Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said that they were ready to speak on the President’s Address, but the first demand of the opposition is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives a reply on the Adani issue. Opposition MPs protested at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex, carrying cards with slogans saying, “Adani Modi mei yaari hai, paise ki loot jaari hai” and “Save LIC”.
With a united Opposition seeking a debate and the Congress party demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the fraud allegations raised against the Adani Group in the Hindenburg report, triggering a steep fall in its stocks, both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned without transacting any business for the second day on Friday. The Houses will now meet on February 6.
But the government maintained that it has no connection with what happened to the Adani firms. “There is absolutely no connection with it [Adani stock row]. Discussion on the President’s address is the priority. They [Opposition] do not have any issue,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters outside the Parliament House. The government also slammed the Opposition for stalling the House, saying it did not want Parliament to function.
The Opposition, including Congress, TMC, DMK, NCP, BRS and Left parties, protested and sought a debate on the issue in a rare show of unity. In the last session, the TMC and the BRS didn’t join others during protests against the government. However, on Friday also, the demand for a JPC probe came only from the Congress MPs.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt Monday informed the Upper House the defence expenditure in 2022-23 made up 14.08 per cent of the total central government expenses. According to data shared in a written response by the Minister, defence expenditure was Rs 5,55,484 crore while the central government’s total expenditure was Rs 39,44,909 crore for the year 2022-23.
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