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Congress used 'lung power' to stall Parliament, halt nation's progress, says Arun Jailey

Parliament has been adjourned sine die with the Monsoon Session getting washed out amid Opposition protests.

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New Delhi: Parliament has been adjourned sine die with the Monsoon Session getting washed out amid Opposition protests. Here are the updates:

13 August 2015
15:33 PM

"Jo likha hua padhte hain woh humesha ek hi baat repeat kartey hain," says Arun Jaitley on Rahul Gandhi reportedly reading from prepared notes while speaking in Parliament yesterday. 

15:26 PM

It was Congress which always wanted resignations first and then debate. We were always ready for debate, says Jaitley.

15:20 PM

We are determined to implement the GST regime by April 1, 2016 - Arun Jaitley

15:19 PM

When one becomes senior, mature statements are expected. But the more he grows, the more he immatures, says Jaitley on Rahul Gandhi.

15:16 PM

The NDA meeting decided that we will be campaigning against the Congress behaviour in Parliament across the nation. In addition, we will be sending one minister to the parliamentary constituencies of 44 Congress MPs and nine Left MPs to hold a series of meetings there to highlight their disruptive practice in Parliament. - Arun Jaitley

15:15 PM

The NDA MP's march wasn't a protest march but an attempt to highlight that one can't have disruption without a cause, says Jaitley.

15:14 PM

Congress party's real intent was to not let the economy grow; they used 'lung power' to try and halt progress, says Arun Jaitley on Congress stalling the passage of Constitution Amendment Bill on the Goods and Services Tax.

15:09 PM

It is clear that the family that leads the Congress is not able to digest the fact that power is not in its hands, says Jaitley.

"This was a disruption without a cause," Jaitley adds. 

"This session saw many lows - never been before the supreme leader of a major party had entered the Well of the House."

"What to say of Rahul Gandhi - he can't differentiate between Parliament speech and slogans."

15:06 PM

Barring some legislations and supplementary grants, very less parliamentary work done during Monsoon Session, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tells a press conference.

"It has not just been frustrating but educating as well for the country," says Jaitley on Congress protest in Parliament.

It appears Congress has a policy to put up roadblocks in the way of another government.

14:42 PM

NDA MPs march from Vijay Chowk to President House as protest to 'Save Democracy' .

14:37 PM

Commenting on the Congress' protests during Monsoon Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan says, "My aim is to try and curb the placard raising form of protests in the House." She adds that there is window of improvement and she will keep on trying for the same.

14:29 PM

PM Modi during NDA meet said that Congress is behaving now as they did during the time of Emergency, says Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy while taking part in the NDA MPs' march to Rashtrapati Bhawan.

PM said that MPs and ministers should go to their respective constituencies and expose Congress, adds Rudy.

14:18 PM

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on the stalemate in Parliament that led to the washout of the Monsoon Session. Modi equates Congress' attitude to Emergency days.

"Congress is desperate as it wants power to remain concentrated with one family," PM Modi said while addressing a meeting of NDA MPs, as per PTI. 

"While Congress wants to save the family, BJP wants to save the nation," Modi said.

14:14 PM

NDA MPs hold a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhawan to 'Save Democracy'. 

"NDA is pro-poor, pro farmer. Now the 'Indian Growth Story' is being hampered," says Jitendra Singh, MoS PMO.

"Congress has a fascist mentality, they have no argument and no answers to the questions we asked yesterday," says Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

"People can see that Congress is a party unable to come to terms with the loss of one family's fortune after 55 years," says Smriti Irani.

"These people (Congress) feel its their birth right to remain in power, and if they don't they will hamper progress of nation," says Meenakshi Lekhi.

"Congress isn't able to digest its defeat, that's why we want to tell people about their truth," says Venkaiah Naidu.

13:39 PM

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has arrived at the President's House.

13:08 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived for the meeting of NDA MPs.

13:04 PM

"I am here to protect the people from the RSS, from Narendra Modi. I am here to defend this country from the RSS," says Rahul Gandhi.

"The way this country is heading, media will not be able to function," he adds, expressing fears that the Modi government is trying to curtail the freedom of the press.

"The way this country is heading, you have cameras, are very happy to take films, you will not be able to do it."

"You people have been banned, notices have been sent to three channels, why? Because you are doing your work," Rahul tells reporters.

"When your work clashes with the views of the RSS, your mouth will be shut. We are protecting you, remember that," he adds.

Also Read: I am here to protect this nation from RSS, Narendra Modi, says Rahul Gandhi

13:00 PM

"The judicial system of India has cleared Rajiv Gandhi. Again and again they bring it up. It makes no difference to me," says Rahul Gandhi in reaction to Sushma Swaraj raking up the Bofors scandal during her speech in Parliament yesterday.

"The judicial system of India has given a statement saying, this was a campaign against Rajiv Gandhi, there's nothing in this," he adds.

12:45 PM

"When we had lost the elections, we had thought that Narendra Modi is strong. But now, we don't think he is strong," says Rahul.

