With Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) renewed attacks on Rahul Gandhi for his speech in London and the Opposition’s demurral over the Adani-Hindenburg issue and its demand for setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the matter, the fifth day of the Union Budget session’s second leg is likely to see more ruckus in the Parliament. Both the Upper and Lower Houses could not proceed with their businesses for the forth day in a row after the second phase of Union Budget session 2023 started on March 13.
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Right from the beginning of the session, BJP MPs, including Union ministers, have been demanding a public apology from Rahul Gandhi and sought his suspension from Lok Sabha for his remarks in the UK’s Cambridge University. As a rebuttal, Congress and other Opposition parties have been demanding a JPC-level probe into the Adani-Hindenburg matter. In his response after being attacked by the Centre, Rahul Gandhi said whether he is allowed to speak on the floor of the House or asked to ‘shut up’ would be a ‘test of Indian democracy’.
What can be expected in Parliament today:
1) Parliament will continue to witness logjams and the opposition will carry on its protest until a JPC is set up to probe alleged irregularities by the Adani Group, the Aam Aadmi Party said on Thursday. At a press conference on Thursday, AAP Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Singh alleged a nexus between Gautam Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asserted that the Opposition will not spare those “who looted the country’s assets worth lakhs and crores of rupees”.
2) A slew of Bills including the Waqf Repeal Bill, 2022, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, the Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Superstitious Practices Bill, 2022 and the Facial Recognition Technology (Regulation Of Police Powers) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha and Tourism Promotion Authority Bill, 2019, Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Amendment of section 451), Unemployment Allowance Bill, 2019, Agricultural Workers Welfare Fund Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha are slated to be introduced which may find their place on the table if businesses of both Houses run as per schedule.
3) Several Opposition MPs have placed suspension of business notices in Rajya Sabha and adjournment notices in Lok Sabha to discuss several matters keeping a central focus on the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Likewise, the treasury benches have been unanimously demanding Rahul Gandhi’s apology, indicating towards more ruckus in the Parliament today.
4) Lok Sabha was adjourned on Thursday within one minute of Rahul Gandhi’s arrival in the Parliament. He can be expected to speak today in the Lower House, given that the House is not adjourned followed by interruptions. According to Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Rahul Gandhi earlier met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in the Parliament and requested him to allow him time to speak about the allegations made by BJP against him
