Stormy Budget session ahead: Adjournments, chaos likely amid Centre vs opposition over key issues

NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a fiery showdown between the government and the opposition in the second leg of the budget session in the

Parliament

slated to begin on Monday. While the government will push for the Waqf bill, demands for grants, completion of the budgetary process and seeking approval for the Manipur budget, the opposition is likely to try to corner the government over the issue of Duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, delimitation row and reciprocal tariffs threat by the United States.

TMC's election fraud claim

TMC MPs along with its allies from the INDIA bloc are likely to attack the government over the issue of duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress have already raised the issue accusing the poll body of voter list manipulation to favor the BJP.
In an official statement, the Election Commission, however, clarified that despite duplication, all electors linked to the electoral roll of a particular polling station can only vote at that designated location, ensuring no misuse of duplicate IDs. A sample verification of over 100 voters with identical EPIC numbers confirmed that they were genuine electors.

Trinamool Congress leaders are meeting the Election Commission on Monday and have also rallied other opposition parties, including the Congress, DMK, Shiv Sena-UBT, to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament during the second part of the Budget session.
Ramesh also said the Congress will also keep raising the issue of irregularities in the election process, alleging that elections are "no longer free and fair" and are being "masterminded and orchestrated".

Trump's tariff crusade against India

Congress will take on the government over US President Donald Trump's reciprocal-tariff threats. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the

party

will raise the issue of Trump's reciprocal-tariff threats during the second half of the Budget session and called for a bipartisan collective resolve to deal with the threats.
This comes after Trump criticised India's tariffs in a televised address, claiming it was nearly impossible to sell products to India due to "high tariffs." Then, he announced that India had agreed to reduce its tariffs significantly.
Earlier on Sunday, Congress leader Pawan Khera took a jab at PM Modi and the central government regarding Donald Trump's remarks about India's agreement to lower tariffs, questioning if the reported agreement was made "under pressure."
"140 crore Indians are getting to know our own government's Trade Policy through the US President - Trump. Has the GOI taken a decision to cut Tariffs under pressure by PM Modi's close friend - Mr. Donald Trump? Has Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is in the United States to apparently negotiate a Trade Deal, buckled under pressure and signed on the dotted line dictated by 'Howdy Modi's close compatriot Namaste Trump'?" Khera said in the statement.

Delimitation row

DMK MPs passed a resolution to take up delimitation and "Hindi-imposition" issues in the House in the upcoming session of parliament scheduled to resume on Monday.
After a meeting held under Tamil Nadu chief minister and party president MK Stalin, the parliamentarians said that the population-based exercise will affect not just the southern states but also others including Odisha and West Bengal.
In the resolution the party vowed to take efforts to garner support from political parties from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab-- all states that stand to lose LS seats post-delimitation and make them a part of the struggle against the Centre in this issue.
This comes amid the ongoing rift between Tamil Nadu chief minister and Centre over delimitation and New Education Policy.

Maha Kumbh stampede

Samajwadi Party is likely to take up the protest over the stampede in recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj from where it left in the first half of the session. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had earlier put the "double-engine" UP government in dock for the Maha Kumbh stampede and accused it of fudging the numbers of people killed.
Alleging that the BJP government was never sincere about organising the Maha Kumbh, Yadav said, "Instead of preserving the religious and spiritual sanctity of the event, the chief minister focused on commercial gains. The arrangements were inadequate, crowd management was poor, and stampedes occurred as a result, leading to many deaths."
"Despite repeated demands, the government has not disclosed the correct number of deaths in the stampedes or in the accidents at railway stations. Many families are still searching for their missing relatives. This is sheer insensitivity on the part of the BJP government. Why is it afraid of releasing the list of deceased and missing devotees," Yadav added.

Waqf amendment bill

Meanwhile the government is likely to push for its bid to provide an early passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill as a priority.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said in an interview that the government is keen on the early passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill as it will solve many issues of the Muslim community.
A Joint Committee of Parliament submitted its report on the bill in the Lok Sabha amid vociferous protests by the opposition.

Manipur

Union home minister Amit Shah is expected to move a statutory resolution seeking Parliament approval for the proclamation of President's Rule in Manipur. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also scheduled to table the budget for Manipur on Monday. Manipur has been under President's Rule since February 13 after the resignation of chief minister N Biren Singh.
This comes as the state is going through another spell of violence after at least one person died while 40 were injured in clashes between Kuki demonstrators and security forces protesting free movement along all roads in the ethnic strife-torn state.
Earlier, Shah had instructed security forces to ensure free movement of people across all routes in Manipur starting from March 8. He also emphasized that strict action should be taken against those obstructing this movement.
The first part of the Budget session of Parliament took place from January 31 to February 13. The second leg of the Budget session will commence on Monday (March 10) and conclude on April 4.