The third Narendra Modi government on Saturday announced it would present its first budget on July 23, with the Opposition immediately drawing the battle lines for what promises to be a turbulent three-week session of Parliament.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju announced in a post on X that the President had on the government’s recommendation approved the dates for the budget session, to be held from July 22 to August 12.
"Union Budget 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July, 2024," Rijiju added.
The 18th Lok Sabha’s first session was held from June 24 to July 3. It saw a resurgent INDIA bloc, led by Rahul Gandhi in his new role as leader of the Opposition (LoP), take the treasury benches on with a confidence rarely seen during Modi’s first two governments.
Posts on X by the Trinamool House leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien, and Congress MP and communications chief Jairam Ramesh on Saturday suggested that the INDIA bloc was ready to pick up from where it had left off.
"It is government duty to run Parliament smoothly in Budget session. They must," O'Brien wrote, listing the Opposition's key demands.
"Offer Deputy Speaker in LS to INDIA candidate; allow notice from Oppn weekly in each House to discuss issues of national importance (exam mess; unemployment); ensure no bulldozing of Bills."
In his reply to O’Brien, Ramesh said: “Couldn’t agree more. I will only add: allow Opposition leaders especially the LoPs to counter the pandemic of lies spread by the non-biological PM and his drum beaters.”
It was the Opposition’s demand for the deputy Speaker’s post that had kick-started the showdown during the first session. The Opposition had offered to support the government’s nominee for Speaker if it was assured the deputy’s job.
But the government rejected the offer, prompting the Opposition to field its own candidate for the Speaker’s post. Eventually, the Opposition backed out from pressing for a vote saying it “wanted the spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail”.
The deputy Speaker issue could, however, see a division in the Opposition ranks.
Trinamool is backing the candidature of Dalit Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad, elected from the Faizabad seat that is home to the newly consecrated Ram temple in Ayodhya, while the Congress too has laid claim to the post.
How the Modi government responds to the demand is anyone’s guess, given its record of going without a deputy Speaker in its second tenure and, in its first, giving the post to “friendly Opposition” AIADMK.
The controversy over Agnipath — the scheme of short-term recruitments to the armed forces — and the fiascos over national-level entrance exams like the NEET-UG and UGC-NET could drive the face-off between the two sides in Parliament.
Rahul, emboldened by the Opposition’s increased strength and the BJP’s lack of majority, had ripped into the government during the new Lok Sabha’s first session, alleging its brand of Hinduism was built on “hate” and “fear”. His fusillade had led to the rare sight of Shah seeking “protection” from the Speaker.
Modi had hit back in his reply, calling the Congress a “parjivi” (parasite) and Rahul a “balak-buddhi” (person of infantile intelligence). He had accused Rahul of tarnishing the entire Hindu community as “violent”, a charge the Congress leader immediately denied.
Handling allies
The budget will also provide a glimpse of how Modi intends to handle the demands of his principal allies, whose support is crucial to the stability of his government.
The Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal United want financial concessions for their states, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
