Parliament Budget Session | Both Houses adjourned for the day

Lok Sabha adjourns for the day and will reconvene at 11 am on February 10, Friday.

The Lok Sabha continues the general discussion on the Union Budget and speaking during the discussion, Congress’ Pradyut Bordoloi says that the Budget proposals by the government has a lot of contradictions and that the country is poised to become the “most unequal” country in the world. “The crorepatis of this country today are controlling 55% of the country’s wealth. The top 10% of the 140-crore Indians hold 78% of the total national wealth and 75% wealth generated after 2016. The number of hungry Indians has gone up from 19 crore to 35 crore in the last six years,” he says citing the World Inequality Report.

VCK MP Thirumaavalavan says that the Budget shows the present government is against the poor and minorities. He says allocations to the MNREGA scheme have been slashed to Rs 60,000 crore this year from the Rs 80,000 crore last year. With this allocation not even 10 days of employment could be provided to a family under the scheme, he adds. He alleges that the Centre has also ignored the welfare and development of minority communities such as Dalits and Muslims. He also urges that the Centre must investigate the Adani row.

NCP MP Supriya Sule says that topics such as unemployment, recession, poverty, inflation, growth vs inflation and imbalances in import and export. Regarding organic farming, she says that Sri Lanka promoted organic farming and met with a food crisis. She says that organic farming is a welcome step but the population of the country is not going down either.

She also suggests that the Centre must establish a council, along with States, to address the issues of the pensioners in the country.

N K Premachandran of the RSP says that the proposals in the Budget does not address issues such as unemployment, poverty and inflation. He says that the Budget speaks about inclusive growth but minorities have been “deliberately avoided” in the Finance Minister’s speech and also in the President’s speech. He said this showed that “deliberate act of discrimination against the minorities is reflected in the budget”.

The growth rate in all labour intensive sectors, except telecommunication, has remained the same and questions the Finance Minister as to how the Centre will address the problem of unemployment.

Free ration is being provided to 81 crore people, according to the Centre, he says, and asks “When there is an economic growth of 7% even after COVID-19 pandemic, why are we not able to address the poverty, which is increasing ?” Regarding inflation, he asks the Centre if the RBI had written to the government regarding the inflation rate staying above 6%.

Gurjeet Singh Aujla of the Congress speaks about the skilling of the youth. He says that Skill India was initiated in 2015 but the first skill centre was inaugurated in April 2022. He also says 11 lakh students go abroad for studies and will eventually settle there. He asks how can the lost talent be reclaimed.

K Subbarayan of the Communist Party of India says that the people of the country are beginning to realise the gimmicks of the Centre and soon the BJP will receive the verdict of the people. He says that the BJP government’s policies only support foreign direct investment and corporate companies to function within the country. He also says that the villages are currently “dying” and several people are moving towards urban areas. The government’s economic and anti-farmer policies in the last eight years are the reasons for the “death” of villages, he adds.

MSMEs provide 92% employment opportunities in the country and he urged the Finance Minister to exempt them from GST. He also said that corporate companies must be taxed more so that the burden of taxes on small businesses of the country could be eased.

Due to continued sloganeering and display of placards, the House is adjourned till 11 am on Friday.

“Let us look ahead with positivity, utilise time for dialogue and debate and contribute to the larger welfare of the nation”, Mr. Dhankar says, while announcing that the House will continue business till 8 pm.

INC MP Shaktisinh Gohil raises to continue with the discussion on the Union Budget, but is drowned out by chants of “Modi, Modi.” Mr. Dhankar’s request for the House to be in order go unheeded.

Jagdeep Dhankar presides as the Upper House resumes proceedings

Shrimoni Akali Dal MP from Bhatinda started her speech stating that the government did turn up to see the protesting at the Delhi border in 2021. She sought that the budget did not address the welfare of the farmers who provide for food security in the country.

The Bhatinda MP also raised concerns about depleting groundwater levels in the country. Earlier, she had stated that the budget did not provide a word to guarantee MSP for farmers.

As Rajya Sabha resumed, ruling party MPs continued sloganeering. They protested Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar permitting Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil to speak on the Union Budget, raising a point of order that he did not speak when first asked to do so.

