Budget Session Live Updates: The Opposition raised an uproar in the Lok Sabha, demanding a discussion on the January 29 stampede at the Maha Kumbh, which killed at least 30 people. The Opposition is also asking for an official list which states the names of those who died, accusing the government of lack of transparency. Later, the leaders staged a walkout.
The sloganeering comes two days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on Saturday, announcing among other key steps the abolition of tax for salaried individuals earning up to Rs 12.75 lakh per annum. On the day the Budget presentation, the Samajwadi Party had raised slogans demanding transparency on the deaths at the Maha Kumbh. They later staged a walkout.
The first part of the ongoing Budget session will continue till February 13. The session will reconvene on March 10 and continue till April 4.
Live Updates From Day 3 Of Budget Session:
“Government Trying To Hide Answers”: Congress MP On Maha Kumbh Stampede
Speaking to reporters after the Opposition staged a walk out over the Maha Kumbh stampede last month, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "Today the opposition demanded only one thing, that the government answer on the atrocities committed with the tourists and death of people at Maha Kumbh... The government is trying to hide the answers... The topic of Maha Kumbh is very serious and should be subjected to investigation... We gave motion in urgent, but the speaker negated it."
#WATCH | Delhi | On Maha Kumbh stampede, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "Today the opposition demanded only one thing, that the government answer on the atrocities committed with the tourists and death of people at Maha Kumbh... The government is trying to hide the answers... The… pic.twitter.com/JtmOOoTY6e
— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2025
"Irresponsible": LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Slams Opposition
Walkout staged by Opposition members shows how "irresponsible" they are about the country's affairs, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary has said.
"This shows the thoughts of the Opposition. They started creating a ruckus during the question hour. The Speaker even told them that if they want to have discussions on this particular matter, they can do so during the 'motion of thanks to the President's address'... They did not listen to him and walked out," she told the news agency ANI outside the Parliament.
"They have no strategy to put forward their point and neither do they know the correct way to do so," she added.
Lok Sabha Takes Up 18 Questions Amid Opposition Din
Lok Sabha saw opposition members storming into the Well of the House and resorting to noisy protests and sloganeering.
Led by deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi and Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, the opposition members also sought suspension of the Question Hour and demanded a discussion on the stampede.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the Question Hour, where important issues are discussed, should not be disrupted and the opposition members should allow the House to run smoothly.
The House took up 18 questions with brief replies from ministers. Usually, 20 questions are listed for oral replies during the Question Hour every day.
Opposition members, including those from Congress, DMK, TMC and SP, returned after conclusion of the Question Hour, shortly after walking out.
#MeetingAlert#LokSabha pic.twitter.com/Zdu0vQv9WB
— LOK SABHA (@LokSabhaSectt) February 3, 2025
On the statement of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, BJP MP and former UP deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma says, "These people who were waiting for an incident to take place in Mahakumbh so that they can do politics on it. The incident that took place there is unfortunate. Investigation is underway for the same. Over 40 crore people are coming there and the arrangements are very good. The opposition will have to stop doing politics on such incidents."
