Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stated that Speaker Om Birla had promised him a chance to speak before the Union Budget discussions, sparking a dispute with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. This disagreement resulted in chaos and the adjournment of the Lok Sabha session for the day. The session, which reconvened at 2 p.m., was quickly adjourned again after just seven minutes.
As the Congress member Shashi Tharoor was called to speak on the Union Budget, Gandhi requested the opportunity to speak. Gandhi expressed disappointment, stating that the Speaker had assured him of the chance to raise certain points before the Budget discussion. However, the Chair denied his request to speak.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju contradicted Gandhi’s claim, stating that the Speaker had not guaranteed exclusive speaking rights to the Congress but had agreed that all parties would have the opportunity to speak. Despite this clarification, Opposition MPs disagreed and disrupted the proceedings, leading to the day’s adjournment.
Earlier, the Lok Sabha had been adjourned for the second time due to Opposition members’ continuous disruptions. Despite attempts by the Chair to restore order, the MPs persisted in creating a disturbance. The session was adjourned as per the list of business, with Tharoor scheduled as the first speaker for the Union Budget discussion.
