The Budget Session of Parliament witnessed another turbulent day as the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address without a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid repeated adjournments, opposition protests, and sharp exchanges that later spilled over into the Rajya Sabha, prompting the House to be adjourned till 2 pm while the Prime Minister is scheduled to speak in the Upper House at 5 pm.
The seventh day of the session unfolded against the backdrop of heightened political confrontation, triggered by objections over former Army Chief M M Naravane’s unpublished book and the opposition’s allegation that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha. Persistent sloganeering by opposition members repeatedly stalled proceedings, underscoring the growing deadlock between the treasury benches and the opposition during one of the most consequential phases of the Budget Session.
Repeated adjournments in Lok Sabha as opposition protests block proceedings
The day began with disorder in the Lok Sabha, as opposition members raised slogans immediately after the House convened, forcing an adjournment till noon. When proceedings resumed at 12 pm, they lasted barely five minutes before fresh disruptions led to another adjournment, this time until 2 pm. Amid the chaos, the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address was passed, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unable to deliver his customary reply in the Lower House.
The opposition’s primary grievance centred on the alleged denial of an opportunity for Rahul Gandhi to speak. Congress leaders insisted that blocking the LoP from addressing Parliament amounted to a serious erosion of democratic norms. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded that Rahul Gandhi be allowed to speak, questioning what she described as the government’s fear of parliamentary scrutiny.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party rejected these claims, asserting that Rahul Gandhi had been allotted sufficient time but failed to adhere to parliamentary rules. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told the House that Rahul Gandhi had exceeded the allotted speaking time and accused the opposition of deliberately creating disruptions. According to Rijiju, it was incorrect to claim that the LoP was denied an opportunity, adding that the House functions according to established procedures and not individual demands.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla later condemned the repeated disruptions, stating that the events of the previous day were against the dignity of the House. He warned members against turning the chamber into a site of continuous protest, even as opposition MPs continued to press their demands inside and outside the House.
The tension was further fuelled by references to remarks linked to former Army Chief General M M Naravane, with BJP leaders arguing that sensitive discussions involving the armed forces, the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister should not be made public. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi cautioned against placing military communications in the public domain, invoking historical examples to underline the sensitivity of national security matters.
Rajya Sabha erupts as opposition raises Lok Sabha issues, walkout follows
The confrontation soon extended to the Rajya Sabha, where opposition members sought to raise the issue of Rahul Gandhi being allegedly prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge argued that Parliament comprises both Houses and questioned how proceedings could function smoothly if the LoP in the Lok Sabha was not allowed to speak on matters of national interest.
Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J P Nadda strongly objected, stating that proceedings of the Lok Sabha cannot be discussed in the Upper House. He accused the Congress of attempting to hold Parliament “hostage” over issues that fall outside the jurisdiction of the Rajya Sabha. Nadda also criticised the opposition walkout, saying those who speak of democracy should not undermine parliamentary procedures.
The sharp exchange between Kharge and Nadda reflected the broader stalemate gripping Parliament. While Kharge maintained that the opposition did not intend to disrupt proceedings and only sought space for democratic debate, government ministers countered that repeated disruptions were preventing meaningful discussion on the President’s Address and the Union Budget.
Following heated arguments, opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha. Despite the walkout, the House briefly continued functioning before being adjourned till 2 pm. Kharge was not present in the House at the time of adjournment, further highlighting the breakdown in dialogue between the two sides.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also intervened during the debate, objecting to Kharge’s use of the term “lynching” and referencing the 2022 Udaipur killing of a tailor to counter opposition remarks. Her intervention added another layer to the emotionally charged exchanges that marked the day’s proceedings.
Amid the turmoil, the government reiterated that Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to reply to the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha at 5 pm. BJP leaders accused the opposition of creating noise to avoid listening to the Prime Minister’s response, while opposition figures claimed the government was undermining parliamentary accountability by allowing the Motion of Thanks to pass in the Lok Sabha without the Prime Minister’s reply.
The developments come at a crucial stage of the Budget Session, which spans 30 sittings over 65 days and is set to conclude on April 2. Several key bills, including major economic and constitutional proposals, are lined up for discussion in the coming weeks. However, the repeated adjournments and political brinkmanship raise concerns over whether Parliament will be able to conduct substantive legislative business if the current impasse continues.
As proceedings remain disrupted and tempers flare on both sides, the focus now shifts to the Prime Minister’s address in the Rajya Sabha later in the day. Whether that speech helps cool tempers or deepens the confrontation will likely shape the tone of the remaining Budget Session.
