Told Oppn Would Be More Aggressive After BJP's Gujarat Win, Says PM Modi At Parl Meet

Prime Minister Modi said at the BJP's Parliamentary meet he had predicted that the Opposition would be more aggressive after the party's Gujarat Win.

At the BJP's Parliamentary meeting, Prime Minister Modi said he had predicted that the Opposition would be more aggressive towards the party after the saffron party's electoral victory in the Gujarat Assembly Election. Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda also attended the BJP's parliamentary meeting where the Prime Minister was also felicitated for the party's win in the state elections held in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura.

It was also decided in the meeting that on April 6, the foundation day of the BJP, the Prime Minister will address all MPs at the library building of Parliament. Also, the budget sessions would also run as per schedule till April 6, contrary reports of an early wrap.

This was the first meeting of the BJP to be held in the second phase of the budget session of Parliament. The weekly meeting of the BJP in the Parliament takes place every Tuesday when the House is in function.

The budgetary process in Parliament's budget session was completed on Monday with the two Houses passing the Finance Bill 2023 amid vociferous protests by opposition members over their demand for a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani issue.

The opposition members were also protesting against the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha.

Discussion on crucial issues including the recently passed Finance Bill and ongoing protests are likely to take place in this meeting.

On Monday, Parliamentary approval for the Budget for 2023-24 was completed after Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill with a fresh amendment and Rajya Sabha gave its nod to all the three related legislations without any debate amid continuing din over the Adani issue.

First Rajya Sabha approved the Rs 45 lakh-crore spending proposed in the Budget, followed by the nod to the Finance Bill that contains tax proposals. It also approved the Appropriation Bill and Demands for Grants, besides Budget for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The nod to Finance Bill included a fresh amendment moved by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman that sought to correct the rate of STT (securities transaction tax) to be levied on trading of options and futures in the derivative market.

After the Lok Sabha cleared the Finance Bill, which has 64 official amendments, the finance ministry on Friday issued a statement saying that there was a typographical error in the amendments with respect to the change in STT on options trading.

The error, the finance ministry said, will be rectified in accordance with the extant procedure of the government of India.

The amendment related to correcting the STT on options contracts from '0.05 per cent to 0.0625 per cent'.

As per the amendments, the STT on options has been increased from 0.017 per cent to 0.021 per cent.

The amended Finance Bill was then presented to Lok Sabha, which too approved it amid a ruckus that opposition parties created demanding a probe into allegations against Adani.

Soon after Lok Sabha reassembled at 4 pm, members of opposition parties wearing black clothes started raising slogans demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in Adani issue.

Congress members were in the well raising placards and shouting slogans. Papers were laid and committee reports were tabled amid din.