Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien questioned the Enforcement Directorate's decision to freeze three of the party's bank accounts, worth Rs 440 crore, under the anti-money laundering law. He controversially asked when the ED would freeze "temple funds," in an apparent reference to alleged financial irregularities at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, amidst opposition demands for a judicial probe into the matter.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about India's progress, citing poverty statistics and West Bengal's economic growth.
Amid a massive ruckus after the suspension order, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned.
Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O'Brien was suspended from the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday for the remaining part of the Winter session after he threw a Rajya Sabha rule book at the Chair.
"In his 2 speeches will he tell us: Why has PM not answered a single question in Parliament?... Why are Opposition MPs denied basic rights: voting, discussion?" O'Brien said.
TMC's Dola Sen and Mausam Noor were there at the site till midnight.
Kolkata-based quiz master Derek O'Brien and leading artist Shuvaprasanna will head two separate committees set up by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to improve passengers' amenities and services in trains and stations.
The agency had summoned him in January too but he sought time, citing the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, they said.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Derek O' Brien Tuesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is presently at home isolation.
The application claimed that since the inception of the SIR process in the state, the EC has issued instructions to officers at the ground level through "informal and extra-statutory channels", such as WhatsApp messages and oral directions conveyed during video conferences, instead of issuing formal written instructions.
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday accused Pranab Mukherjee of trying to break the party by directly approaching some members of Parliament for their support in the run up to the Presidential poll, a charge denied by the Congress.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien was suspended from the Rajya Sabha on Thursday for the remainder of the winter session of Parliament and the matter referred to the privileges committee as he did not leave the House even after repeated directions from Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Trinamool Congress MP had said the way the bills were being passed amounted to a "mockery of Parliament" and was the government's way of "smothering" the Opposition.
Trinamool Congress has named Derek O'Brien as its chief whip in the Rajya Sabha. The party, which is a key constituent of the United Progressive Alliance government, has sent a communication in this regard to the Rajya Sabha secretariat, sources said in New Delhi on Thursday.
The Rajya Sabha MP, who is also a spokesperson of West Bengal's ruling party, was asked to appear before a CBI team in the first week of August, officials said on Friday.
The quizmaster-turned-parliamentarian was interrogated for about two hours on some financial transactions in bank accounts related to the TMC mouthpiece 'Jago Bangla'.
A visibly perturbed Dhankhar termed O'Brien's behaviour "theatrics" that would not be tolerated.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a 'white paper' on corruption in West Bengal, highlighting instances of opposition leaders joining the BJP and allegedly receiving leniency in corruption investigations.
The senior TMC member recalled that he did not speak about the incident for several years, and brought it up with his parents much later in the life.
He interrupted his speech to observe a minute's silence in the House along with other Opposition leaders, mainly the Congress, to pay tribute to farmers who had lost their lives during the two month agitation.
A Trinamool Congress delegation reported a contentious meeting with the Election Commission, alleging the chief election commissioner dismissed them abruptly, while the EC has accused the TMC of disruptive behaviour.
Sources said the TMC leader accepted the apology.
O'Brien had called a press conference on Saturday in which he showed two videos of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's speeches and four photographs, including one that showed Singh offering sweet to Karat.
The Trinamool Congress has lost the chairpersonship of two significant Parliamentary panels following a reconstitution by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This development comes after a split in the TMC, with rebel MPs joining the Nationalist Citizen Party and supporting the NDA. The TMC has strongly criticised the move, alleging that Parliament is being turned into a 'deep, dark chamber' due to their exclusion from committee leadership.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, and several other opposition leaders were detained by Delhi Police during protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats, including those held by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, will be held on July 24, the Election Commission (EC) said on Tuesday.
Private guards at Ttrinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee's office, his supporters and some party leaders on Thursday scuffled with police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, trying to prevent them from entering the building on Camac Street and dismantling an "unauthorised" billboard.
Rahul Gandhi has ignited a political storm by accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of "vote chori" and "treason".
The TMC has intensified its attack on the BJP, alleging a 'larger conspiracy' involving central agencies ahead of the second phase of West Bengal polls on April 29, while also questioning the credibility of the Election Commission.
The INDIA bloc is set to convene on September 30 in New Delhi to formulate a unified strategy regarding the Election Commission, focusing on the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The meeting will also address coordinated protests and the CEC selection process, bringing together diverse opposition parties.
The protest was triggered by alleged attacks following the BJP's victory in recent assembly elections.
In an unprecedented act, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien on Friday gave a 10-minute speech, not in the House but from a corridor of the Parliament building, in protest against, what he called, the government's reluctance to discuss the Delhi violence. Before beginning his speech, O'Brien, who is leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, said that opposition parties have given notices five days in a row to discuss the issue, but these have not been accepted.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien highlights the Tata Group's presence and expansion in West Bengal, countering BJP claims about bringing Tata back to the state. Investments and expansions span IT, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail sectors.
The Election Commission of India clarified its position after INDIA bloc MPs marched to its office, stating that no formal appointment was sought until late afternoon. The EC later declined a request to meet 240 MPs at the Parliament House Annexe, citing protocol that meetings must be held at the EC premises. The incident involved a protest march led by Rahul Gandhi and a standoff with police.
Rahul Gandhi dramatically shifted the INDIA bloc's protest after their march to the Election Commission was stopped and leaders were detained. He entered Akashvani Bhavan, leading to a standoff and a continued sit-in joined by other opposition leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to protest against alleged threats to democracy.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien criticizes the government's focus on cross-voting in the vice presidential poll, urging attention to issues like US tariffs, Manipur violence, and MGNREGA funds.
The Election Commission of India has announced that elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Goa, Gujarat, and West Bengal will be held on July 24.
Leaders of 16 opposition parties demanded a special session of Parliament on Operation Sindoor in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties held a meeting on the issue in the national capital on Tuesday.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
