Parliament Live Updates: Lok Sabha Passes Bill To Cut Salaries Of MPs by 30%

Indian lawmakers have returned to the parliament for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government bracing for a tumultuous monsoon session as the country sets new global records in coronavirus infections amid a border standoff with China.

On Day 1 of the monsoon session Monday, 30 members of the parliament and staff tested positive for Covid-19. The government has made covid tests mandatory for those attending proceedings at the parliament and implemented social distancing measures inside the house.

Key highlights of Day 1 of Monsoon Session of Parliament:

• More than one crore migrant workers returned to their home states after the implementation of the coronavirus lockdown. (read more)
• A total of Rs 39,402.94 crore was withdrawn from employees’ provident fund accounts during the coronavirus lockdown. (read more)

Also Read: Rajnath Singh Says India-China Border Tensions Serious

Live updates and developments from Day 2 of Monsoon Session of Parliament:

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to reduce for one year the salaries of members of parliament by 30% "to meet the exigencies arising out of Covid-19 pandemic".

The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, was introduced in the Lower House on Monday. It will replace the Salary, Allowances And Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. The ordinance was cleared by the union cabinet on April 6 and promulgated the next day.

Supriya Sule, who represents the Nationalist Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, has called for cancellation of the Central Vista project.

“The Central Vista project must be cancelled, and more ventilators must be brought for the common man in this nation,” Sule said Tuesday, the second day of the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament. “Why is the government not reducing its expenditure to make sure that the costs come down?”

Congress’ members of parliament staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha demanding discussion on the India-China border issue.

Our leader AR Chowdhury wanted to send a message of solidarity to our troops and to send a stern warning to China that they should not test our patience,” Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha said. “Unfortunately, the government feels as if only they can speak in support of the army.” ANI

The morale of India’s armed forces is high and no one should doubt it, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ladakh has sent a message that people of India stand behind Indian armed forces.” he said.

Singh said troops are being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat and defence wherewithal. “They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they've done for over last many years in Siachen and Kargil.” ANI

India is committed to peacefully resolve border standoff with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says in Lok Sabha, but Indian forces will forcefully counter all Chinese aggressive action along the border.

Talking about his meeting with the Chinese defence minister in Ladakh, Singh said: “I clearly stated that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at the same time, there should be no doubt about our determination to protect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” ANI

India is ready to deal with any situation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the second day of the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.

“Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements,” he said. “Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders.

According to the defence minister, China mobilised a huge number of army battalions and armaments along the Line of Actual Control and inner areas. There are many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, and Pangong Lake’s north and south banks. “Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas,” he said.

China continues to be in illegal occupation of 38,000 sq. km. in Ladakh, Singh said. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China, he said. ANI

The India-China border issue in Ladakh remains unresolved, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Day 2 of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. "Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on border.”

According to Singh, China doesn't recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. “We consider this alignment is based on well established geographical principals.” India has told China via diplomatic channels that attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements, he added. ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is making in Lok Sabha a statement on India-China border issue along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. There was a face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15 in which Indian forces inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces, Singh says.

The government has spent nearly Rs 900 crore from PM Cares fund for ventilators, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.

Responding to questions put forth by Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Satav, Junior Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said 32,862 ventilators and 62,979 beds in government and private facilities are available for Covid-19 patients in India.

In addition, the ministry has placed an order for supply, installation and commissioning of 30,000 ICU ventilators from Bharat Electronics Ltd. All states are going to equally benefit as ventilators are being allocated based on caseload, Choubey said.

On Day 2 of parliament’s monsoon session, the Lok Sabha will take up for discussion cuts in the salary allowances of MPs and other important matters.

The Rajya Sabha is now adjourned till 9:00 am Wednesday, The Lok Sabha will now sit for proceedings at 3:00 pm. ANI

India’s coronavirus lockdown prevented 14-29 lakh Covid-19 cases and 37,000-78,000 deaths in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday—Day 2 of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

These four months were utilised to created additional health infrastructure, enhance human resource and produce within India critical elements such as PPE kits, N95 face masks and ventilators, the health minister said.

According to Vardhan,

• India’s Covid-19 fatality and recovery rates stand at 1.67% and 77.65%.
• India's cases and deaths per million stand at 3,320 and 55.

The health minister touted these stats as among the lowest globally.

“India is conducting one million tests per day, which translates to 720 tests per million population per day, much higher than the WHO-stipulated 140 tests per million per day,” Vardhan said. “A total of 5,51,89,226 samples were tested as of Sept.11.”

“I want to remind the members that the battle against Covid-19 is far from over. The government is taking all necessary measures to prevent the spread...,” he added. ANI

Also Read: India Reports Lowest Number Of Daily Infections In A Week

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri presented Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, in Rajya Sabha in Tuesday, amid questions raised by the Congress over Adani Group’s recent airport deals.

“Adani Group has won bids to operate and develop six airports. There's clear violation of norms in giving airports to a single private entity,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal said. “The government has ignored advice of some of its own ministries and departments. Changes in norms enabled Adani Group to win all six bids.”

In response, Puri reminded Venugopal of privatisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports in 2006. “ A lot is being made out about six airports. Mumbai and Delhi—the two airports privatised in 2006—account for 33% of our traffic and earnings. The six airports that were awarded in 2018 together account for only 9%,” he said.

The Rajya Sabha, meanwhile, passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020. ANI

Also Read: Gautam Adani to Buy Mumbai Airport in Bold Aviation Bet

Veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday charged that the film industry was being defamed and slammed those from the entertainment industry indulging in it, saying they are biting the hands that feed them.

Though Bachchan did not take any names, her remarks come a day after BJP's Lok Sabha MP and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan said there was problem of drug addiction in the film industry and also actor Kangana Ranaut's recent remarks calling Bollywood a "gutter".

Through a Zero Hour mention in Rajya Sabha, Bachchan said that the entertainment industry was being flogged by social media and asked the government to protect and support it. Without taking names, the Samajwadi Party MP said she completely disagrees with those who called the entertainment industry a "gutter".

"People who have made a name in this industry have called it a gutter. I completely disagree and I really disassociate," she said. In a reference to Kishan's statement in Lok Sabha on the alleged Bollywood drug cartel, Bachchan said she was "really embarrassed and ashamed". PTI