Budget Session: Oppn To Amp Up Attack On Centre With Protest & Strategy Meet In Parliament Today

Budget Session: The Opposition leaders of both Houses of Parliament will hold a strategy meeting followed by a protest in Parliament to amp up their attack on the Centre on Monday.

Budget Session: Opposition to hold protest and strategy meet in Parliament tomorrow ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The ongoing Budget session of the Parliament is likely to witness another chaotic day on Monday as the opposition parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be holding a crucial strategy meeting on Monday at 9:30 in Parliament, reported news agency ANI. 

It added that the strategy meet will be followed by a protest in front of the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. 

#BudgetSession | Strategy meeting of the Floor leaders of all Opposition parties in both Houses of Parliament (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) to be held at 9:30AM tomorrow in Parliament. Opposition MPs to also protest in front of the Gandhi statue after the strategy meeting.

— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2023

Parliament Adjourned Amid Sloganeering

This comes after both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till Monday after Opposition MPs continues to protest on the House floors over the allegations against the Adani Group. The opposition parties have demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe or a Supreme Court-monitored committee investigation into the Adani issue while also seeking a discussion on it in the Parliament.

At least 16 Opposition parties met on Friday morning to decide on their collective strategy to step up their attack on the Modi government, demanding an immediate discussion on the issue of the Adani stock rout. Among the 16 parties whose leaders met in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge include the Congress, DMK, SP, AAP, BRS, Shiv Sena, RJD, JDU, CPIM, CPI, NCP, NC, IUML, Kerala Congress (Jose Mani), KC (Thomas), and the RSP.

The previous day the parties unitedly led the charge against the Centre over the issue and stalled both houses of Parliament. On Friday, leaders of several opposition parties continued to submit adjournment notices in both houses of Parliament demanding an immediate discussion on the Adani Group issue as well as the border situation with China.

Sharing his views on the issue, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, "SEBI has increased the margin money on Adani derivatives to 100%. The normal market rule is 10%- 15%. This collusion between regulator & a particular industrial group raises questions about institutional integrity of the regulator & that's why a JPC is important", news agency ANI reported.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra also questioned SEBI officer's links to billionaire Gautam Adani's family as she tweeted: "Greatest respect for ace lawyer Cyril Shroff but his daughter is married to Gautam Adani’s son.  Shroff serves on SEBI’s Committee on Corporate Governance & Insider Trading. If at all @SEBI_India is examining Adani issue, Shroff should recuse himself. Perceptions are Reality".

While Kharge made the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation or a Supreme Court-monitored probe, a section of the leaders also favoured an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). "Different parties will express their views on the floor of both Houses about what the mode of inquiry should be conducted to expose and unravel this scam," said Derek O'Brien, the TMC's Parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, as quoted by PTI.

Anurag Thakur Slams Opposition

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday lashed out at the opposition parties for creating a ruckus in the Parliament during the ongoing Budget session. He also accused them of 'insulting' the President and asked the opposition parties to apologise.

"Opposition insults President again and again. Their attitude is unfortunate. Their reaction to President's address is condemnable, they should apologise. When they saw Budget has something for all sections, that it is transparent and inclusive, they became speechless, the minister said, as quoted by ANI.

He further said, "Instead of discussing the Budget, they are making noises. Bank, LIC, RBI, and Finance Minister have all spoken on their allegations. Why is the Opposition running away from the discussion? We have nothing to hide."