NEW DELHI: The Budget session of Parliament began on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to respond to the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha at 5 PM today and in the Rajya Sabha on February 6.
Yesterday, there were intense debates between the government and opposition on various issues, including the Kumbh Mela stampede and remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
As the PM prepares to speak, the opposition is expected to raise concerns about the Maha Kumbh stampede, a major issue they have focused on since the session started on Friday.
TMC MP Saugata Roy blamed the President's speech, saying she did not say anything on the situation in Manipur. He pointed out that although the President is from a tribal background, there was no mention of tribal deaths in the state or any visit to the region. Roy urged the Prime Minister to visit Manipur as soon as possible. He also expressed disappointment that the speech failed to address the concerns of farmers.
Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav called for a caste survey and noted that even Congress, which once opposed the idea, is now supporting it. He suggested that if Congress had backed the survey earlier, he wouldn’t have to raise it now.
The Prime Minister’s speech follows a strong attack from Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, who criticized the NDA government over several issues during the Motion of Thanks debate. Gandhi claimed that neither the Congress-led UPA nor the BJP-led NDA had successfully addressed unemployment. He also noted that while Modi's “Make in India” initiative was a good idea, it failed to revive India's manufacturing sector. According to Gandhi, the share of manufacturing in GDP dropped from 15.3% in 2014 to 12.6%, marking the lowest point in six decades.
Gandhi also questioned Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to the US, accusing him of trying to secure an invitation for PM Modi to attend Donald Trump’s coronation. The government responded angrily to these comments, calling for an apology. Jaishankar clarified that his US visit was not aimed at securing the invitation, as India follows a policy of sending special envoys for such events.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju demanded an apology from Gandhi, highlighting that Speaker Om Birla had asked him multiple times to back up his claims, but Gandhi left the House without doing so.