SIR disrupts Parliament; JP Nadda calls it double standards
NEW DELHIl Parliament proceedings were disrupted on Thursday as opposition parties protested the revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, while in RS, leader of the House JP Nadda accused them of displaying "double standards" by walking out when home minister Amit Shah started replying to the debate on Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, insisting that a reply come from PM Modi.
Nadda cited a precedent from the Congress-led UPA government era, when a discussion on the home ministry's statement on the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks was replied to by the then PM and home minister in LS, and then by the home minister in RS.
LoP in RS Mallikarjun Kharge, however, later clarified that the opposition had not walked out against Shah's replying to the debate but to protest his remark "main akela hi apko nipat lunga (I can handle you myself)".
"We said PM is here, please call him to the House...," he said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju underlined that the PM replied to the debate in LS for 1.42 hours on Tuesday and said the govt has collective responsibility and the opposition doesn't get to decide who will speak.
Nadda sought to remind the opposition that the Chair had made it clear during a BAC meeting and in RS that it's the govt's prerogative to decide which minister should speak and reply.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Govt rules out changes to DPDP act, FAQs to address concerns soon: Report
The government does not see any scope for making changes in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and may issue a detailed reply soon to explain issues raised by journalists and civil rights bodies, an official source said on Friday. Civil rights and journalists' bodies on Wednesday expressed apprehension over the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, saying the provisions under it may fail the Right to Information (RTI) Act and end press freedom. "The (DPDP) Act has been passed by Parliament. Therefore no changes can be made now. Rules are being processed which can only be framed within the ambit of the Act," the source said. Government sources said the DPDP Act and draft rules under it have been framed after receiving thousands of inputs from multiple entities. About government assurance on frequently asked questions (FAQs), the source said it will be issued soon. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said deletion of the proviso in the RTI Act that recognises citizens' right to information as being at par with that of legislators is "completely unwarranted", and urged IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to pause, review, and repeal the amendment made to the original legislation of 2005. Vaishnaw had responded to Ramesh, saying that personal details that are subject to public disclosure under various laws will continue to be disclosed under the RTI Act after the implementation of the new data protection rule. Supreme Court lawyer and convenor of The Campaign for Judicial Accountability & Judicial Reforms (CJAR) Prashant Bhushan alleged that the Act bars and amends RTI Act to stop sharing of personal identifiable information without consent. According to the civil rights bodies, the provision not only kills the RTI Act but also discourages journalists and whistleblowers from exposing names of corrupt officials without their consent. According to civil rights bodies and activists, the DPDP Act removes provisions under the RTI Act that will enable government bodies to withhold information under the garb of personal information. Former High Court Justice A P Shah in an open letter to Attorney General of India on July 28 said Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act replaces the narrowly tailored exemption in Section 8(1)(j) with an overbroad provision for withholding information, and removing the "public interest" override. "This enables public authorities to deny information simply by classifying it as 'personal,' regardless of its public relevance or importance," he said. National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) Co-Convenor Anjali Bharadwaj last month said that RTI empowers people to get to know where their files are stuck, details of contractors associated with public projects, surveys to check beneficiaries under the scheme and to verify if they have received the benefits, etc. She said all these information will stop under the garb of restrictions imposed on seeking personal identifiable data under data protection rules. "There are no specific exemptions to journalists under the Act which was clearly mentioned under the previous drafts. There is a clear demand to add exemptions for journalists under the rules, or else press freedom will end," Bharadwaj said. She said the Act gives complete power to the government to control the Data Protection Board that has power to impose up to Rs 500 crore. "No government should be given as much discretion as this Act gives to them. At present, there is a BJP government; tomorrow, there may be some other government. The Act should not give excess power to any government to use the provisions at their sole discretion," Bharadwaj said. Press Club of India Vice-President Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty said journalist bodies have handed over a memorandum to Ministry of Electronics and IT Secretary that was signed by over 1,000 journalists expressing concern over the DPDP Act. "Earlier drafts had a line which said that journalistic work will be exempted but it was dropped. We are asking the government to bring in an amendment that is our primary demand and include that line because it will directly impact our works," Pisharoty said. She said there is hope that the ministry will listen to journalists' demands. "This is a rightful demand. This is something that we are very keen on and we are not going to step back. We also told the authorities that we should not be pushed to a situation where we come to the street or go looking for a legal option," Pisharoty said. The DPDP Act, 2023 is a comprehensive data privacy law to regulate the processing of digital personal data. Draft DPDP Rules, 2025, which aim to operationalise the Act, were published for public consultation, receiving 6,915 feedback/inputs from citizens and stakeholders, according to an official release. Civil rights bodies have expressed apprehension that the centre may selectively target media by misusing the power under the DPDP Act.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fake FB clip on PM: HC grants bail to accused
Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has granted bail to a man accused of sharing edited videos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the context of Indo-Pak tensions and Operation Sindoor . Justice Krishan Pahal passed this order on Aug 4 on the condition that the accused— Shahrukh Khan— shall not tamper with the evidence during the trial and appear before the trial court on the fixed date. It was alleged in the FIR lodged at Sasani police station in Hathras district that the main accused Ashraf Khan edited and posted videos related to the India-Pakistan conflict. The FIR alleged that these acts were stated to be seditious, inciting war against the Indian govt and aimed at endangering India's sovereignty, unity and integrity. During the court proceedings, counsel for Shahrukh, who was arrested on May 16, argued that he was not named in the FIR and the main allegations concerned Ashraf Khan, who had allegedly uploaded the content. It was argued that Shahrukh was merely accused of sharing the video. It was further contended that he had nothing to do with the offence and that his account had been misused by somebody else. Considering the facts and circumstances, the court in its order dated Aug 4 found it a fit case to release the applicant on bail. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
All eligible women in Kotia to get Subhadra money: Parida
Koraput: State govt has decided to cover all eligible women of Kotia panchayat in Koraput's Pottangi block under , irrespective of whether their Aadhaar cards are issued by Odisha or neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, deputy chief minister Pravati Parida announced on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Parida, who holds the portfolio of women and child development, is on a two-day visit to Koraput to review the implementation of various state govt schemes. Earlier, at least 246 women of Kotia panchayat were excluded from the Subhadra scheme as they possessed Aadhaar cards from Andhra Pradesh. "The govt has now decided to include all eligible beneficiaries, regardless of the state mentioned in their Aadhaar," Parida added. She said the 246 women will receive all three instalments under the scheme, a total of Rs 15,000, during a programme in Jeypore on Saturday, which will be attended by CM Mohan Charan Majhi. Parida further announced that Kotia's 26 existing anganwadi centres will be strengthened, with more to be set up, if required. Plans are also underway to open a Lakhpati Didi training centre to provide skill-based training to women. A mini secretariat will be constructed in Kotia to house multiple govt offices for more effective execution and monitoring of development projects. "Our aim is for holistic development of Kotia and nothing can deter us from it," Parida added. The two states have been involved in a legal tussle over the ownership of 21 out of 28 villages in Kotia panchayat. Since 1968, the matter is sub judice in the Supreme Court.
