Rahul Gandhi not speaking first on budget debate to avoid ‘sabotage’: Report | India News

New Delhi: Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi The party did not launch discussions on the EU budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday citing concerns about possible “sabotage” by the finance ministry, PTI said, citing party sources. The Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives is expected to speak on the budget on Wednesday. According to Congress sources, several opposition leaders urged Gandhi to start the budget debate. However, he said doing so could lead to repeated interruptions and jeopardize the proceedings. Gandhi stressed that the Budget debate is crucial for all opposition parties to raise issues affecting the people and hold the government accountable.The decision was taken after the opposition party filed a notice proposing a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, leading to heightened tensions between the finance ministry and opposition lawmakers.When the House convened at 2 pm after two adjournments, the presiding officer, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, asked Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to initiate the debate, and he began speaking on the issue.Repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha since February 2 resulted in the suspension of seven Congress MPs and one CPI(M) member for the remainder of the budget session. The easing of proceedings Tuesday allowed budget discussions to move forward, at least for now.