Mr. Gohil demanded that the House be brought in order and pointed to the ruling party MPs shouting “Modi, Modi”. Mr. Dhankar then adjourned the House until 5.15 p.m., requesting the leader of the House, the Opposition leader and the leaders of the floor to meet him in his chamber in the meantime.

As sloganeering continued, Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankar adjourned the House to meet at 4.30 p.m.

Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankar attempts to initiate a discussion on the Union Budget, but the proceedings are stalled as Opposition leaders demand a point of order to initiate a debate, while the ruling party leaders chant “Modi, Modi!”

None of the amendments to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address were passed in the Rajya Sabha as all 113 amendments were put to vote and rejected by a majority of MPs the House. Commotion ensues in the House as Opposition leaders demand a discussion on the Adani issue.

Members from the opposition benches expressed their disappointment about the Union Budget, stating, it did not provide adequate money to important components as health, nutrition and agriculture sectors.

DMK MP from Nilgiris A. Raja stated the components were being undermined and the disappointment had become true. His specific concerns about primary education, stating that notwithstanding the 38,000 teacher recruitments promised under the Ekalavya scheme over the next five years, not a single new school has been opened under the scheme. His specific assertion to the treasury benches questioning if they knew what the name (Ekalavya) stood for, led to BJP MP from Godda (Jharkhand) Nishikant Dubey responding that the scheme was opened and named by the erstwhile regime.

The Godda MP also refuted allegations by the DMK MP about the ruling party members not being on-ground during the COVID crisis.

Members have been raising concerns about the reduced allocation to NREGA, food subsidy and Health Mission, among other schemes.

Opposition members enter the Well to protest. The LoP tries to raise a point of order, but Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refuses to allow it.

PM Modi has left the House.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi defends the Centre against accusations of troubling State governments. He reminds the House of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s record of using Article 356 of the Indian Constitution to bypass the rule of the State government.

Both the government and the Opposition MPs are now indulging in sloganeering.

“Why are descendants of Jawahar Lal Nehru afraid of using his last name?” asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This country was built on the blood, sweat and tears of its citizens and it does not belong to one family, he adds.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praises the quick development of a Covid-19 vaccine in India. He says that the country persevered despite multiple attempts to malign Indian scientists, and the lawmakers in power break out in chants of “Modi, Modi”.

I am proud of my government for constructing 11 crore toilets for women across the country, PM says during his address in the Upper House. He also lists government schemes aimed at providing benefits to women during pregnancy as well the post-natal period.

“Child sex ratio in India is improving due to our Beti Bachao Abhiyan (Save the Girl Child),” he adds.

Meanwhile, sloganeering from the Opposition and demands for a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue persist.

Opposition demands answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Meanwhile, the PM reiterates his stand of having the trust of people, just like he mentioned in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

Prime Minister says that his government has provided LPG and electricity to remote villages of India, unlike what the previous governments were able to achieve.

The Prime Minister has ignored all sloganeering by the Opposition so far. On the other hand, the Opposition has moved on to chant, “kuch toh bolo (say something),” demanding answers from the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister praises the Jan Dhan bank account scheme as a solution to India’s banking systems focused at serving the poor.

The Opposition has not stopped chanting for even a minute since PM Modi began his address in the Upper House.

Their (previous governments) intentions might have been better, but they only made potholes during their time and not buildings, the Prime Minister says.

PM Modi resorts to poetry to make his case, and says, “Keechad jitna zyada ucchaloge, kamal utna hi khilega (The more you try to sling mud at us, the more this lotus will bloom.”

Heavy, relentless sloganeering in the Upper House, Opposition demands joint parliamentary probe in the Adani-Hindenburg issue.

Nothing will go on record, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar says. PM Modi carries on.

PM rises to speak amid chaos and protests from the Opposition.

Rajya Sabha proceedings resumed with a discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.

Nominated member Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade spoke of the “present being the foundation for the future” because of “tremendous growth” happening in the country, and its appreciation abroad as well.

“This Budget is anti-farmer, anti-poor and anti-rural. There has been a reduction in MGNREGA and cut in food, petroleum and fertiliser subsidies. This is anti-poor,” says TMC leader Sougata Ray as he slams Nirmala Sitharaman.

