'Wherever in the world there is political instability, those countries are beset with severe crises today. But India is in a much better position than the rest of the world due to the decisions taken by my government in the national interest,' President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament.
'I had to persuade him. I think he was a sceptic to begin with, but later on he was convinced that what we were doing was the right thing to do, that there was no other way out.'
The three-month long budget session of Parliament was adjourned on Tuesday, sine die three days ahead of schedule, amid acrimonious scenes in Rajya Sabha over the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill.
Parliamentary proceedings were disrupted for the third consecutive day in the Winter Session as opposition parties continued their protests over the Adani issue and violence in Manipur and Sambhal. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned within minutes of convening, despite appeals from the Chair to engage in productive dialogue and refrain from disruption. The opposition members raised slogans demanding action against the perpetrators of violence in Sambhal, and sought discussions on allegations of irregularities against the Adani Group and the violence in Manipur.
The BJP accused Congress leaders of colluding with foreign forces to destabilize India and demanded Sonia Gandhi to disclose her role in a George Soros Foundation-funded organization's activities. The ruling party also attacked Rahul Gandhi, calling him a "pawn" for his protests against the Adani issue.
Modi said that he wanted a vast and qualitative discussion on financial issues in both the houses.
While the session will begin with the President's address to the joint sitting of the two Houses, the same day the pre-budget economic survey will be tabled.
The Budget session of Parliament is set to start on a stormy note on Tuesday with issues like the Jawaharlal Nehru University row, Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide and Pathankot terror strike set to dominate the proceedings.
There is a serious move afoot to reschedule the second half of the budget session of the Parliament with sources disclosing that leader of the Lok Sabha and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee would discuss the rescheduling of dates in the meeting of floor leaders of political parties which he has called on April 5.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has convened an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday to ensure smooth functioning of the Budget Session of Parliament, which begins on February 21.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs will meet on February 4 to decide the Budget session schedule. Venkaiah Naidu says the government is willing to advance the session if the Opposition agrees.
The controversial Land Acquisition Bill is set for further delay as its consideration was on Tuesday deferred by the Lok Sabha till the next session bowing to the wishes of opposition members.
The controversial VVIP chopper scam is set to turn the three-month-long Budget session of Parliament beginning Thursday into a troubled affair for the government with the Opposition raring for an attack eyeing the Lok Sabha polls which are not far away.
The much-delayed Women's Reservation Bill may not come up in the Budget session of Parliament as it has to be scrutinised by a new Parliamentary panel. A Union minister, who declined to be identified, said work needed to be done on the Bill which was before the Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
Yeddyurappa and his 65 legislators, who were revolting for a leadership change in Karnataka, finally agreed to attend the budget session after an assurance from the party's central leadership that their grievances would be looked into.
The BJP won 37.70 per cent of votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections while the Congress vote share declined to 19.67 per cent.
The Budget session of Parliament concluded on Wednesday with passage of record official business in recent years but the government failed to ensure passage of the controversial Land Acquisition Bill as also key reform measure of GST amid stiff resistance from opposition.
Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Monday went to the Civil Lines police station and alleged that a member of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal staff misbehaved with her, police officials said.
Budget session will begin on February 23 and conclude on May 8
The Companies Bill 2009, which seeks to replace a half-a-century-old Act, will be presented in Parliament in the ongoing Budget session, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday.
Following the address by President Ram Nath Kovind, the economic survey will be tabled in the two Houses.
Ahead of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's meeting with opposition parties on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said there would be no dilution in its stand on a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam and threatened to disrupt the budget session of Parliament if the demand was not met.
The Rohith Vemula suicide and the Jawaharlal Nehru University row continues to dominate the discussions in Parliament on Day 3 of the Budget Session.
The Budget session of the 16th Lok Sabha will begin in the second week of July, revealed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday.
It has been advanced in view of the impending elections in four states.
Asserting that statement of the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is "insult" to the House and people of Jammu and Kashmir, Opposition PDP announced a boycott of the remaining budget session of the state Assembly.
The Budget session of Parliament will begin on Feb 21 and the general budget is slated to be presented to Lok Sabha on Feb 28.
Members belonging to the ruling Congress and Telugu Desam Party tried to disrupt the customary address by the Governor to the joint session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature on Monday by raising slogans for and against the bifurcation of the state.
The government and the Opposition have agreed to debate the JNU controversy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Day 2 of Parliament's Budget session. At a meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to BJP lawmakers was -- "debate aggressively".
The government and the Opposition have agreed to debate the JNU controversy in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Day 2 of Parliament's Budget session. At a meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to BJP lawmakers was -- "debate aggressively".
The Budget session of Parliament was the least productive since the year 2000.
If sources in the Congress party are to be believed, a hike in the price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas seems "inevitable".
The top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday decided to strongly protest against Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Sushilkumar Shinde during the budget session till he tenders an apology for his remark on 'Hindu terror' against the principal opposition.
Amid reports that the government plans to reach out to Congress for passage of crucial bills, senior leader Ahmed Patel on Friday said it would be "bizarre" for the Narendra Modi dispensation to expect support from the party after it has diluted UPA's policies and programmes.
The Rohith Vemula suicide and the Jawaharlal Nehru University row continues to dominate the discussions in Parliament on Day 4 of the Budget Session.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances