New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that his government is ready to reply to all questions in Parliament but asserted that the dignity of the house must be maintained.
“The government is willing to answer every question. We want questions in Parliament and also peace. Whatever voices are raised against the government or government policies – the dignity of Parliament and the Speaker’s Chair should be upheld.
We should maintain the sort of conduct that will inspire younger generations,” PM Modi said in his traditional remarks ahead of a new session.
The Prime Minister also put out a warning on the new Covid variant ‘Omicron’, urging all MPs and others to be cautious “as everyone’s health is a priority in this hour of crisis”.
We all should stay alert in view of the new variant of COVID-19, PM Modi said.
Speaking ahead of the Winter Session, PM Modi said that citizens want Parliament to debate on issues of national interest, find ways for the development of the country.
The Winter Session of Parliament is set to begin on a stormy note from today, with the government ready to bring in a bill to repeal the three contentious farm laws.
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill is slated to be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting for the past one year to repeal the three legislations.
The bill states that though “only a small group of farmers are protesting” against these legislations, the need of the hour is to take along everyone for inclusive growth.
The ruling BJP and main opposition party Congress have issued whips to their MPs to be present on the day.
Target the government on the issue of farmers’ plight
The opposition will seek to target the government on the issue of farmers’ plight as well as their demand for legal backing for a minimum support price.
Congress has also demanded a condolence resolution for the farmers who died during the year-long protests against the three laws.
Besides the repeal bill, the government has listed 25 draft legislations for the Parliament session, including one to ban all but a few private cryptocurrencies while allowing an official digital currency by the RBI.
A report of the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 will also be tabled in the two Houses during the session.
The bill, seeking to provide for the protection of personal data of individuals and establish a Data Protection Authority for the same, was brought in Parliament in 2019 and was referred to the joint committee for further scrutiny on the demand of opposition members.
The main objection of opposition members was granting “unbridled powers” to the central government to exempt any of its probe agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI, from the purview of the entire act.
According to the government’s legislative business list for the session, three bills have also been listed to replace as many ordinances.
These three bills are Narcotics Drug and Psychotic Substances Bill to amend an act of the same name, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill.
The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill propose to extend the tenure of directors of the CVC and CBI.
There is also a politically significant bill specifically for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, to amend the SC and ST list of the state.
It is being introduced just a few months before the UP assembly election is slated to be held early next year.
Similarly, there is another bill to amend the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes list of Tripura.
Then, there is the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021, to amend the salaries act of judges of the higher judiciary.
The list of businesses also includes the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, The Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (Amendment) Bill.