Parliament: Both Houses Pass Crime Law, Telecom Bills; Opposition’s Mega Protest Today | Top Points

It has been an action-packed Winter Session of Parliament so far with the security breach incident of December 13 triggering back-to-back developments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, where now most of the opposition MPs stand suspended. Three more Oppostition MPs have been suspended, taking the suspension tally to 146.

The latest faceoff between the ruling BJP-led NDA and Opposition currently is over Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee's mimicry of Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, which the TMC leader termed was an "art" form done without the intention of hurting anyone.

While Dhankhar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continue to slam Opposition over the mimicry issue, in a tit-for-tat move, Congress on Wednesday shared a video of when Prime Minister Narendra Modi "mocked" former Vice-President Hamid Ansari at his farewell in 2017.  

ALSO READ: TMC's Kalyan Banerjee Reacts to Row Over Dhankhar's Mimicry, RS Chairman Says 'Insult Me But...'

In another major development, Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three key bills – the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill – that seek to overhaul the criminal justice system. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023, which was passed by a voice vote in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, got Rajya Sabha clearance on Thursday.

Parliament Winter Session | Latest Updates

Both houses pass 3 new Criminal Law Bills:  Three new bills aimed at making punishments more stringent for crimes such as terrorism, lynching, and offences endangering national security, were approved by Parliament on Thursday. 

The bills were passed in the Rajya Sabha by voice vote. The Lok Sabha had approved these on Wednesday. 

The bills reportedly repeal and replace the colonial-era criminal laws including Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act will usher in a new era in the criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said while replying to a debate in the Upper House of Parliament.

The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bills will now go to the president for her assent, upon which these will become laws.

Lok Sabha Adjourned Sine Die: Lok Sabha has been adjourned sine die, a day ahead of schedule

3 More MPs Suspended: Three more opposition MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour, taking the total tally of suspensions to 146. CHECK FULL LIST OF SUSPENDED MPs 

CEC Bill in Lok Sabha: Parliament has given nod to Bill that seeks to establish mechanism to appoint chief election commissioner and election commissioners. Centre tabled the bill to regulate the appointment of top election officers in Lok Sabha. The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha also on Thursday passed Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023.

Protest March by Opposition: Members of the opposition alliance 'INDIA' are carrying out a protest march from the Parliament premises to Vijay Chowk over their suspension and will later hold a meeting. INDIA bloc has also planned a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Friday against the suspension of its MPs. A total of 143 opposition MPs have been suspended from both Houses of Parliament over the past two weeks over their protests demanding Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the December 13 security breach incident.

Some reports said Opposition will lead a protest march from the Parliament premises to Vijay Chowk over their suspension and later a meeting of INDIA bloc floor leaders will also be held.

WATCH HERE:

-Criminal Law Bills Passed by LS: Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed three key criminal law bills – the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill – that seek to overhaul the criminal justice system. Congress on Wednesday alleged that more than 140 INDIA bloc MPs were "thrown out" of both Houses just so the government could get three "draconian" bills passed in the Lok Sabha without any informed dissent. 

ALSO READ | Strike On Colonial Mindset, Death Penalty For Mob Lynching: Passed In LS, What 3 Revised Criminal Laws Propose

-Telecommunications Bill Passed by LS, RS: A bill allowing the government to temporarily take control of telecom services in the interest of national security, and providing a non-auction route for the allocation of satellite spectrum got Lok Sabha nod on Wednesday and Rajya Sabha clearance on Thursday, with most of Oppositon missing. The Telecommunications Bill, 2023, which was passed by a voice vote after a short debate, also allows the Centre to take possession of a telecom network in case of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety. 

-Congress Hits Back With PM-Hamid Ansari Video: To hit back at the criticism over TMC MP's mimicry of Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday shared a video of when Prime Minister Narendra Modi "mocked" former Vice-President Hamid Ansari at his farewell in 2017. Jairam Ramesh, in the post shared on X, wrote that it was then "most shockingly that the Prime Minister mocked Mr. Ansari, one of India's most distinguished diplomats, reducing his identity to his religion and in effect alleging that his entire professional and political achievements were because of his religious identity. The PM pretty much sang the same song in the evening farewell function in Parliament Library auditorium as well."

WATCH HERE:

-Row Over Dhankhar's Mimicry: Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee triggered a massive row by mimicking Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. What irked the BJP more was Rahul Gandhi filming the mimickry. The issue even reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi who on Wednesday dialled Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar over "abject theatrics" of the TMC MP.

ALSO READ: ‘Who insulted And How?’ Rahul Gandhi Amid Row Over TMC MP Mimicry

-Suspension of Opposition MPs: The most striking development this Parliament Winter Session has been the unprecedented suspention of 146 opposition MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha amid their protest demanding a statement by Home Minister over the December 13 security breach incident. On December 13, two intruders jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery, released yellow smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the members of Parliament.

Opposition's demand for Amit Shah's statement coupled with their protest led to the never-seen-before suspension of 143 members of Parliament. 

Of the 143 MPs, three were suspended on Thursday (December 21), two on Wednesday (December 20), 49 on Tuesday (December 19), 78 on Monday (December 18) and 14 last week. Ninty seven of the 148 suspended MPs are from Lok Sabha while 46 are Rajya Sabha members.