New Delhi:
The opposition walked out of Parliament - over the delimitation issue - as the budget session's second half began this morning, in which more spats over issues like 'Hindi imposition', Waqf amendments, and the United States' tariffs are expected.
Here are the top 10 points in this story:
- Union Health Minister JP Nadda, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, condemned the opposition walk-out, declaring they needed a "refresher course" on rules and regulations governing functioning of Parliament. BJP MP Rekha Sharma also criticised the opposition, accusing them of "always obstructing the House". Minutes later, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon.
- Delimitation - likely to be implemented next year - has emerged as a red-flag issue. The southern states, led by Tamil Nadu, believe redrawing parliamentary constituencies based on current population data will leave them with fewer seats, and less of a voice, in Parliament, despite having controlled population growth and contributed significantly to the Indian economy.
- As a corollary, they also fear a dramatic increase in seats for northern states - many of which are Hindi-speaking and seen as bastions of the ruling BJP - will allow the party to dominate future Lok Sabha elections, and also tilt the flow of grants and funding from the central government.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought to allay these fears in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore last week, when he insisted the southern states would not lose a single seat, but Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin pointed out he did not also say the northern states would not benefit.
- Amendments to the Waqf Bill - which includes changes like nominating non-Muslim members to bodies that manage Muslim charitable properties, and which triggered a furious row - and discussions over the ruling BJP's three-language formula for schools, which Tamil Nadu and other southern states view as 'Hindi imposition' are also expected to lead to confrontation.
- On the 'Hindi imposition' front, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told the Lok Sabha that Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, which has spearheaded these protests, is "dishonest" and is "not committed to the students" of the state. "They are doing politics..." he declared.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has been leading the counterattack, and has invited counterparts from seven states, including Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Punjab's Bhagwant Mann, to a meeting in Chennai next week to discuss this issue.
- Another topic that could provoke face-offs between the ruling BJP and the opposition are trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, who has declared India a "very big abuser" of import duties. The deportation of Indians living illegally in that country - triggered by videos of shackled prisoners being flown to India on US military aircraft - could also be discussed.
- Among other high-profile bills due this session is the Finance Bill, passage of which completes processing of the 2025 Union Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to table a budget for ethnic violence-hit Manipur, which came under President's Rule last month.
- Various other issues, such as duplication of voter ID numbers, something opposition parties have frequently alleged before and after election defeats in recent years, may also be raised.
