Opposition floor leaders to meet today to discuss strategy for Parliament's ongoing winter session

New Delhi: A meeting of Opposition floor leaders from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is scheduled to be held on Tuesday. The meeting will be held at 10 am in the Chamber of Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out the strategy for the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.

On Monday, Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla led the nation in paying tributes to the security personnel and victims who lost their lives while defending the Parliament 10 years ago. 

The tributes reminded everyone about the horrific terror attack on the Parliament on December 13. Jagdish Prasad Yadav, Matbar Singh Negi, both Security Assistants of Rajya Sabha Secretariat, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable Kamlesh Kumari, who were posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, were remembered for their selfless sacrifice while defending the terrorists.

Several Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians were among others across the country also remembered the sacrifice of Nanak Chand, Rampal, Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam, who were posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra.

It may be recalled that it was on December 13, 2001, that Jagdish, Matbar, Kamlesh Kumari; Nanak Chand and Rampal, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, Delhi Police; Om Prakash, Bijender Singh and Ghanshyam, Head Constables in Delhi Police; and Deshraj, a gardener, CPWD, had sacrificed their lives while defending the Parliament against the terrorist attack.

The Upper House of the Parliament was adjourned till 11 AM on Tuesday. Prior to this, the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021 was returned by Rajya Sabha. The Bill is a Money Bill. 

Earlier, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm following the ruckus created by Opposition parties over the suspension of 12 MPs. In a move that angered the Opposition and set the stage for acrimonious exchanges, a dozen members of Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha were suspended from the winter session on the very first day of the session following a motion brought in by the government.

The members were suspended for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI.

The winter session of Parliament began on November 29 and will continue till December 23.