JNU row, Rohith Vemula suicide to hit Rajya Sabha today

New Delhi: Discussions on the current state of unrest at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the furore over Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula will be held in the Rajya Sabha today.

Both the issues will be raised in Lok Sabha tomorrow after the presentation of Rail Budget.

Today, in the Lok Sabha, motion of thanks on the President’s address will be moved and the Election Laws amendment bill is also scheduled to be introduced in the lower house.

In Rajya Sabha, the National Waterways Bill, the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill is scheduled to come up for discussion and passage today.

The government has agreed to discuss all the issues as it wants to avoid a repeat of the monsoon and winter sessions, where little work got done.

The government has a heavy legislative agenda to push through in this session including the passage of GST Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that he was hopeful of a ‘fruitful’ Budget Session and added that the government’s ‘limitations’ must also be discussed in the Parliament as it was the only way to strengthen the democracy.

Asserting that all meetings with the Opposition leaders so far have been fruitful, he said that dreams and aspirations of the citizens will also be discussed in the Parliament, adding the nation will feel the positive developments.

President Pranab Mukherjee said yesterday that his government’s philosophy is captured in the idea ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and it is striving hard to eradicate poverty.

“My government’s philosophy is captured in the idea ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. Mahatma Gandhi said poverty is the worst form of violence. My government is striving hard to eradicate poverty. Well-being of our farmers is vital to nation’s prosperity,” said President Mukherjee. (ANI)