In a parliamentary standoff, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Speaker had promised to allow him to speak before the budget discussion, which was countered by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, leading to disruptions in the Lok Sabha.
The ongoing budget session of Parliament has entered its third week without any substantive discussion on the budget, as proceedings remain hindered by ongoing discord. On Monday, the first day of the new week, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi asserted that Speaker Om Birla had assured him he would be permitted to speak prior to the budget discussion, a claim that sparked controversy. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju refuted Gandhi's assertion, suggesting it was not fully accurate, which led to further tension in the house.
The presiding officer, Sandhya Rai, declined to allow Rahul Gandhi to speak without prior notice, opting instead to call Shashi Tharoor to address the budget. Tharoor referred to parliamentary traditions, arguing that it has been customary to allow the opposition leader to speak. However, the session remained tumultuous as opposition members protested vocally against the perceived lack of fair treatment regarding their leadership's opportunity to address the assembly.
As the chaos continued, the presiding officer announced the suspension of the house proceedings until 11 AM on February 10. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi indicated that he and other opposition members had visited the Speaker's chamber approximately an hour before in anticipation of discussion, highlighting the ongoing tensions and the challenges faced in moving forward with the budgetary discussions that were expected following a three-week delay in discourse.
