As the Parliament convenes on Day 4 of the ongoing Winter Session on December 7, the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education Subhas Sarkar will move the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for further consideration and passage in Lok Sabha.
The Bill seeks to establish a Central Tribal University in Telangana, which will be named ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’. It will provide avenues of higher education and research facilities primarily for the tribal population of India.
“Further Consideration of the following motion moved by Dr Subhas Sarkar on December 6, 2023, namely “That the Bill further to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, be taken into consideration,” the legislative agenda released by Lok Sabha read.
Also, BJP MP Chhedi Paswan will lay the Statements of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (2023-24).
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari gave the Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha and demanded discussion on the death penalty to 8 ex-Indian Navy personnel in Qatar.
“I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely That this House do suspend Zero Hour, Question Hour, and other Businesses of the Day to have a discussion regarding the retired-Indian navy personnel imprisoned in Qatar. Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Rajesh, were sentenced by the Qatari court on October 26, 2023,” the adjournment notice read.
Manish Tewari urged the Centre to inform the House of the situation about our Navy personnel in Qatar and the steps taken to bring them back to India.
Earlier, Lok Sabha on December 6 passed two bills relating to Jammu & Kashmir with Home Minister Amit Shah in his reply to the debate targeting the Congress and stating that the people suffered due to “two blunders” of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru – declaring “premature ceasefire” and taking the issue to the United Nations.
The House saw a marathon debate over two days and passed the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill,2023 and the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill,2023.
The Home Minister reaffirmed that Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir is part of the country. He said that the Delimitation Commission, set up by the Centre for the delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir, has reserved 24 seats for PoJK.
Also, DNV Senthilkumar of DMK apologised in the Lok Sabha for his controversial remarks, which had caused a political uproar. MPs from the ruling BJP demanded an apology and the House witnessed a brief adjournment during the Question Hour over the issue.
DMK member TR Baalu raised the issue of floods caused by Cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu and demanded that the Centre declare it as a national calamity. He also said remarks made by Kumar were not correct and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had warned him. Kumar later expressed regret over the comment.
The Winter Session began on December 4 and will culminate on December 22.
(with inputs from ANI)
