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New Delhi [India], December 1 (ANI): Ahead of the winter session of parliament, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Monday took objection to an earlier bulletin by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat advising against the use of various slogans, including "Vande Mataram" and "Jai Hind" on the floor of the House.
Chaturvedi told ANI that the "banning" of these slogans is "like British-era governance," and her party will seek answers from the Secretariat on the matter.
"Our party's main agenda is to seek answers from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and the central government, as to when did saying Vande Mataram and Jai Hind became part of the violation of etiquette and rules. This is like the British era governance," the UBT MP said.
Alleging that the notice is "anti-national," she added, "We know that Vande Mataram and Jai Hind are important for our country and its freedom movement. Raising these slogans is out of love for the country but what they are doing now is anti-national. The central government must take back the notice they have issued in the Rajya Sabha, for Jai Hindi and Vande Mataram"
The UBT MP also raised concerns over alleged "vote chori" and the undermining of elections by the Election Commission, as well as pollution in the national capital.
"We have been raising the issue of vote chori time and again. Elections are being won by undermining the Election Commission. Detailed discussions must be held on this," she said.
Similarly, calling for fulfilling people's right to clean air, she added, "People want a discussion on pollution in the nation's capital... It should become the country's primary agenda. Right to clean air is our basic right."
On the day the Parliament winter session is set to commence at 11 AM, Delhi's air quality remained in the "poor" category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 299 at 7 am compared to 279 at 4 pm on Sunday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The national capital has recorded "poor" air quality for the past two days after showing improvement from the "very poor" category on Sunday, when the AQI dipped to 279 from 305 reported on Saturday.
On the issue of raising slogans in the House, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat bulletin had advised against raising slogans such as "Thanks," "Thank You," "Jai Hind," and "Vande Mataram" in the House, stating that the decorum and seriousness of proceedings require that such slogans not be raised.
Earlier today, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla called on Members of Parliament to actively participate in the session, emphasising the role of Parliament as the supreme forum for representing the nation's aspirations and upholding democratic values.
In a post on X ahead of the session, Birla said that the Parliament serves as a platform for the expression of people's expectations, the collective responsibility of elected representatives, and the spirit of democratic governance.
He further urged the lawmakers to uphold parliamentary traditions to enhance the customs of democracy and, by actively participating, contribute significantly to the success of the session.
The 6th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha will commence on Monday, December 1, at 11 am, marking the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to introduce the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, today, aimed at amending the Central Excise Act, 1944.
In addition, the Finance Minister could also introduce the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025, to augment the resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health and to levy a cess for this on the machines installed or other processes undertaken by which specified goods are manufactured and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. (ANI)