Rahul Gandhi to open debate on motion of thanks from Oppn at President's address in LS

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the first speaker in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address on Wednesday in Lok Sabha. According to sources, 12 hours have been allotted to opposition parties to express their reply to the Presidential address in the Lok Sabha. With the ongoing parliament session being held under COVID-19 protocols, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) has allocated the time for debates on the Motion of Thanks to President and on the Union Budget 2022-23, starting from February 2, while PM Modi is likely to reply to it on February 8, reported ANI.

The BAC meeting chaired by vice president M Venkaiah Naidu allocated a total of 12 hours for debate on the Motion of Thanks to President for his address to the MPs of both the Houses in the first part of the current budget session, sources told ANI. The debate on the Motion of Thanks will commence on February 2 at 11:30 AM. Congress has been allotted a total of one hour of the 12 hours of opposition parties.

Rahul Gandhi to open the debate at President Kovind's address 

Following this, sources have informed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be opening the debate. “Rahul Gandhi will open the debate from the side of opposition parties as Congress is the largest opposition party will get the first chance to speak. He will speak on Presidential address, Budget and will raise the issue of spyware software Pegasus in his address,” sources told ANI.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had told reporters that he will be first speaking on the Budget and presidential address, only in the house. He then remained unavailable for a comment on the same. However, soon after the budget was delivered by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in parliament, the Congress leader took to Twitter to slam the centre over the same.

Called it a “Zero-Sum Budget,” Rahul Gandhi wrote, “M0di G0vernment’s Zer0 Sum Budget! Nothing for–Salaried class–Middle class–The poor and deprived–Youth–Farmers–MSMEs,” in his tweet. Earlier on January 31, Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind commenced the year's first Parliament session by addressing a joint sitting of both the houses after which the Union Budget 2022 was presented. Meanwhile, the Congress party have also asked Youth Congress workers to hold a protest outside the parliament raising the Pegasus issue while the budget discussion is being held.

FM Sitharaman presents Budget 2022 in Parliament

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday presented her fourth budget in Parliament further making a series of statements concerning various sectors. Starting from announcing various new projects, the introduction of digital currency, major disclosures for farmers, the education sector, health sector, and others, this year's budget brings a long list of significant announcements. 

(With ANI inputs)

Image: PTI/ ANI