Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman termed the double-digit inflation and the several scams during the two terms of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as 'Andhakaal' while speaking in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, 10 February. Sitharaman was replying to the opposition's criticism on the Union Budget 2022. She will also address the Rajya Sabha at 10 am on Friday, 11 February.
Meanwhile, members of Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged a walkout during Sitharaman's reply to MPs' questions on the Union Budget 2022 in the Lok Sabha.
"Congress does not have the patience to sit in the House and face the truth. Instead, they run away," the minister said.
Several opposition MPs have raised the issue of unemployment multiple times during the ongoing budget session. The MPs have claimed that Union Budget 2022 did not provide much to deal with the issue in the country in the wake of COVID-19.
On Tuesday as well, Congress, DMK, as well as other opposition parties staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha amid the Hijab row.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, while addressing the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, had trained guns at the Congress and said: "India's democracy is not a favour done to the nation by the Congress, democracy and debate have always been a part of India."
The Budget Session of Parliament began on 31 January with the president's address
Due to the prevailing COVID-19 outbreak, the Rajya Sabha will sit from 10 am to 3 pm, and the Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm.
The first leg of the Budget Session will end on 11 February. The second leg of the session is scheduled from 14 March to 8 April. Standing committees will evaluate the budgetary allocations in the recess
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that the Opposition can do as much cherry picking as they would like but in the end 'they don't have any cherries in their basket, only coal'.
Her comment was in reference to the allegations made by the Opposition regarding Union Budget 2022's provisions for social welfare.