Parliament Monsoon Session Day 15: Congress issues whip, asks MPs to be present in Parliament ‘without fail’ from Monday

Opposition protests are likely to continue in Parliament over the July 20 police action on NEET paper leak protesters in Delhi and the Ram Mandir donation controversy.

The Congress Parliamentary Party has issued a three-line whip directing all its Lok Sabha MPs to remain present in the House from 11:00 am until adjournment on August 10, 11 and 12, 2026. The whip states that very important issues will be taken up for discussion during the three-day period.

Meanwhile, both Houses in Parliament adjourned as opposition continued its protest over NEET paper leak and Ram temple donation theft issue. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Union Minister Amit Shah is present day and night in the Parliament on questions being raised on his absence by the Opposition for discussion on police action on protestors in Delhi.

Story continues below this ad

Opposition MPs staged a protest at Makar Dwar in the Parliament House complex on Friday over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged police action against student protesters. Despite rain, MPs carrying umbrellas and placards raised slogans such as “Amit Shah Jawab Do” against the Centre. Congress MP K C Venugopal demanded Amit Shah’s resignation or an apology in Parliament over the alleged use of pellet guns and police action against students. He also accused the RSS of controlling the government and called the Centre’s response an “eyewash”.

Bills to be introduced: The Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 for consideration and passing on Thursday, according to the revised List of Business. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will move the Bill, which seeks to amend the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006, as passed by the Rajya Sabha. The House will also take up the Kashmiri Pandits (Recourse, Restitution, Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Bill, 2025, to be introduced by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. The Bill seeks to provide for the social, political and economic rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, protection of their property, restoration of their cultural heritage, safety, security and a rehabilitation package. Congress MP K C Venugopal will also introduce the Fishermen (Protection and Welfare) Bill, 2024, which proposes the creation of a Fishermen Welfare Board and a Fishermen Welfare Fund for the welfare of fishermen in coastal states and Union Territories.

FCRA Amendment Bill likely to be discussed on August 12: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which amends the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, the Income-tax Act, 2025, and the Finance Act, 2026. The Bill proposes a series of tax changes aimed at boosting investment, supporting manufacturing and providing tax certainty. It will replace the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. The government is also likely to take up the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, for discussion in Parliament on August 12, even as Opposition protests continue during the Monsoon Session.

Live Updates
Aug 7, 2026 08:11 PM IST
No home ministry proposal to rename Bihar's Bhabua Road station as Maa Mundeshwari Dham: Vaishnaw

The Ministry of Railways has not received any proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking its comments on renaming Bhabua Road Railway Station as Maa Mundeshwari Dham Railway Station in Bihar, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

BJP MP Shivesh Kumar sought to know whether any proposal had been received to rename Bhabua Road Railway Station, located in Bihar's Kaimur district, as Maa Mundeshwari Dham Railway Station after the renowned ancient religious site.

He also sought to know the current status of the proposal under the established procedures of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Railways for renaming railway stations.

"At present, no proposal seeking comments/views of the Ministry of Railways (MoR) for change in the name of Bhabua Road Railway Station has been received from the Ministry of Home Affairs," Railway Minister Vaishnaw said.

Explaining the procedure for renaming railway stations, the minister said, "As per extant guidelines, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, is the competent authority to approve the change in the name of a railway station on Indian Railways.

It accords such approval on the recommendation of the concerned state governments after taking into consideration the comments and views of the concerned ministries and departments, Vaishnaw said. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 06:56 PM IST
More exporters leveraging benefits of free trade pacts: Govt

Issuance of certificates of origin, a key document to avail free trade agreement benefits, has more than doubled from 3.6 lakh in 2021-22 to over 7.8 lakh in 2026-27 so far, Parliament was informed on Friday.

The data indicates growing utilisation of India's trade agreements and expanded market access opportunities for exporters, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

An exporter has to submit the certificate at the landing port of the importing country.

The document is important to claim duty concessions under free trade agreements as they are essential to prove where the goods come from.

"India's issuance of CoO more than doubled from 3.6 lakh in FY 2021-22 to over 7.8 lakh in FY 2026-27, indicating growing utilisation of India's trade agreements and expanded market access opportunities for Indian exporters," he said.

He informed that India's merchandise exports recorded a robust growth of 16 per cent, increasing from USD 111.57 billion in April – June 2025-26 to USD 129.32 billion in April – June 2026-27. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 06:01 PM IST
No offers received for Vijayawada Railway Station redevelopment under PPP model: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the initial bid for the redevelopment of Vijayawada Railway Station under the Public-Private Partnership model received no response and has therefore been re-invited.

