PM Narendra Modi said that he expected a good quality level of debate and discussion
The month-long
budget session of the parliament commences today with an early focus on clearing the centre's annual budget, presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. Voting on the same has been scheduled for March 20. The parliament is also expected to discuss the national Goods and Services Tax (GST). This weekend, Mr Jaitley said the measure is on track - but much will depend on how much the opposition cooperates - and that, in turn, will be influenced by the outcome of the assembly elections' results in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur, Goa and Uttar Pradesh on Friday.
Today, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement on the
Lucknow encounter as well as the alleged ISIS module and terror attack. Yesterday, a young man - Saifullah - was shot dead on the outskirts of Lucknow following a 12-hour operation by the anti-terror squad to arrest the suspected ISIS operative. Six other suspected terrorists have also been arrested, including two of his cousins.
Here the live updates of the budget session of Parliament:12.22 pm IST: Trinamool Congress demands a reply from the Prime Minister over the issue of Indians attacked in US. "If the foreign minister (Sushma Swaraj) is unwell, then the PM should speak. PM is his own foreign minister. Why has he not done anything," asks the party.
12.18 pm IST: "When they come here,
aap gale lagate ho (you hug them).
Jab China se aate hai to jhoole pe baithte hai (When the Chinese visit India, he sits with them on swings)," jibes the Congress.
12.16 pm IST:
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raises the issue of hate crime against Indians in US. "Why is the government silent? The PM tweets on everything.We haven't heard anything," says the Congress.
12.10 pm IST:
Proud Of Father Who Refused To Accept Terror Suspect Saifullah's Body, Says Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Lucknow encounter in Lok Sabha.
11.25 am IST: On hate crimes in US, Minister Rajnath Singh says that incidents against Indians are taken very seriously by the government. A detailed statement on the same will be given next week.
11.13 am IST: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am tomorrow, reports news agency ANI.
11.00 am IST: Second-leg of the budget session of parliament begins.
10.36 am IST: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes the parliament session will focus on the poor.
9.13 am IST: Trinamool Congress' Leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien looks forward to the parliament session.
8.05 am IST: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar's tweet on the second-leg of the monsoon session.