The national mental health telephone helpline handled close to 30 lakh calls since its launch in October 2022, averaging nearly two calls every minute, government data furnished to Parliament showed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha that the government launched a "National Tele Mental Health Programme" on October 10, 2022, to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country.

The services of Tele MANAS helpline (1800-89-14416) are available in 20 languages based on the language opted by states, he said.

"More than 29,82,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number," Rai said.

Rajya Sabha resumes proceedings with further Discussion on 150th Anniversary of National Song "Vande Mataram".

#wintersession2025 #RajyaSabha resumes proceedings with further Discussion on 150th Anniversary of National Song "Vande Mataram".@VPIndia @harivansh1956
Watch Live: https://t.co/9KBMU3sBaj pic.twitter.com/DtYRIC6w0X

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) December 10, 2025

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, during election reforms debate in Lok Sabha, said, "I was listening to Rahul Gandhi yesterday. Today, I also heard KC Venugopal, and they were saying that we compromise institutions... I want to ask who made a joke of the President of India? Former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was forced to sign the paper on the 'Emergency'. Who superseded the judge of the  Supreme Court? HR Khanna said that even during the Emergency, we will not compromise with the right of the citizens and hence, Congress didn't let him be the CJI even for a month."

VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session 2025: BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad), during election reforms debate in Lok Sabha, said, "I was listening to Rahul Gandhi yesterday. Today, I also heard KC Venugopal, and they were saying that we compromise institutions... I want to ask… pic.twitter.com/ctPrYhyJqv

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 10, 2025

Congress Leader KC Venugopal slammed the Election Commission during the Electoral Reforms debate in the Lok Sabha.

"Instead of preventing anti-national acts like 'vote chori', it is enabling it," he said.

VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session: “Instead of preventing anti-national acts like 'vote chori', EC is enabling it,” says Congress MP KC Venugopal in Lok Sabha.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/BBQ2XcONkE

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 10, 2025

Congress General Secretary and MP KC Venugopal launched a blistering attack on the NDA government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday while opposing the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, accusing the Centre of systematically destroying the independence of the ECI.

"The idea of an impartial electoral umpire has been openly crushed. The Election Commission has now collapsed under political pressure and has become partisan," Venugopal said, while the Lok Sabha continued to debate on electoral reforms, adding that the right to vote is not a mercy granted by any government but a fundamental principle of democracy.

Quoting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Venugopal alleged that wherever elections were near, the BJP government started SIR (Special Intensive Revision). "It happened in Bihar, and now it is happening as elections are nearing in several states," he said.

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.

Rajya Sabha chairman commemorates the 77th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

#WinterSession2025
Chairman #RajyaSabha commemorates the 77th Anniversary of the adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948.@VPIndia @CPR_VP pic.twitter.com/mnGosSnkiO

— SansadTV (@sansad_tv) December 10, 2025

The proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have begun.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will speak on Election Reforms in the Lok Sabha at 5 PM today.

BJP president and Rajya Sabha leader JP Nadda is also expected to conclude the debate on 'Vande Mataram' today, setting a spirited close to the cultural and ideological discourse in the Upper House. Soon after, attention will shift to the high-stakes election reforms discussion beginning Thursday.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh has given a Rule 267 notice in Rajya Sabha, demanding a discussion on "a grave public health emergency caused by toxic air pollution in Delhi."

Electoral reforms are at the centre of a politically charged debate in the Lok Sabha today, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah expected to make a concluding speech. He is expected to highlight the government's roadmap for electoral transparency and other reforms.