"We have realised that this PM is afraid. We will exert so much pressure that Lalit Modi will be brought back and cricket cleaned up," he adds.

12:30 PM

Sushma Swaraj spoke a lot in Parliament yesterday but did not answer the two questions we asked, says Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. 

"Arun Jaitley also defended Lalit Modi. It is clear that there are two networks in IPL. One is which the youth of the country see - batting, bowling and fielding. The other is Lalit Modi," says Rahul. 

"Lalit Modi's network is the network of corruption and operates behind closed doors," he adds.

"I have been telling the PM. This is a big opportunity for you, to catch Lalit Modi and bring him back and clean up cricket," Rahul says further.

"Modi earlier gave up on Land Ordinance. Now he has the opportunity to bring back Lalit Modi," he adds.

"Sushma ji protected black money network of Lalit Modi. To Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I say the youth is understanding the nexus. Yesteday, both Sushma ji and Arun Jaitley ji protected this corruption," the Congress VP charged, adding "Lalit Modi is the biggest link between political system and black money system".

 

12:25 PM

Lok Sabha has been adjourned sine die.

12:23 PM

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has joined the Opposition protest against Vyapam scam at the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises.

12:13 PM

Opposition leaders are holding protest against Vyapam scam at the Gandhi statue in Parliament.

12:06 PM

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned sine die amid continuing Opposition ruckus.

11:37 AM

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 12 noon following Opposition ruckus.

11:13 AM

Both Houses of Parliament are functioning as of now amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs, mainly from the Congress party.

10:54 AM

Sushma Swaraj was replying to 30-35 years' old matters, she did not reply to my questions, says Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on the minister's yesterday's speech in Parliament. 

"She wants to highlight issues which happened earlier, to misdirect people," Kharge adds.

10:53 AM

NDA MPs will hold a march from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhawan at 12:30 pm today to 'Save Democracy'.

10:52 AM

PM Narendra Modi is meeting senior Cabinet ministers including Venkaiah Naidu, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Manohar Parrikar.

10:48 AM

BJP president Amit Shah will be present in the meeting of all NDA MPs to be convened after Parliament is adjourned sine die.

10:33 AM

ANI is reporting that both Houses of Parliament will be adjourned sine die today. There has been speculation that the government could call a special three to four day session of Parliament for passage of key bills.

While NDA leaders are mulling that possibility right now, the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs ended inconclusively this morning without any decision on whether to extend the Monsoon Session.

The government, however, is keeping the option of reconvening Monsoon Session after it is adjourned sine die today. CCPA has decided not to recommend proroguing of the session for the time being.

10:32 AM

NDA floor leaders' meeting has begun in Parliament Library. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Ram Vilas Paswan are among those present.

10:07 AM

Venkaiah Naidu has called a meeting of all NDA MPs after Parliament is adjourned sine die later today.

10:05 AM

"Congress runs away from debate. They did a meaningless drama yesterday. Important bills are pending, we will not let anyone block nation's development," says MoS Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

10:00 AM

The CCPA meet has concluded. The meeting was chaired by Rajnath Singh.

09:52 AM

The government is aiming for the passage of the crucial GST Bill in the Rajya Sabha in the Monsoon Session which will help it implement the legislation from April 1, 2016. The Lok Sabha has already passed the GST Bill.

09:50 AM

The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has begun in Parliament. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is chairing the meet.

Among others attending the meet include Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Prakash Javadekar and BJP MP Najma Heptulla.

09:38 AM

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari says the Monsoon Session of Parliament should not be extended as most of the MPs would like to participate in the Independence Day celebrations in their respective constituencies.

"I have no such information. Day after tomorrow is August 15... Most of the members (of Parliament) would like to go their constituencies and participate in Independence Day celebrations. There is no point in extending this session. When this proposal comes to us, then we will think about it," Tiwari told ANI.

09:29 AM

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) will also meet this morning ahead of the last day of the Monsoon Session. Reports say the CCPA will explore the possibility of convening a short session of Parliament for passage of key bills. The ongoing Monsoon Session has been rocked by relentless opposition protests. 

09:28 AM

The government has called a meeting with NDA floor leaders to discuss the strategy for Parliament on the last day of the Monsoon Session.

09:26 AM

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari reiterates demand for Sushma Swaraj's resignation over the Lalitgate isue.

"Sushma ji has admitted in Parliament that her daughter was Lalit Modi's lawyer. She should resign on moral grounds," Tiwari said.

09:21 AM

The Congress president will this morning also hold a meeting with party MPs in Parliament. 

09:00 AM

The Congress is unlikely to let Parliament function even on Thursday - the last day of the Monsoon Session. As per ANI, Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly told MPs at a dinner last night that the party should not let its guard down and continue to press for the resignations of BJP ministers.

"We have put our points across well in the Lok Sabha. Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley spoke for the sake of it. Congress will be firm on its demand for resignations even tomorrow and in the days to come," ANI quoted sources as saying.