakh vacant posts in different central government departments, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Citing annual report of pay and research unit of the department of expenditure, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the lower house that out of the total of 38,02,779 sanctioned strength, 31,18,956 employees were in position, as on March 1, 2018.

There were 6,83,823 vacant posts as on March 1, 2018, it said.

"Vacancies in the central government are caused due to retirement, resignation, death, promotion etc. and the posts falling vacant are required to be filled as per recruitment rules by the concerned ministries/departments/ organisations," the minister said.

He said, filling up of vacant posts is a continuous process depending on the vacancies arising across ministries/departments during the year and action calendar of the recruiting agencies.

During the current year 2019-20, three recruiting agencies namely, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) have made recommendations for recruitment to around 1.34 lakh posts.

A highest of 1,16,391 recommendations were made by the RRB, 13,995 by SSC and 4,399 by UPSC, the reply said.

Further, recruiting agencies like SSC, RRB, Postal Service Board and Ministry of Defence are in process of filling up of 3,10,832 vacant posts, including 27,652 vacant posts of defence civilians, the reply said.

Recently, all ministries/departments have been requested to take time bound action to fill the existing vacancies in various ministries/departments and their attached/subordinate offices, the reply said.

"To reduce the recruitment cycle, recruiting agencies have switched over to computer based online test, interview for non-gazetted posts has been discontinued and provisional appointment is being made pending verification of antecedents of the candidates," it said.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said no foreign country has the right to interfere in the internal matters of India, and this message should be sent out loud and clear.

He said this in response to a mention by Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai of the resolution in the European Parliament against the amended citizenship act.

Raising the issue in the House in the morning session, Desai suggested that a resolution should be passed that India will not tolerate any interference from other countries in its internal matters.

Naidu said no other country has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of India.

"I want to make it very clear, as Chairman of the House and also as Vice President of the country, whatever issues are there, Indian Parliament is a sovereign authority to discuss and decide.

"Outside countries have no right to interfere in our internal affairs," Naidu said, and added other countries should take care of their own respective matters.

Congress staged walk out in Lok Sabha earlier today, demanding the release of Farooq Abdullah & other J&K leaders from detention

The government on Wednesday said there is no proposal to link social media profiles of users with their Aadhaar numbers and asserted that steps are being taken to curb spreading of fake news and pornography through social media platforms.

Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that pornography, particularly child pornography, is a "serious menace" and measures are being taken to curb it.

"Revenge porn is also rising in the country", he told Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

According to him, the government has taken several steps to keep a check on the spread of fake news, pornographic and anti-national content via social media platforms.

"There is no proposal with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to link social media profiles of users with their Aadhaar number(s)," Prasad said in a written reply.

His response was to a question on whether the government proposes to formulate any policy to link social media profile of users with their Aadhaar numbers.

Speaker Om Birla said there has to be a serious discussion on issues related to social media.

Agreeing with him, Prasad said there has to be a discussion on the issue in the House on social media misuse.

While replying to a supplementary on blocking websites that are spreading fake news and pornography, the minister also said that India should not be compared with China or the Middle East, adding, "We are a democracy".

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi wanted to know whether the government issued directions to Facebook as the first shooter at Jamia had live streamed certain things through the social media platform.

The minister said he would not comment on it since the police investigation is going on.

As many as 320 corrupt officers have been given premature retirement by the government in the past five years, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

As on January 30, 2020, based on the information uploaded by various ministries, departments and cadre controlling authorities on the probity portal operated by Department of Personnel and Training, provisions of FR 56(J)/similar rules have been invoked against 163 Group A officers, (including all India services officers) and 157 Group B officers during the period July, 2014 to December, 2019, he said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

There are three all India services -- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The provisions lay down the policy of periodic review and premature retirement of government servants.

Under the scheme announced in the Union Budget, taxpayers whose tax demands are locked in dispute in multiple forums can pay due to taxes by March 31, 2020, and get a complete waiver of interest and penalty.

I am happy to announce that in the Cabinet meeting today morning, we have a taken significant decision on the Ayodhya trust. We have readied a scheme for the development of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A trust has been formed, it is called 'Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirath Kshetra’, says PM Modi.

UP has agreed to give five acres of land to Sunni Wakf Board as directed by Supreme Court in Ayodhya matter, says PM Modi.

It was while inaugurating the Kartarpur corridor that I come to know of the SC verdict on Ram mandir, says PM Modi

Together, let us all work in the direction of building a grand Ram Mandir, says PM Modi in parliament.

In India, be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi or Jain, everyone is a part of one family. Development must take place for every member of the family. Our govt is moving forward with 'sabka sath sabka vikas' policy so that everyone is happy.

BJP MPs from Jharkhand protest in front of Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises, over the killing of tribals in the state.

BJP MP YS Chowdary has given short duration discussion notice in Rajya Sabha, over 'development of the capital of Andhra Pradesh under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014'

Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa has given zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha, over ‘need to ensure airline safety’

Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh has given zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha, over 'demand to give international status to Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna'

The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday will introduce the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas, Bill 2020 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill provides for resolution of disputs in direct tax, and was announced by the minister in the Budget for 2020-21.

The List of Business in the Lok Sabha will also see the continuation of the motion thanks on the President's address.

The Committee on the welfare of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) led by MP Tapir Gao will lay on the table the final action taken statement of the government on the recommendations pertaining to the reservation for and employment of SCs and STs in Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) of the Ministry of Defence.

The Committee on welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) led by MP Raesh Verma will present its second report on the measures undertaken to secure representation of OBCs in admissions and employment in Kendriya Vidyalayas/Sainik School/ Rashtriya Military Schools.

Union Minister Ravi Prakash Verma, on Wednesday, will present the report of the select committee on the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will make a statement regarding status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Twenty-fifth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development (2018-19) on 'Solid Waste Management including Hazardous waste, Medical waste and E-waste' pertaining to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Puri will also move the motion for election to the advisory council of the Delhi Development Authority.

Rajya Sabha will also debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address moved by Bhupendra Yadav.

Apart from this, several union ministers including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister of Labour and Employment Santosh Gangwar, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy will lay papers on the table in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.