Lok Sabha Drama: Stand-off Over Rahul Gandhi's Speech

The Lok Sabha was adjourned due to a clash between government and opposition over Rahul Gandhi’s demand to speak before the Union Budget debate. Disruptions began after Gandhi was barred from quoting an article, leading to adjournments and a missed opportunity for the Prime Minister to address the House.

The Lok Sabha faced a turbulent session on Monday as tensions flared between the government and opposition. At the heart of the stand-off was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's insistence on speaking before the debate on the Union Budget, causing several adjournments and disrupting proceedings throughout the day.

When the House reconvened after prior disruptions, Shashi Tharoor, tasked with initiating the budget debate, deferred to Gandhi, creating a stalemate. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju disputed any agreement allowing Gandhi to speak first, while Congress members accused the chair of backtracking on a prior understanding.

The disruptions continued, rooted in a previous controversy where Gandhi was prevented from citing a contentious article. The ongoing clash resulted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi being unable to address the House amidst ongoing opposition protests, further compounding tensions in the parliamentary session.

(With inputs from agencies.)