New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP MPs to proactively counter the Opposition's misleading charges on the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and hit out at the Congress, saying it is in a coma and is unable to digest the BJP coming to power.
Addressing a meeting of BJP parliamentary party, the Prime Minister said that the government was willing to hold discussions in both Houses of Parliament, but the Opposition was showing the most irresponsible behaviour.
Facing flak from the opposition on his government's response to the pandemic, Modi said the Covid-19 crisis is not a political but a humanitarian issue and the government has ensured no one goes hungry. He also asked the MPs to ensure that the Covid-19 vaccination drive is carried out smoothly in their constituencies.
Sharing the details of the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the Prime Minister expressed concern about the attitude of the opposition, especially the Congress which still believes that only it has the right to be in power.
JOSHI SPEAK
Such a pandemic has been witnessed by the world after almost 100 years. Last time, in such a situation, people faced a severe food shortage, but this time the government ensured that no one slept hungry, Joshi said quoting the PM as telling the meet.
PROVISIONS FOR FREE
Modi stressed despite the pandemic, a large section of the population got free ration, and told the BJP MPs that providing relief to the people was their responsibility and not a favour, as per Joshi.
Corona deaths could be over 52L: Kharge
After the opposition parties agreed to discuss Covid issue in the Rajya Sabha, some members started sloganeering when House resumed at 1 pm. Amid the ruckus, Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “I feel insulted as I was not allowed to speak. I have been member for 50 years and did not lose election except in 2019 when the election was rigged.” Kharge continued the discussion after the House resumed and started with paying tributes to corona warriors and said during the second wave, there was complete chaos and pathetic condition was witnessed specially in the Ganga. He said, “The government’s number on deaths is incorrect as India has over 6 lakh villages and if 5 persons died in a village, over 31 lakh people have died but if you add urban centres, the data could be over 52 lakh people who succumbed to Covid-19. The govt is releasing incorrect data, so its necessary to expose them.”
He attacked the RSS also on Mohan Bhagwat's statement on Covid who had said that those who died due to Covid are free from the cycle of life and death.
In Parliament
-- 80 dead, 204 missing after Feb 7 avalanche in U’khand: Govt informs Lok Sabha
-- Identification of Lakshadweep problems a continuous process: MHA to LS
-- Parliament room held in past by Vajpayee, Advani set to get new occupant; Nadda visits it with party leaders
-- Rs40,000 crore approved to deal with Covid-19 pandemic, to ramp up of health infrastructure
‘Erasing’ Vajpayee from Parliament Room after 17 yrs! New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's nameplate was removed on Tuesday from a room in Parliament building, 17 years after he was voted out of office. Even 3 years after Vajpayee’s death in 2018, the nameplate has stayed at the entrance of Room No. 4, alongside that of another BJP veteran, LK Advani. BJP chief JP Nadda will now take over the room that has historic significance for the party. Nadda had so far been using a room reserved for the leader of the Rajya Sabha.
ROOM STORY n The room, right next to the BJP’s office in Parliament, was not reassigned after 2004, when the Vajpayee-led BJP lost the election and the Congress-led UPA coalition came to power.
-The room stayed with Vajpayee, who was chairperson of the NDA. But he hardly ever used it.
- Advani’s name was added in 2009 and he used the room right up to 2019, when he and other veterans were dropped as BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha election.
- In 2014, when PM Modi came to power after a spectacular BJP comeback, Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were among those made members of a mentors’ group with no active role in the BJP’s decision-making.
- When Advani’s nameplate was removed one day, he reportedly sat in the Central Hall, upset.
- The next day the nameplate was restored, as per sources.
TMC protests over snooping
Kolkata
Trinamool lawmakers staged a sit-in protest in-front of Parliament over the snooping issue.
Ahead of the Parliament session, Trinamool MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay said he suspects West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s phone was also hacked. “If Abhishek Banerjee’s number was on the list of being hacked, I suspect even TMC supremo’s number was hacked. The BJP-led Centre should come out clean on this,” said Sudip.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien addressing a virtual press meet stated the BJP has done a breach of privacy for which the saffron camp should be taken down under Sections 43 and 66 of IPC.
“On numerous occasions, WB CM Mamata Banerjee has asked the Centre to give financial aid to migrant workers but it has used millions and millions of rupees on snooping opponents. The BJP had broken all the rules and brought Covid-19 to the state (Bengal) but still couldn’t win. Shame on Modi-Shah,” slammed Derek and MP Mahua Moitra.
Adityanath slams Oppn
UP CM Yogi Adityanath said: “For the past 2 days, the Oppn has been trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the country over the Pegasus issue and it only proves their sick mentality. Cong govts had been doing such things during their tenures and now the party is following the same while in Oppn.”
Violation of privacy: SP
SP President Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “Listening to personal conversation of people by spying upon their phone is a gross violation of right to privacy. If the BJP is getting this done, then this is punishable and if the BJP govt is saying it does not have the information about this, then it is its failure on national security.”
Maya: probe impartially
BSP president Mayawati tweet said, “The dirty game of espionage and blackmailing is not a new thing, but breaching privacy with the help of very expensive equipments, minutely spying on ministers, opposition leaders, officers and journalists, etc. is a very serious matter. There is sensation across the country after it has been busted.”
-- 4 Covid vaccine candidates are at different stages of human trials while one, developed by Genique Life Sciences, is in the advanced pre-clinical stage, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday. In a written response to a question in RS, Singh said Cadila Healthcare Ltd’s DNA-based vaccine candidate is in Phase 3 clinical trial.
-- It has also submitted the interim data for emergency use authorisation.
-- Biological E Ltd’s vax candidate is also in Ph 3 clinical trial.
-- Bharat Biotech International Ltd's Adeno intranasal vaccine candidate is in phase three clinical trial, while Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd's mRNA-vaccine candidate is in Phase one clinical trial.
