Parliament Session: Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 introduced in Lok Sabha

Opposition members in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday accused the government of forcibly thrusting on states the National Education Policy and impinging on their autonomy.

During the discussion on the working of Ministry of Education, Ritabrata Banerjee (TMC) and Kanimozhi NVN Somu (DMK) accused the Centre of withholding funds meant for education programmes in opposition ruled states of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

"Without any consultations with the state governments, the NEP (National Education Policy) has been forcibly thrusted upon states," Banerjee said adding the West Bengal government was forced to stop the four-year graduation course with inter-disciplinary and mulit-disciplinary framework

"There is no such proposal under consideration": Union MoS Home Nityanand Rai in a written response to Lok Sabha to a question whether there are any plans to create a new police district for Uri in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir

-The legislation is aimed at streamlining various services related to immigration and foreigners, including their entry, exit and stay in India

-The entry, stay and exit of foreigners from India are currently governed by the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, and the Foreigners Act, 1946

-According to Union Home Ministry data, a total of 98,40,321 (98.40 lakh) foreigners visited India between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi targeted the central government saying it is using GST as a harassment tool. He stated that it is being applied on stationary, school uniforms and even on Hindu temples.

Talking on the issue of delimitation, CPI MP P Sandosh said that it will hamper the interest of southern states and other states who have controlled population.

There is an apprehension of reduction of 26 seats from southern India and it should not happen, he said. "So we are opposing, we demand an open statement by the Home Minister on the floor of the House," Sandosh added.

The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 likely introduces for the first time national security and sovereignty as ground to refuse entry or stay to a foreign national in the country. It may also have provisions to bar the entry of a foreigner on basis of relations with a foreign state.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says "The language that has been used by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is unexpected. A central minister using such a language for the people of Tamil Nadu has downgraded the people of the state. Either he should seek an apology in the House, or he should be removed as a minister from the cabinet. PM Modi should hear what his ministers are doing...TMC stands in support for DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu..."

DMK MPs wear black, protest against Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks on Tamil Nadu

Kanimozhi and other DMK MPs hold a protest in the Parliament against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remark in the Parliament on the three-language issue.

Congress MP Manish Tewari said, " Whatever has emerged in the public space is very ambiguous. There is no clarification from the govt. Are they under pressure from the US to rationalise tariffs?...what happened during the Commerce Minister's visit to Washington, DC. There are a large number of questions that need to be answered because they are connected with the economic sovereignty of India..."

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, along with BJP MP Anil Baluni, is set to present multiple reports in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The bill proposes a comprehensive overhaul of India’s immigration laws. It aims to enhance national security, streamline immigration procedures, and impose stricter penalties on foreigners who violate entry and stay conditions. It introduces a significant shift by placing the burden of proving legal status on individuals rather than the state.

On three-language policy in NEP, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan says, " Our transformative NEP 2020 is progressive because it ensures equality of education for all and empowers our students and youth. The DMK's Dravidian model of education is divisive and regressive because it discriminates against students studying in govt schools and endangers their future. DMK's discriminatory mentality and divisive mindset are causing great harm to our students..."

Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka files an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the issue of women safety in Odisha.

Opposition parties on Monday demanded a discussion in Parliament on alleged discrepancies in voter lists, with Rahul Gandhi raising the issue in Lok Sabha. Bringing up the matter during zero hour, Rahul said several states had found discrepancies in voter lists.

On Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's 'control your tongue' jibe at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad says, "It is the responsibility of both the government and opposition to carry the proceedings of the Parliament in a dignified manner but unfortunately, the double engine government does not give proper answers to the opposition's questions. This hurts the dignity of the House. "

Congress MP Manish Tewari gives an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to deliberate upon the reported reduction of tariffs by India under external pressure.