India condemns breach at Bangladesh mission in Agartala during protest rally ::: A decision has been taken that both the Houses of Parliament will hold debate on the Constitution

India condemns breach at Bangladesh mission in Agartala during protest rally

This statement from the Ministry of External Affairs comes just hours after over 50 people, who were protesting against the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, allegedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala on Monday.

(Activists from Hindu organisations protesting against Bangladeshi atrocities against Hindus in Agartala. (Picture: PTI/India Today)

"The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable. Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances," the ministry said in a statement.

It added that the government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the High Commission of Bangladesh in Delhi and other Deputy and Assistant High Commissions across the country.

Earlier, the MEA had attacked Bangladesh over targeted attacks on Hindus on November 29, saying the increasing incidents of violence against minorities cannot merely be dismissed as "media exaggerations".

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had called upon the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities.

Speaker Birla convenes an all-party meet ::: A decision has been taken that both the Houses of Parliament will hold debate on the Constitution

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, Dec 2, chaired an all-party meeting and apparently brought an end to parliament logjam. A decision has been taken that both the Houses of Parliament will hold debate on the Constitution to commemorate its 75th year of adoption. 

The debates will be held on November 13 and 14 in the Lok Sabha, and on November 16 and 17 in the Rajya Sabha. Whether this will bring a real end to repeated chaos and return normal functioning from Dec 3rd or so however remains to be seen. 

"It is not good to disrupt parliamentary proceedings. We appeal to all opposition leaders to make good on the agreement that all of us will ensure parliament functions smoothly from tomorrow," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.

During the scheduled debates, Trinamool Congress MPs from West Bengal are likely to speak on the ongoing atrocities against minority communities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh, while the Samajwadi Party may take up the Sambhal violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply probably in both the Houses. 

Of course, there may be references by Opposition MPs especially from the Congress; but there will not be any structured debate or specific discussion on the indictment of Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani by US prosecutors.

The Opposition camp has been divided over the manner House proceedings were being sabotaged over the Adani issue. 

The Congress has been particularly vocal on the Adani issue, criticising the government over allegations of fraud and corruption.

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) did not approve such a strategy. The party leaders said they wanted to highlight other pressing issues such as attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, joblessness, price rise and also alleged fiscal discrimination against opposition-ruled states by the Modi government. 

A large number of Congress MPs - especially in Lok Sabha meaning those who get elected by people - are raising objections on why should the party consistently sabotage or disturb parliament proceedings. 

Many of them also say that creating pandemonium in the House over the issue of Gautam Adani does not make much sense after the Congress and its allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (of Sharad Pawar) were humbled in Maharashtra. 

On the contrary, as the opposition MPs are unable to raise contentious issues like Manipur situation, price rise and joblessness, the Congress lawmakers feel the Treasury bench is rather happy about these. 

  

Of course, for Rahul Gandhi, the Adani issue is a pet theme and hence some MPs even moot the move to sound it to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra that disallowing House proceedings is only helping the BJP. But will she really go against her brother's wishes so early in her parliamentary career?   

Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar 

said the repeated disruptions were due to a "deliberate algorithm" to prevent crucial business from being conducted.

Murphy's Law says anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Dhankhar suggested that a "deliberate algorithm" was in place to prevent crucial business from being conducted in the House.

"It appears that there exists a deliberate algorithm to actualise Murphy's laws in this august House, consequently impeding the proper functioning of Parliament. 

We find ourselves achieving precisely the antithesis of what our Constitution ordains," Dhankhar said, 

ends