PM Modi holds meeting with top ministers in Parliament including Rajnath Singh, Rijiju

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, March 16, held a meeting with his top ministers in the parliament. According to reports, the ministers included including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju and Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi. 

It comes after the second leg of the parliament budget session resumed on Monday after a month-long break. However, the house failed to transact any business as it was adjourned due to a ruckus by the opposition leaders. The verbal clash broke out between the opposition leaders and ruling BJP MPs after Minister Piyush Goyal sought an apology from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his 'democracy under attack in India' remark at Cambridge University, London. 

Rahul Gandhi's absence in the parliament and his remarks on India have triggered a massive row. He was also not seen in the opposition march that started on Wednesday from the Parliament House to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) headquarters to submit a memorandum seeking a strict probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue. He returned to the parliament today, March 16, after spending about 16 days in London from February 28. 

Opposition holds key meet

Before today's proceeding in the parliament began, the leaders from like-minded opposition parties met at the office of Congress chief and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament. It's being said that the meeting was held to corner the government in both houses over the Adani issue. The meeting participants also discussed ways to pace up the demand for Joint-Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into the matter. 

The second leg of the budget session will continue till April 6. According to reports, proceedings of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till 2 pm today, as the ruckus between the ruling party leaders and Opposition continues over Rahul Gandhi's remarks and the Adani issue. The proceedings in the parliament have been disturbed for the third consecutive day.