Vaishnaw was responding to questions raised by BJP MP Dilip Ray regarding asset monetisation of railway stations across the country.

Ray also asked whether the proposal had been sent to the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) and, if so, how many stations had been identified under the PPP model and what revenue was expected to be generated through the monetisation of railway station assets in Odisha.

The Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) is a government body that evaluates and grants approval to major PPP projects before they are put out for bidding.

In a written reply, Vaishnaw said the Ministry of Railways has explored various models for the development and modernisation of railway stations, including the PPP model. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 05:27 PM IST
'Mohan Bhagwat's statement laughable'

RJD MP Sanjay Yadav on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's interaction with GenZ and Gen Alpha, says, "The statement made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is laughable. I say this because the RSS has a long-standing reputation for there being a wide gap between what it says and what it does. Why did Mohan Bhagwat not speak out earlier? Why did he not comment on the baton charge against students? Why did he not speak when students were fired upon with AK-47 rifles in Bihar? It was not aerial firing... it was 'shoot-to-kill'. Did he issue any statement or express any concern? No. The character of the RSS is to throw a pebble into the water, observe how many ripples it creates, then take one step forward and a hundred steps back depending on the reaction. It also has a long history of apologising and retreating from its positions. We would like to ask Mohan Bhagwat in what capacity he is making these remarks. If he is speaking as the head of the BJP's parent organisation, then there are contradictions within his own statements."

https://platform.x.com/widgets.js

Aug 7, 2026 05:03 PM IST
Ties with Pak can only move ahead in environment free of terror: Govt tells LS

Relations with Pakistan can only progress in an "environment free of terror"; however, the neighbouring nation continues to use "terrorism as an instrument of state policy" against India, the Centre informed Parliament on Friday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said this while responding to Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav's query on the present status of relations between India and Pakistan since the Pulwama terror attack, along with the changes that have taken place at the political, diplomatic and trade level between the two countries.

"It is government's firm position that India's relations with Pakistan can only move ahead in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. However, Pakistan continues to follow the policy of cross-border terrorism and using terrorism as an instrument of state policy against India," the EAM said in a written response in the Lok Sabha.

Following the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, India withdrew Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan, and hiked customs duty on all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan to 200 per cent, he said.

Pakistan, subsequently, announced certain unilateral measures, including downgrading of diplomatic relations and suspension of bilateral trade with India, the government said. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 04:40 PM IST
India has 86,360 PG medical seats; no proposal to convert all diploma seats to DNB: Govt

India currently has over 86,000 post-graduate medical seats, with Karnataka accounting for the highest number, while there is no proposal to convert all diploma seats into full-fledged Diplomate of National Board (DNB) seats, the government informed Parliament on Friday.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Health Minister J P Nadda said the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) have informed the government that there are a total of 86,360 PG medical seats across the country.

On whether there is a proposal to convert all DNB diploma seats into full-fledged postgraduate degree seats this year, Nadda said no such proposal is under consideration.

"As informed by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), there is no proposal under its consideration to convert all Diploma seats into full-fledged PG medical degree (DNB) seats," he said. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 03:50 PM IST
Congress issues 'three-line' whip for Lok Sabha members ahead of key discussions

The Congress party has issued a three-line whip directing all its Lok Sabha MPs to remain present in the House from 11 am until adjournment on August 10, 11 and 12, 2026, citing that "very important issues" will be taken up for discussion. The whip, issued by Kodikunnil Suresh, Chief Whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party (Lok Sabha), on August 7, 2026, instructs party members to attend the proceedings without fail and support the party's stand. The communication also states that the directive should be treated as "MOST IMPORTANT."

Aug 7, 2026 03:35 PM IST
No study by ICMR to assess whether utlra processed foods exhibit addiction-like characteristics: Govt

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has not conducted any study to assess whether ultra-processed foods exhibit addiction-like behavioural characteristics comparable to tobacco products and other habit-forming substances, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav said that based on available global scientific evidence, ICMR has indicated that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders.

However, these conditions are multifactorial in origin and high consumption of ultra-processed food is considered one of several modifiable risk factors. The available evidence is largely observational and does not, by itself, establish causality, it said. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 02:59 PM IST
Lok Sabha clears MSME Development Amendment Bill without debate

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed without a debate a bill that seeks to empower and tackle the issue of delayed payments faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), amid protests by opposition members.

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 has now been cleared by Parliament. It was passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 3.

