National/ Politics News
10 March
Journalist & Research Analysist
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
The second phase of the Parliament’s budget session will begin tomorrow (Monday), with an intense showdown expected between the government and the opposition. Key issues likely to be raised by the opposition include alleged irregularities in voter lists, fresh violence in Manipur, and the government’s failure to handle trade tensions with the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the government is focused on implementing the budget, securing approval for Manipur’s budget, and passing the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The first phase of the budget session was held from January 31 to February 13, and the second phase will continue from March 11 to April 4. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to seek Parliament’s approval for the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Manipur’s budget on Monday.
The opposition has announced its plan to corner the government on the issue of duplicate voter ID numbers. Leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will meet with the Election Commission on Monday regarding this matter. TMC, along with Congress, DMK, and Shiv Sena (UBT), will raise the issue in both houses of Parliament.
The government is determined to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill without delay. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju recently stated that the bill would address several concerns of the Muslim community. However, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has indicated that the ‘INDIA’ bloc will strongly oppose the bill. Congress also plans to highlight election irregularities, arguing that elections are no longer free and fair.
Additionally, Congress will raise concerns over Donald Trump’s threat of retaliatory tariffs on Indian goods. The opposition is expected to challenge the government’s strategy in handling trade relations with the U.S. as tensions rise.
With both sides gearing up for a heated session, Parliament is set to witness intense debates in the coming weeks.