Parliament Winter Session: Rahul Gandhi Demands Debate on 'Poisonous' Air; Centre Ready for Discussion

The Parliament's Winter Session addresses India's severe air pollution crisis, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi describing it as a 'national health emergency' and calling for a bipartisan solution. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed the government is prepared for a debate on the issue. Concurrently, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the government rejects 'unofficial' global air quality rankings, emphasizing India's own standards. In civil aviation, Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu discussed airfare regulation and the success of the UDAN scheme in democratizing air travel. Adding to this, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol announced a 10-year extension for the UDAN scheme, with a goal of adding 120 new destinations. The session also featured controversy as TMC MP Sougata Roy was criticized by Union Ministers for smoking on the Parliament premises.