The Bill seeks to address the current challenges faced by the MSME sector by improving the administrative structure and facilitating payment mechanisms.

Provisions to deal with delayed payments to MSMEs by prescribing timelines to ensure faster adjudication of disputes, providing recovery of the settlement agreement, and addressing their liquidity issues are part of the Bill.

It also seeks to empower courts to order payment of at least 50 per cent of the awarded amount to MSME suppliers if the application to set aside an order is pending for more than six months. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 02:56 PM IST
Violation of guidelines under AB-PMJAY: Over 2,000 hospitals de-empanelled

Over 2,000 hospitals have been de-empanelled and 1,200 others suspended by states and UTs for violations of guidelines under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana till May 31 this year, Union Health Minister J P Nadda informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

In a written response to a question, he said 29 FIRs have been filed and penalties amounting to Rs 328.49 crore have been levied for violation of scheme guidelines.

Nadda said 2,359 hospitals have been de-empanelled for violations.

The scheme follows a zero-tolerance approach towards fraud and the National Anti-Fraud Unit under the National Health Authority (NHA) uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-based automated triggers to detect suspicious claims.

These automated checks flag unusual claim patterns, including unauthorised billing, duplicate entries, inflated procedures and misuse of patient identity, within 24 hours of claim submission, he said. PTI

Aug 7, 2026 12:30 PM IST
Rajya Sabha adjourned

The Rajya Sabha is adjourned till Monday as the Opposition continued to raise slogans demanding

Aug 7, 2026 12:19 PM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says Union Minister Amit Shah is present day and night in the Parliament. It is not your call to decide which minister would be present in the House. All ministers whose buisnesses are scheduled are available for a discussion. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Monday.

Aug 7, 2026 12:16 PM IST
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha

Member of the Parliament Dilip Saikia urges all members to maintain the decorum of the House. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi introduced Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 for discussion in the House. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha by voice vote. The Opposition continues to raise slogans of 'Amit Shah Sadan Mein Aao'.

Aug 7, 2026 12:02 PM IST
Proceedings resume in both Houses

Proceedings resume in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha amid Opposition uproar. Members of the Parliament list matters to be discussed in the House as the Opposition continues to raise slogans.

Aug 7, 2026 11:35 AM IST
Rajya Sabha adjourned

Rajya Sabha adjourned amid Opposition uproar demanding discussion on police action on protestors in Delhi and donation theft in Ayodhya.

Aug 7, 2026 11:26 AM IST
Kiren Rijujy says Amit Shah is present in the Parliament 'day and night'

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says that the Home Minister Amit Shah is present in the Parliament throughout day and night. The Opposition wants to seek answers from him. He said that let me make it very clear. Questions asked to respective ministeries are answered by the respective members. Opposition continues to raise slogans in the House.

Aug 7, 2026 11:18 AM IST
Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha continue

Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha continue. Statements regarding government businesses are being listed. The Minister of Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan introduces motion on nominating a member to National Institutes of Food Technology and Management.

Aug 7, 2026 11:08 AM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned

Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 pm, minutes after proceedings commenced amid Opposition uproar.

Aug 7, 2026 10:59 AM IST
Opposition MPs protest in Parliament over Ram temple donation row, student crackdown

Opposition MPs staged a protest at Makar Dwar in the Parliament House complex on Friday over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged police action against student protesters. Despite rain, MPs carrying umbrellas and placards raised slogans such as "Amit Shah Jawab Do" against the Centre. Congress MP K C Venugopal demanded Amit Shah's resignation or an apology in Parliament over the alleged use of pellet guns and police action against students. He also accused the RSS of controlling the government and called the Centre's response an "eyewash".

Aug 7, 2026 10:55 AM IST
DMK MP P Wilson says delegation sought withdrawal of FCRA Amendment Bill

DMK MP P Wilson said a delegation of around 16 senior religious leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to seek the complete withdrawal of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Wilson, who is also the chairman of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, said the group had been consulting Christian denominations across the country for the past four months before deciding to seek the withdrawal of the Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha in March. He added that the delegation also urged the Home Minister to repeal Section 15 of the existing FCRA, which deals with the vesting of property.

https://platform.x.com/widgets.js

Aug 7, 2026 10:33 AM IST
Delhi Police detains protesters outside Rahul Gandhi's residence

Delhi Police on Friday detained several people, including sadhus, who were protesting outside the residence of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The protesters were taken into custody as police intervened at the site. Further details are awaited.

https://platform.x.com/widgets.js

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments