The Budget Session of Parliament will resume on Monday, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha set to meet after a brief adjournment for Holi celebrations. The session, which began on March 10, will continue until April 4.
According to the list of business, the Lok Sabha will reconvene at 11:00 AM to discuss key legislative matters, including the presentation of reports from multiple standing committees.
Key Legislative Discussions in Lok Sabha
- Standing Committee on Defence reports will be presented by BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh and SP MP Virendra Singh.
- Standing Committee on External Affairs report on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26 will be presented by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and BJP MP Arun Govil.
- Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment reports will be presented by Lok Sabha MPs PC Mohan and Godam Nagesh.
- Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will move a motion for the election of two members to the court of the University of Delhi.
- Discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26.
Political Uproar Over Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘Thokenge’ Remark
The previous session saw a heated debate in Rajya Sabha after Congress President and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘thokenge’ remark sparked outrage.
While responding to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks about Tamil Nadu’s language policy, Kharge stated:
“Aapko kya kya thokna hai thik se thokenge, sarkar ko bhi thokenge.”
The BJP strongly opposed the remark, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda demanding an apology and for Kharge’s words to be expunged from parliamentary records.
“The language used by him and the attack on the Chair is condemnable. He should apologize and take back his words,” Nadda said.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh also expressed disappointment over the statement, noting Kharge’s seniority in the House.
In response, Kharge apologized, clarifying that his words were directed at the government’s policies and not the Chair:
“I apologize to you (Deputy Chairman), I have not used these words for you. I have said that ‘hum sarkar ki policies ko thokenge’. I apologize to you and not to the government.”
National Education Policy Debate Continues
Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan addressed concerns raised by DMK MPs regarding the imposition of Hindi under the National Education Policy (NEP).
He dismissed opposition claims, stating that the Modi government does not use language as a divisive tool:
“PM Modi has always mentioned that Tamil is an ancient language. The Tamil language is nobody’s monopoly. We are committed to the Tamil language. Truth is always painful.”
The Budget Session is expected to witness further debates on key policy issues and budget allocations, as both Houses deliberate on important financial and governance matters.