New Delhi, Feb 6: The Lok Sabha will begin the general discussion on the Union Budget for 2026-27 on Friday, with the session starting at 11 am, followed by the regular Question Hour for government business.
Several Union Ministers are scheduled to lay papers on the table, including those from the Health and Family Welfare, Law and Justice, External Affairs, Defence, and Ports, Shipping, and Waterways ministries.
From 3.30 pm onwards, the House will take up Private Members' Business, with numerous Private Members' Bills listed for introduction. These include Constitution Amendment Bills, amendments to the Representation of the People Act, as well as welfare-related Bills addressing issues concerning farmers, fishermen, students, senior citizens, women, workers, and Bills focusing on education, healthcare, environment, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, labour reforms, and social security.
In a separate development, opposition members, including Congress MPs, staged a protest earlier in the ongoing Parliament session after a controversy erupted when Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was prevented from quoting from the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane regarding the 2020 China standoff.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a sharp speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha. In his address, he criticized the Congress Party, particularly its leadership, for a controversial remark made by Congress leader "Yuvraj" (believed to refer to Rahul Gandhi) calling BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor." Modi condemned the remark as an insult to the Sikh community and a sign of Congress' “peak arrogance,” stating, "What happened yesterday – the 'Yuvraj' of Congress, who has a 'shaatir dimaag', called a member of this House a traitor... This is an insult to Sikhs, an insult to the Gurus. This shows the hatred Congress carries."
The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. A recess will be observed from February 13 to March 9, allowing the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.
