Parliament Budget Session updates | March 17, 2023

Congress MP Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi joined the Opposition protest in favour of their demand of a JPC probe into Adani stocks issue.

Speaker Om Birla urged members to allow Lok Sabha to function, but as sloganeering continued, the House was adjourned for the day.

Proceedings will resume on Monday, March 20.

Once again, no significant business has been conducted in the Upper House. Proceedings will now resume on Monday, March 20, at 11.00 a.m.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also informed the House that in connection with an earlier Point of Order raised by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge against Leader of House Piyush Goyal, he has asked Mr. Goyal to authenticate his remarks.

Members protest with loud slogans and chants.

Soon after the protesting MPs stormed into the Well of the House, livestream audio went on mute. Visuals showed several Opposition leaders raising slogans in the Well.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar extends birthday greetings to Kannada actor and MP Jaggesh.

The Lower House began proceedings of the day with Question Hour. Several members of the Opposition soon came to the Well of the House and were seen raising slogans.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a dig at the BJP for attacking Rahul Gandhi over his remarks. “They [BJP] themselves are anti-national. They never took part in India’s freedom movement. And they’re calling others anti-national. They are doing this to deviate from issues of unemployment and inflation. Can Rahul Gandhi ever be anti-national? Are people who debate about democracy anti-national? I condemn JP Nadda’s statement. Why are they not giving Rahul Gandhi a chance to speak in Parliament.”