Budget session resumes today; Opposition to corner govt over tariff cut row, Manipur

The second leg of the Budget Session of Parliament, resuming on Monday, is poised to be stormy as the Opposition gears up to raise several issues. These include the tariff war threat posed by US President Donald Trump, delimitation, the ongoing violence in Manipur, and allegations of duplicate voter IDs.

The Congress is expected to highlight Trump’s recent remarks, claiming that India has agreed to significantly reduce tariffs. The party plans to demand clarifications from the government in both Houses. While India has acknowledged that trade talks are ongoing, the Opposition seeks a detailed response.

In a related development, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal will brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday. Misri will present updates on “current foreign policy developments”, likely involving the US and the UK, while Barthwal will address “current developments in India’s foreign trade and policy”. The bureaucrats are expected to answer questions regarding India’s stance on Trump’s repeated calls for tariff reductions and the progress of a bilateral trade pact with the US.

Parties set to flag key issues

The Opposition has planned to raise issues like Trump’s tariff cut demand, delimitation based on the 1971 Census, alleged duplicate voter IDs and the Manipur violence

Govt to push waqf Amendment Bill

The govt will push for the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had said the Bill would solve many issues of the Muslim community.

Ex-CJI to brief panel on ‘one nation, one poll’

Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will make a presentation before a parliamentary committee seeking simultaneous elections in the country

This crucial briefing will follow Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s return from the US, where he engaged in bilateral trade negotiations. The visit came in the wake of India and the US announcing plans in February to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Both nations also agreed to negotiate the first phase of a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025.

Beyond tariffs, DMK MPs have announced their intention to raise the issue of delimitation in both Houses, besides opposing the alleged imposition of the Hindi language. On Sunday, DMK MPs, under the leadership of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, passed a resolution demanding that the next delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies be based on the 1971 Census data and remain frozen for the next 30 years.

The TMC has planned to flag the issue of alleged duplicate voter IDs and sought the support from other opposition parties. Despite the Election Commission dismissing these allegations, the TMC insists that electoral roll manipulation is being permitted to allow outsiders to vote in West Bengal, where elections are due in 2026.

The violence in Manipur is also expected to rock the proceedings. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the state’s Budget in the Lok Sabha. Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The Congress-led Opposition will demand the government’s response to the ongoing ethnic strife and a recent surge in violence after the resumption of free movement on Saturday.