Parliament winter session live: Unfair to call Chandrayaan-2 unsuccessful, no other country attempted this venture, says Jitendra Singh

The fourth day of the Winter Session of Parliament witnessed the Congress raise the matter of electoral bonds in Parliament as it has already given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over 'lack of transparency in the entire scheme of electoral bonds'. Congress MP Manish Tewari raised the issue of electoral bonds in Lok Sabha.

This comes a day after it targeted the government alleging that it is nothing less than "money laundering". The Congress has also alleged that the electoral bond scheme of the Narendra Modi government is a modus operandi to receive thousands of crores from big business houses through multiple donations.

The issue of the hazardous air pollution in Delhi will also be discussed in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha around 2 pm and Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar will give a reply at 4 pm.

Here are the live updates:

21 November 2019

17:06 IST

Javadekar says the Jan Andolan should also include the pollution caused by traffic, which is also noise and air. He said that individuals have to fight the menace together by taking some basic steps such as using environment-friendly fuel and avoiding honking their cars unnecessarily as part of conscious effort.

17:04 IST

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar responds to the issues raised in Rajya Sabha regarding pollution. He pointed out that pollution in the Indo-Gangetic plain is higher than in other places and went on to explain that it is because there is more moisture and dust in these regions.

The environment minister further proposes a Jan Andolan or large scale movement where individuals take the initiative to plant trees and students are encouraged in schools to plant saplings and take the responsibility to ensure that their plants grow into trees.

17:03 IST

Hema Malini raises issue of 'terror' of monkeys in Lok Sabha, says they now want 'samosa or fruity'

Read full story here.

14:05 IST

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, in Lok Sabha: More than 100 projects of the 305 projects sanctioned to clean the Ganga have been completed. Rs 20,000 crores were disbursed for the project against which work of more than Rs 28,000 crores have been allocated.

13:02 IST

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, "Question hour is over. Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm. We will be taking up air pollution call attention notice. I request all members to be present in the House.".

12:52 IST

On Chandrayaan-2

It will be unfair to call it unsuccessful. No other country in the world has attempted this venture. PM Narendra Modi was present, despite setback landing, we must learn that Chandrayaan's journey has been successful. Scientific objectives have been fully accomplished. The entry into the lunar area was successful. The orbiter has functional normally and it is not a failure 

12:52 IST

EAM S Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha: Ability of spouses of H1B visa holders working in US to work was introduced in 2015. This category of visa is covered in H4 visa. Indians today account for 93% of total number of visas issued in this category. There is a court order to the effect to continue the program. Trump Administration has indicated that it may review it sometime.

12:02 IST

Congress MP Manish Tewari in Lok Sabha: I want to draw the attention of the House towards electoral bonds. The electoral bond scheme was limited to elections. RTI in 2018 revealed that government overruled Reserve Bank of India on electoral bonds.

11:58 IST

Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel reached Parliament with an urn carrying the soil of Jallianwala Bagh. He will handover the urn to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajya Sabha passed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill on November 19.

Delhi: Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel reached the Parliament today with an urn carrying the soil of Jallianwala Bagh. He will handover the urn to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajya Sabha passed the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill on November 19th. pic.twitter.com/xfWO7ztbp4

— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2019

11:56 IST

Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP on Electoral Bonds: When electoral bonds were introduced, many of us had raised serious objections about how it could easily become a way for rich corporations and individuals to influence improperly political parties, particularly the ruling party.

11:37 IST

"Pragya Thakur, a terror accused & Godse fanatic has been nominated by the BJP govt. to be a member of the Parliamentary Panel on Defence. This move is an insult to our nation's defence forces, to our nation's esteemed parliamentarians & to every Indian. PM Modi has finally forgiven Pragya Thakur! It is an insult to the brave soldiers who protect the country from terrorists, to place the accused in the terror attack committee on the defence ministry committee," said Congress.

11:36 IST

Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur was made part of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defence. The 21-member panel will be headed by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The Parliamentary Consultative Committee also includes the likes of opposition leaders Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress' Sougata Roy, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) A Raja and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar.

11:36 IST

BJP MP Sakaldeep Rajbhar has given Zero hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over "employment opportunities for workers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand."

11:36 IST

Nationalist Congress Party MP Vandana Chavan has given Zero hour notice in Rajya sabha over the matter of fee hike in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

11:26 IST

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to Opposition MPs raising slogans in the House during Question Hour: It is our duty to maintain the dignity of the House. Please do not come to the well of the house. I have always given all a chance for debate and discussion.

11:25 IST

Left Congress gave notice on the issue of electoral bonds and PSUs. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu refused to suspend zero house, saying that the business of the house is more important. “I allowed the discussion on Wednesday on the issues of public importance,” said Naidu. The Chairman was reacting to the notices of the Opposition leaders –BK Hariprasad, KK Ragesh and Elamaram Kareem.

11:24 IST

Rajya Sabha proceedings have been adjourned till 12 pm as Opposition members protested over various issues.

11:24 IST

TMC has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over "implementation of NRC all over the country"

11:23 IST

Congress has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over 'lack of transparency in the entire scheme of electoral bonds'. According to sources, Congress MP Manish Tewari will raise the issue of electoral bonds in Lok Sabha.

11:23 IST

AAP MP Sanjay Singh has given Zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over the issue of "tribal people displaced from their land".

11:22 IST

TDP MP K Ravindra Kumar has given Zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over "delay in construction of new capital city of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh."

11:22 IST

CPI has given Suspension of Business notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 267 over "selling of entire stake in 5 PSUs including BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited)"

11:22 IST

MDMK MP Vaiko has given zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over 'flight announcements at airports to be made in regional language' 

11:22 IST

DMK has given Adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over "denial of 27% reservation in medical admission under all India quota to OBCs"

11:22 IST

BJP MP Sakal Deep Rajbhar has given zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over employment opportunities for workers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.