Parliament Monsoon Session: Budget Praised and Controversy Erupts

During today’s Monsoon session in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended the latest Budget in a spirited address to the Rajya Sabha. She described it as a well-balanced plan, adeptly navigating between fostering economic growth, creating jobs, encouraging capital investment, and maintaining fiscal discipline. Sitharaman emphasized the government’s goal of positioning India as a prime destination for manufacturing.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was abuzz with controversy as BJP MP Tejasvi Surya stirred up a storm with his comments on Rahul Gandhi’s handling of the Wayanad landslides. Surya accused Gandhi of neglecting the issue during his tenure as the MP for Wayanad, alleging that he had never raised the matter of landslides and floods in either the Assembly or Parliament. Surya also criticized the lack of action on a 2020 advisory from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, which had recommended relocating families from landslide-prone areas. He further claimed that Kerala’s Forest Minister faced challenges in addressing illegal encroachments due to pressure from religious groups.

In response, Congress MP KC Venugopal demanded an apology from Surya. However, Speaker Om Birla clarified that Surya had not specifically blamed any MP, leading to a tense and heated debate in the House.