Parliament to discuss Ram Mandir, Centre's 'White Paper' today
What's the story
The final day of Parliament's Budget Session on Saturday is expected to witness heated debates. Both Houses are set to pass a resolution expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role in the Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya. Additionally, the Rajya Sabha is likely to discuss the "White Paper" on the Indian economy before and after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took power. The session was extended by a day until Saturday to dispose of "important government business."
Parliament business
No zero, question hours on last day
The Lok Sabha will likely commence with a Motion of Thanks on Ram Mandir construction at 11:00am, while the discussion in the Rajya Sabha will start at 3:00pm. In a rare occurrence, there will be no zero or question hour in either House on the last day. Instead, discussions will commence immediately. The Lower House will discuss Ram Mandir, while the Upper House will focus on the "White Paper" on the Indian economy, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
PM Modi
PM Modi expected to speak on last day
According to reports, at around 4:00pm, a brief discussion on the conclusion of the 17th Lok Sabha will take place. Opposition MPs will also be given five minutes to speak. At 5:00pm, PM Modi is also expected to address both Houses. Notably, the BJP has long sought to build a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It is also anticipated to play an important role in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Opposition
INDIA bloc MPs meet up
Meanwhile, MPs from the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will likely meet before the start of the session to discuss strategy for Saturday's session. On Friday, Congress leader Manish Tewari called the "White Paper" brought by the government a "political manifesto." He mentioned the Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Food, and MGNREGA brought by the Congress government. Tiwari claimed these initiatives strengthened the social, political, and economic foundations of the country.
About
Know about 'White Paper' presented by BJP government
Sitharaman presented the "White Paper" in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Calling it a "lost decade," the paper said that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government caused a "mountain of bad loans" and "double-digit inflation" before the Modi-led administration took over. According to the white paper, the UPA government "failed miserably to facilitate economic activities," creating obstacles that hindered economic growth.