Budget session ends with BJP-Opposition protest showdown over Sonia Gandhi's remarks, Trump's tariff on India

New Delhi: Parliament witnessed protests by both ruling BJP and the Opposition on the last day of Budget Session on Friday over top Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s “bulldozed through” remarks on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 27% US tariff and Supreme Court nullifying teachers’  appointment in West Bengal.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla took exception to Sonia’s remarks, calling it "unfortunate", following Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asking for ruling after BJP MPs shouted slogans against the former Congress chief.

The Question Hour in Lok Sabha could not function as BJP MPs protested against Sonia while the Congress-led Opposition raised the US tariff issue and demanded a response from the government, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House till 12 noon.

When the House reconvened, Rijiju said it was “inappropriate” to allege that the Bill was bulldozed when there was elaborate debate in Parliament and specifically referred to Rajya Sabha sitting for 17:02 hours on Thursday for passing of the Bill and other business, creating a record for the House.

Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party on Thursday, she said, “the bill was in effect bulldozed through (in Lok Sabha). Our party’s position is clear. The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself. It is very much part of the BJP's deliberate strategy to keep our society in a state of permanent polarisation.”

Birla said the Bill was discussed in Lok Sabha for 13:53 hours and there was voting thrice on the Bill. 

“...it was passed as per the rules of the House. That is why it is highly unfortunate that despite the House sitting till late night and passing the bill after a long debate, a senior member is casting aspersions on the House proceedings which is not appropriate,” he said without naming Sonia.

"It is not in accordance with the dignity of parliamentary democracy," he said at the start of Zero Hour., as Congress MPs rushed to the Well of the House raising the imposition of 27% tariff by the United states. Immediately after his comments on Sonia, the Speaker read out the valedictory address on the session and adjourned the House sine die.

Congress MPs along with some opposition leaders like Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Arvind Sawant also protested outside Parliament House against the US action and demanded that the government answer on the issue in Parliament. 

On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the tariffs imposed by the US were going to "completely devastate" the Indian economy, particularly sectors like the auto industry, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. 

In Rajya Sabha, ruling BJP MPs raised the issue of the Supreme Court invalidating the appointment of teachers and other staff in West Bengal, leading to two adjournments of Zero Hour and Question Hour twice before Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announced the adjournment of the House sine die.

BJP MP Laxmikant Bajpayee alleged that in 2016, the West Bengal government had recruited over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff without following proper procedure. Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O'Brien said, "people of India are watching that BJP MPs are disrupting Parliament. They are raising slogans. They are not allowing me to make my point," he said.