Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi chose not to lead the discussion on the Union budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, citing apprehensions regarding possible disruptions engineered by the treasury benches, as indicated by party sources. The Leader of the Opposition is now anticipated to address the budget debate on Wednesday.
According to Congress insiders, numerous opposition leaders had encouraged Gandhi to initiate the Budget debate. However, he expressed concerns that taking the lead could result in frequent interruptions, potentially undermining the proceedings. Gandhi underscored the importance of the Budget debate as an opportunity for opposition parties to highlight public issues and hold the government accountable.
This decision was made against the backdrop of a recent notice submitted by opposition parties to call for theRahul Gandhi opted out of initiating the budget debate, fearing disruptions, and will address it on Wednesday instead. removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, indicating a rise in tensions between the treasury and opposition benches. When the House reconvened at 2 PM after experiencing two adjournments, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was presiding over the session, invited Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to commence the debate, to which he complied.
Since February 2, the Lok Sabha has been marked by continuous disruptions, culminating in the suspension of seven Congress members along with one member from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for the remainder of the Budget session. The proceedings on Tuesday saw a temporary easing of hostilities, facilitating the progression of the Budget discussion.
