Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to respond to the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and in the Rajya Sabha on February 6, as the ongoing Budget session continues to witness intense debates and sharp exchanges between the government and the opposition over various issues such as Kumbh Mela Stampede and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s assertions in the lower house.
Prime Minister Modi will respond to the Motion of Thanks on President Draupadi Murmu’s address at 5 PM. On the first day of the Budget session, the President had addressed the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. Since then, discussions on the Motion of Thanks have been underway.
Discussions on the Budget will take place on February 6, 7, 10, and 11. On February 11, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will respond to the Budget debate.
During the session on Monday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading falsehoods in his speech. Gandhi, in his remarks during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, had claimed that an INDIA bloc government would not have sent External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the US to request an invitation for the Prime Minister to attend the American president’s coronation. Rahul also alleged that Prime Minister Modi had denied the presence of Chinese forces in Indian territory, despite contradicting reports from the Indian Army. Additionally, he raised concerns about a sudden surge of 70 lakh voters in Maharashtra’s electoral rolls, urging the Election Commission to release the data.
Reacting to Gandhi’s speech, Rijiju said that the Leader of the Opposition had undermined the dignity of the Lok Sabha by making “childish comments” and resorting to lies. He indicated that the treasury benches would either condemn Gandhi’s remarks or serve a notice for action against him. “We know he can’t authenticate what he said because it’s false,” Rijiju added, stressing that the opposition leader would be called to clarify his statements in the House.
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Opposition Targets Govt Over Kumbh Mela Stampede
Amid these parliamentary exchanges, opposition MPs raised alarm over the handling of the Kumbh Mela stampede tragedy, which resulted in numerous casualties in Prayagraj. MPs from various parties, including the DMK, Samajwadi Party, and Trinamool Congress, voiced strong concerns about the government’s negligence and failure to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the event.
DMK MP Kanimozhi expressed grief for the victims and sharply criticised the government’s handling of the situation, stating that no one had protected those who trusted the Union and state governments. She further called attention to the lack of clarity on the number of deaths in the stampede, saying, “We don’t even know the exact number of people who died in the stampede.”
Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel and Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also condemned the government’s response, particularly the minimal mention of the tragedy in the President’s Address. Dastidar questioned why the incident had only been briefly mentioned, adding, “The President only spent 61 words on this tragedy.” Both MPs also criticised the government’s economic policies, accusing it of prioritising the interests of billionaires while neglecting the needs of struggling farmers.
As the Budget session progresses, the Tuesday session is likely to be stormy as opposition calls for a more accountable government response to both the Kumbh Mela tragedy and details on the death toll, while all eyes are on Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming reply to the Motion of Thanks.
