Budget session ends with blame game over logjam

The ministry-wise demand for grants, the finance bill, the budget of J&K and all other bills were passed amid din and without any debate.

The budget session of Parliament, characterised by acrimony especially in its second half, ended on a discordant note with several Opposition leaders skipping the customary tea at the chambers of the two presiding officers, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Parliament of India. (Mohd Zakir/HT File Photo)

The session, which saw the budget being passed without discussion, saw the treasury benches clamouring for an apology by now-disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and the Opposition, for an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into allegations by a research firm that the Adani Group, perceived to be close to Prime Minister Modi, had indulged in fraud and stock manipulation. Towards the end of the session, Gandhi was disqualified after a Gujarat court sentenced him to two years in jail in a defamation case.

On Thursday, Dhankhar, who has come under fire from the opposition for what they see as a presiding officer speaking for the government, said: “Weaponising of politics by stalling functioning of Parliament is pregnant with serious consequences for our polity.” Birla struck a similar note in the Lok Sabha: “Inappropriate conduct and behaviour in the House is not beneficial for Parliament and the nation.”

After skipping the customary tea, the Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said, “No time for niceties, when for the first time since 1950, a government have themselves raised slogans and disrupted a full session.”

The last full budget session of the Narendra Modi government turned out to be worst session of Parliament since the 2021 monsoon session in terms of performance. The BJP and the Congress-led Opposition disrupted the proceedings daily . Gandhi’s disqualification on March 24 triggered a fresh wave of Opposition protests with several non-NDA MPs coming to Parliament in black .

The ministry-wise demand for grants, the finance bill, the budget of J&K and all other bills were passed amid din and without any debate.

In his valedictory speech in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar said: “The hallowed precincts of Parliament are for discussions and deliberations, debates and decisions for the holistic welfare of the people. How ironical Disorder in Parliament is turning out to be new Order- a new norm that decimates essence of democracy.”

“How worrisome and alarming! Paramountcy of debate, dialogue, deliberation and discussion in Parliament has yielded to disruption and disturbance. ,” the Vice President added.

Birla, who managed to run the House smoothly in most of the previous sessions, was equally sharp: “House is for argument. I favour discussion on every topic. But you (the Opposition) keep on coming to the well. I am again urging you not to destroy the dignity of the House in this manner. I have always given you enough time and enough opportunities. This House had run till midnight earlier on many occasions. But your behaviour is not good for the house and the democracy of the country.”

The government squarely blamed the Opposition for the virtual washout of the second half of the session. Union law minister Kiren Rijiju said, “On the last day of Budget Session, Congress Party again used same tactics to insult the Parliament. Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji has given very clear message to every @BJP4India member to defend the pillars of the Constitution and serve the nation.”

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal revealed the BJP was ready to drop its demand (an apology from Gandhi) if opposition parties reciprocated on their stand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue. “We were ready to give up our stand. But they should have also given up their stand.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge blamed the government for the impasse and tweeted, “This happened for the first time in the history of the country, The ruling party killed “democracy” by stalling the Parliament! All the parliamentary customs were trampled in the effort to save the “best friend”. Conspired, disqualified and suppressed the voice of the opposition! Mr. Modi, Don’t make things up investigate corruption Set up JPC inquiry!”