“The Finance Minister has the SEBI under the ministry. I demand that she asks the SEBI to inquire into falling shares of this company. Also, the ED are investigating each and every Opposition member. Why are they not investigating this company?” asks TMC MP.

Speaking during debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Ray objected to the absence of the Union Finance Minister from the Lower House.

“The Budget belongs to Lok Sabha. The Lower House has complete powers as far as the Budget is concerned. Why is Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman not present in the Lok Sabha when the issue is being discussed? The Railway Minister is also absent from the House,” the MP said.

Judge Gowri has been accused of making casteist remarks, Mr. Sircar says.

BJP MP Piyush Goyal intervenes and says, “Members should not be casting aspersions of this nature.” She is an honourable judge who has been duly appointed through a process, Mr. Goyal adds.

Ms. Gowri took the oath of office on February 7, even as the Supreme Court was hearing petitions filed by a group of advocates from Chennai opposing her elevation on the ground of having delivered “hate speeches” against religious minorities. The apex court dismissed the cases, on merits, minutes after she completed taking the oath. Read more

YSRCP MP Bharat Ram Margani has initiated the discussion on the Union Budget 2023-24 in the Lower House today.

As per the listed business of the day, the Question Hour was followed by the laying of papers on the table of the House. The Opposition MPs demanded a discussion on the Adani issue, but the Speaker rejected notices submitted in the House today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending the proceedings of the House

Leaders of the AAP and BRS staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament seeking probe pertaining to Adani row

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Replying to a question on optical fibre cable infrastructure along highways, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Centre needs the cooperation of the State government to undertake and complete projects.

“Progress of the Bengaluru expressway is very good. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, we don’t have land or clearances. How are contractors going to work,” the minister told MP Dayanidhi Maran who had asked the question.

Mr. Gadkari added that the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway will be completed by the end of December this year. “This will take Chennai to Bengaluru two hours and work is already complete from Bengaluru to Mysore. It will take one hour from Bengaluru to Mysore,” the minister added.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar says that only six parts of the LoP’s Wednesday speech were expunged under Rule 261 of the Parliament -- “If the Chairman is of opinion that a word or words has or have been used in debate which is or are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified, he may in his discretion, order that such word or words be expunged from the proceedings of the Council.”

Mr. Kharge protests, says that leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee have used similar words in the Parliament in the past.

The House moves on after a brief interruption.

The Congress which has strongly criticised the expunction of certain remarks made by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament targeting PM Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the party is writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker regarding the matter.

“There is not even a single word that is unparliamentary. Rahul Gandhi asked a question that how many times did the PM travel with Adani during his foreign trips? What is the use of removing it?” asked Congress MP K. C. Venugopal.

Members protest as Mr. Dhankhar rejects to suspend the business of the House to discuss the Adani-Hindenburg issue.

Members are laying papers on the Table

Proceedings have resumed in the Lok Sabha with the commencement of Question Hour.

The BJP has issued a whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present in the House till February 13, news agency ANI has reported.

Speaking to ANI, BRS leader Kavitha Kalvakuntla said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday was “repetitive, rhetorical and filled with satire” on the Opposition.

“Heckling the opposition will not redeem you of your responsibilities. The country is watching you and people will reflect it in the next elections,” she added.

1. Question Hour to be followed by laying of papers and report of committees on the table of the House,
2. The House to take up matters under Rule 377,
3. Discussion on the Union Budget 2023-2024 to resume.

The Opposition on Wednesday slammed the Centre on inflation and unemployment as the Lok Sabha began the debate on the Union Budget.

Initiating the debate, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said the government has failed to control inflation. “Every announcement made in the Union Budget was for the benefit of a particular corporate group and there was “nothing for the common people”, Gogoi claimed.

DMK member T. R. Baalu said allocations for the vulnerable sectors and the rural jobs scheme MGNREGA have been slashed.

Lok Sabha was, however, adjourned a lack of quorum.

Congress MP Manish Tewari has given an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the border situation with China.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore has submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on PM’s foreign travels with Gautam Adani and “consequent benefits received by the Adani Group”.