Has the First Part of the Budget Session Ended? Lok Sabha to Resume on March 9 After Recess
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 13 (NationPress) The Lok Sabha was adjourned twice on Friday amid ongoing protests and disruptions by opposition members regarding various matters. The house will reconvene after a three-week break on March 9.
The initial phase of the Budget Session, which commenced in the first week of February, was marked by persistent turmoil and uproar, characterized by confrontations between the government and the opposition over a range of topics. These included the India-US trade agreement, unpublished memoirs of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, and the recent Epstein controversy.
When the Lower House convened on Friday, opposition members vocally protested and gathered in the well of the House, demanding the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri due to an alleged link with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted American sex offender.
Congress MP Ujjawal Raman Singh raised concerns regarding 'multiple deaths' linked to Codeine syrup, insisting that victims in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh should receive a compensation of Rs five lakh each, along with a call for a CBI inquiry to catch those responsible.
In response, Union Minister J.P. Nadda asserted that no fatalities had been reported due to Codeine syrup consumption, thus negating the need for compensation or a CBI probe.
As opposition members continued their protest and chanted slogans like “Hardeep Puri must resign,” officiating Speaker Sandhya Ray urged them to return to their seats. However, their refusal led to the House being adjourned until noon.
Upon reconvening at noon, some legislative proceedings took place, yet the House was finally adjourned until March 9.
Earlier, the House observed a minute of silence to honor former Haridwar MP Bhagwan Das Rathore, who recently passed away.
Before the Lok Sabha session, opposition members demonstrated outside the House premises concerning the Epstein files. The disclosures from the Epstein files in the US, which reportedly include email exchanges between Hardeep Singh Puri and Jeffrey Epstein, were seized upon by Congress and other opposition parties as a means to challenge the government.
Union Minister Hardeep Puri has vehemently denied any association with the American sex offender, criticizing Rahul Gandhi for “spreading innuendos” on the subject.