Parliament Review: Disruptions in The Last Week of 2024 Winter Session Following Amit Shah’s Remarks on Ambedkar & Scuffle Outside Parliament Building

• Pavithra K M

The 3rd session (Winter Session) of the 18^th Lok Sabha began on 25 November 2024 and was adjourned sine die on 20 December 2024. The last week of this session witnessed disruptions following Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar and a scuffle involving NDA & I.N.D.I.A block MPs outside the parliament entrance.

The winter session of the 18^th Lok Sabha which began on 25 November 2024 came to an end on 20 December 2024. Throughout the session, there were disruptions due to different reasons because of which there were adjournments in both the Houses of Parliament without much productive business. As the session concluded, we look at some of the key developments and events that took place in the last week of the session, from 16 to 20 December 2024.

Key Developments

On 16 December 2024, the Rajya Sabha began a two-day debate to commemorate 75 years since the adoption of the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949. The discussion centred on the importance of the Constitution and its evolution over the years. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman opened the debate. During her speech, she emphasized the four main criteria for evaluating an amendment. These are:

1. Whether the social intent behind the amendment is genuine and the resulting outcome is also equally genuine.
2. Whether the economic intent and its outcome are bona fide, benefiting society at large.
3. The process followed to enact the amendment.
4. The amendment must align with and uphold the spirit of the Constitution.

During the discussion on 16 and 17 December 2024, some other suggestions made by other Members of the Parliament include the following:

• Restoring the High Courts’ position of prominence: S Niranjan Reddy from Andhra Pradesh while acknowledging the judiciary’s immense role, raised his concerns over the declining role of High Courts due to tribunalization and direct appeals to the Supreme Court under 28 Acts.
• Respect for all languages: Tiruchi Siva from Tamil Nadu raised his concern about the government’s push for uniformity with concepts like “One-Nation-One-Election” while India is a multicultural and multilingual country. He stated that schemes and bills are often named in Hindi or Sanskrit, ignoring India’s multilingual nature and the 22 languages in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.
• Amendment to the 1948 Census Act: Anbumani Ramadoss from Tamil Nadu suggested adding an OBC column in the Decennial Census, like those for SCs, STs, and minorities, and amending the 1948 Census Act to include OBCs, reflecting today’s realities. He also added that modern, updated caste data is needed to address the social and economic conditions of marginalized groups effectively.

On 18 December 2024, there was uproar in both Houses following Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on B R Ambedkar during his speech on Tuesday (17 December 2024). The session was adjourned due to this on 19 December 2024 and sine die on 20 December 2024.

Bills introduced

On 17 December 2024, the following bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha:

• The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 – A Bill further to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
• The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 – Along with the UT Laws Amendment Bill, the two Bills together aim at conducting simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as part of the ‘one nation, one election’ initiative.

Both these Bills were introduced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and were referred to joint committee of both Houses for examination.

• The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2024 – A Bill to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2024-25 was passed in the Lok Sabha. This is a legislative measure to grant formal approval for the government to draw additional funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet unforeseen or supplementary expenses during the financial year 2024-25.

Committee reports laid

• Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry tabled its 324^th report on the Promotion of Electric Vehicles in the Country in the Rajya Sabha. The committee has listed 30 recommendations including involvement of PSUs, assistance to Women SHGs, and formulation of a Battery Swapping Policy. It highlighted that the targets under the FAME-II scheme were not achieved and emphasized the need for greater efforts to meet them.

Public Accounts Committee (2024-25) tabled three reports-

• Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their Ninety Sixth Report (17^th Lok Sabha) on “Injudicious procurement of an additional CNC Horizontal Boring and Milling Machine: Patiala Locomotive Works” relating to the Ministry of Railways.
• Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their Ninety ninth Report (17th Lok Sabha) on “Extra Expenditure due to delay in finalizing power purchase Agreements through Open Access: West Central Railway” relating to the Ministry of Railways.
• Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their One Hundred and Second Report (17th Lok Sabha) on “Loss of Opportunity to Earn Additional Freight and Extra Expenditure on Haulage: SWR” relating to the Ministry of Railways.

Committee on Public Undertakings (2024-25) tabled two reports:

• Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/ Recommendations contained in the Twenty-Second Report (17th Lok Sabha) on HCL [based on Audit Para No. 6.1 of C&AG Report No.14 of 2021]
• Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/ Recommendations contained in the Twenty-first Report of the Committee on Public Undertakings (17th Lok Sabha) on ‘Oil India Ltd (OIL)

Some of the important Questions & Answers

• At least 370 species of migratory birds are reported to visit the Indian subcontinent. The migratory birds include various species of ducks, waders, stork, raptors, cranes, etc. A total of 982 birds from 21 species died due to Avian Botulism disease between 26 October and 14 November 2024, at Sambhar Lake in Jaipur and Deedwana-Kuchaman districts of Rajasthan.
• A total of 419 people lost their lives due to the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks over the past five years and in 2024 (up to 31 October). Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of deaths at 67, followed by Maharashtra with 63, Haryana with 51, and Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh with 49 each.
• In 2023-24, out of 1.7 lakh samples analysed, FSSAI found that 33,808 or approximately 20% of the samples were found to be non-conforming. This share has dropped from more than 25% in 2022-23. The samples analysed include milk and milk products and spices.
• There is an increase in the filing of ITRs with over 8.09 crore income tax returns filed in fiscal 2023-24, up from over 7.40 crore in 2022-23. In 2021-22, the number of ITRs filed was over 6.96 crore, up from over 6.72 crore in 2020-21 and over 6.48 crore in 2019-20. The number of individuals filing ITRs increased from 6.11 crore in 2019-20 to 7.64 crore in 2023-24.

• In 2023-24, India’s tea production reached 1382.03 million kilograms, slightly higher than 1374.97 million kilograms in 2022-23 and 1344.40 million kilograms in 2021-22, showing steady growth. However, tea production in 2024 (up to October) was 1112.11 million kilograms, a decrease from 1178.50 million kilograms in the same period last year. Small tea growers, who own tea plantations of up to 10.12 hectares (25 acres), make up a significant portion of India’s tea industry. As of 31 March 2024, there were 247,887 small tea growers in the country, contributing 53.42% of total tea production

Some important Matters raised under Rule 377

• Need to take comprehensive measures to ensure the security of oil and natural gas pipelines.
• Provide ownership rights of houses under the PM UDAY Scheme to people living in unauthorized colonies in Delhi.
• Need to increase the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) subsidy.
• Ensure the protection of sensitive data of beneficiaries availing treatment under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY).
• Address the problems being faced by the owner-cum-drivers attached to App-based companies in the transportation sector.
• To set up a Healthcare and Welfare Centre for elderly people in the country.
• Shortage of DAP and Urea.