Budget session: All opposition parties, except AAP, turn up in parliamentary debates today

All opposition parties, with the exception of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have chosen to take part in the parliamentary debates on Tuesday despite the gridlock around the Adani-Hindenburg issue, said sources.

Leaders from opposition parties met in Mallikarjun Kharge’s office on Tuesday to “decide the day’s strategy” regarding their demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Adani issue.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress national secretary in charge of communications, tweeted that “most opposition parties have decided to join in Parliamentary proceedings starting today and continue to raise their demand for a JPC into the PM-linked Adani Maha Mega Scam.”

The budget session of Parliament got underway on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of Parliament. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Budget 2023-24 on February 1. Since then, no activity has been conducted in Parliament due to the ongoing impasse around the Adani issue. The opposition has been demanding that the government should come forward and clear the matter regarding the Adani stock issue, which caused disruption in both Houses. 

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, declared on Monday that the party would not “back down” unless Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to allow a debate in Parliament about the Hindenburg Research report against Adani Group.

The Congress party has been vocal in raising the issue in Parliament, forcing it to adjourn. For the third day in a row, Parliament has been rocked by the opposition’s demand to hold the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Congress called for a protest all over the country on Monday outside State Bank of India (SBI) branches and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) offices, demanding an investigation into the issue. Opposition members have been claiming that the investment of the Adani Group in public sector banks may affect the savings of the common people.

The first phase of the Budget session will end on February 13, and the second half is scheduled to take place from March 13 to April 6.