Eight Rajya Sabha MPs, who were suspended for unruly behaviour during the passage of two controversial Farm Bills, spent the night inside the parliament premises protesting against the decision. They included Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh, Congress’s Rajeev Satav and CPM’s KK Ragesh among others.
The opposition parties have accused the Chair of high-handedness both during the passing of the controversial Bills and how some MPs were treated for raising their voices in favour of farmers. The Deputy Chair had to face considerable criticism for announcing the passing of the Bills through voice vote even though nothing could be heard in the parliament due to prevailing ruckus.
The protesting MPs spent their night sleeping on the lawn of the parliament, next to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
I ask one of the suspended MPs how was the night spent.
He says, “Odomos was the life-saver!” ?
A loo allocated at Parliament reception, an ambulance on standby….. some of the features of this historic first in #Parliament on @aajtak & @IndiaToday https://t.co/B5bZ6kJiDh pic.twitter.com/a13YW6jHqi
— Poulomi Saha (@PoulomiMSaha) September 22, 2020
Meanwhile, opposition parties and farmers’ groups including the Bharatiya Kisan Union have announced plans to launch countrywide protests against the two Bills passed by the Rajya Sabha.
LIVE UPDATES on this story and other big stories of the day will appear below:
18:28 PM: #COVID19 death toll in UP reaches 5,212 after 77 more people succumb to the infection, 5,722 fresh cases push tally to 3,64,543; active case count 63,148: Official. (PTI)
17:38 PM: Delhi HC gives green signal to Harper Collins to go ahead with its book on Asaram Bapu, sets aside the ex parte injunction passed by the district court (LiveLaw)
17:24 PM: The #SupremeCourt on Tuesday asked the #CBSE to declare results of compartment exams of around 2 lakh students as soon as possible, so that they could apply in colleges by the cut-off date. (IANS)
16:53 PM: Opposition parties are boycotting Lok Sabha in support of suspended RS members: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in LS. (PTI)
16:31 PM: JNU unit of ABVP files police complaint alleging that signboard of road named after Swami Vivekananda in the campus has been vandalised. (PTI)
15:48 PM: Prison authorities at #NorthGoa’s Colvale Central Jail on Tuesday launched a massive search operation, after a 31-year-old undertrial accused of raping a 48-year-old British national in the beach village of Canacona in 2018, went missing. (IANS)
15:16 PM: Special court in Mumbai extends till October 6 judicial custody of actress #RheaChakraborty, who was arrested by NCB probing drug angle in connection with death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. (PTI)
14:56 PM: 32-year-old man accused of raping British woman in December 2018 escapes from Central Jail in Goa: Police
14:12 PM: One suicide case is being talked about for the last three months. Ignoring other issues is not right. Farmers are also dying by suicide, the government needs to focus on that too: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. (ANI)
One suicide case is being talked about for the last three months. Ignoring other issues is not right. Farmers are also dying by suicide, the government needs to focus on that too: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar https://t.co/z86n2f9zfQ pic.twitter.com/QzEoceVeG9
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
13:56 PM: Doctors in #Agra feel that a holistic approach is required for additional care to critical patients with the #coronavirus disease, particularly those in vulnerable section, as govt medical infrastructure is under strain owing to unprecedented rise in #Covid19 cases in the city. (IANS)
13:02 PM: #Bijnor (#UttarPradesh): Apparently in a drunken stupor, three men killed their neighbour with a wooden stick, fitted with nails, following a dispute over Rs 300. The police claimed that all of the accused were in an inebriated state. (IANS)
12:06 PM: #BombayHC At Goa asks State to file affidavit indicating that use of #AarogyaSetu App is no longer mandatory for entering the premises of the Collectorate building at Goa after Advocate General of Goa made a statement to that effect. (Live Law)
11:14 AM: Delhi: Opposition leaders stage walk-out from Rajya Sabha; protest before Gandhi statue in Parliament premises, demanding revocation of suspended MPs. (ANI)
10:57 AM: Many opposition parties led by Congress stage walkout in Rajya Sabha. (PTI)
10:21 AM: Opposition will boycott Rajya Sabha till suspension of 8 members is revoked: Ghulam Nabi Azad. (PTI)
10:02 AM: Whatever happened in front of me on Sep 20 has caused unimaginable loss to dignity of House, Chair: Harivansh to RS chairman. (PTI)
09:57 AM: My fast may perhaps inspire ‘self-purification’ in those who behaved insultingly towards me: RS dy chairman Harivansh (PTI)
09:42 AM: In letter to RS chairman, Harivansh expresses deep anguish at “humiliating” conduct towards him in House, announces 24-hr fast. (PTI)
09:16 AM: For centuries, the great land of Bihar has been teaching us the values of democracy. In line with that wonderful ethos, MP from Bihar and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Shri Harivansh Ji’s inspiring and statesman like conduct this morning will make every democracy lover proud. To personally serve tea to those who attacked and insulted him a few days ago as well as those sitting on Dharna shows that Shri Harivansh Ji has been blessed with a humble mind and a big heart. It shows his greatness. I join the people of India in congratulating Harivansh Ji: Narendra Modi
08:21 AM: If the government’s intention is to guarantee MSP, why is there no clause in the Bills that stipulates that the “price shall not be less than the MSP” for that produce?: P Chidambaram on Modi government buying full-page newspaper ads on Farm Bills
08:01 AM: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh brought tea for the Rajya Sabha MPs who are protesting at Gandhi statue against their suspension from the House. (ANI)
Delhi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh brought tea for the Rajya Sabha MPs who are protesting at Gandhi statue against their suspension from the House. pic.twitter.com/syT19AxEgD
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2020
