Budget Session Ends Amid Impasse On Key Issues, Oppn And BJP Trade Blame For Washout

The Budget Session concluded as RS adjourned sine die amid sloganeering. BJP demanded that Rahul Gandhi tender an apology for his recent UK remarks while opposition parties demanded a JPC probe into the Adani issue.

The Budget session of the Parliament came to an end as both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die on Thursday. Huge chaos was witnessed on the last day of the second leg of the budget session with both Houses being hit by continuous sloganeering.

Opposition members took out ‘Tiranga March’ from Parliament to Vijay Chowk after the Lok Sabha adjourned. 

Ahead of the session, Congress National President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said: "If the government is not listening, it is stubborn. The whole parliament session was a washout. If you want democracy to be alive then listening to the opposition is important."

"He (Rahul Gandhi) has been disqualified from the parliament still they are demanding an apology. It seems they are trying to weaken the opposition," he remarked before attending the last day of the budget session, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Union Minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju responded to the allegations by saying, "Today, again Congress MPs and other opposition leaders created a ruckus in the House. The country is seeing what Congress is doing. Congress neither believes in the Constitution of India nor respects the law."

Parliament proceedings were stalled due to protests by opposition parties demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, and the BJP, which is insisting on an apology from expelled Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi.

Modi Govt Vs Opposition In Parliament 

The ruling BJP has, since the resumption of the Budget session of Parliament after a break, demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi come to Rajya Sabha and tender an apology for his "democracy in danger" remarks made in the UK recently.

The Congress has countered this demand saying that someone who is not an MP of Rajya Sabha cannot be called to the House and there cannot be any discussion/reflection on or about an MP of Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi was recently disqualified from Lok Sabha after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case. The opposition parties also staged protests against the same wearing black attires after his disqualification was notified by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Competition Amendment Bill, 2023 without discussion amid the din. 

Last month, the budgetary process was completed in a similar manner with the two Houses passing the Finance Bill 2023. On March 27, the Rajya Sabha passed five bills within minutes amid ruckus including the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2023; The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2023; The Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2023; The Appropriation Bill, 2023 and The Finance Bill, 2023.