Anurag Thakur starts Lok Sabha debate, takes a dig at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi

Lok Sabha on Monday discussed motion of thanks to the President's Address, with NDA MPs defending government's policies and the Opposition countering it.

The discussion was initiated by BJP MP Anurag Thakur who said the Lok Sabha elections have kept "those against the Constitution in the Opposition benches for the third time". While congratulating Rahul Gandhi on becoming the Leader of Opposition, Thakur said the Congress leader now has power with responsibility and "absentee landlordism will not work". For the last many years, Gandhi was enjoying power without responsibility, Thakur said and asserted that it was an "agnipariksha" for the Congress leader now. "The person who was used to bunking, would he be able to sit in the House till late as the prime minister does?... He is not there (even) now," he remarked. Gandhi was not in the House when Thakur made the remarks and there were protests from Opposition MPs.



Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra said, "Last time I stood here I was not allowed to speak. But the ruling party has paid a heavy price for throttling the voice of one MP. In an attempt to suppress me, the public made 63 of your members sit permanently." DMK's A Raja began by saying, "I must thank President for her tolerance and patience to accept the contents of the speech provided by Modi government." TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu appealed to the government to look after Andhra Pradesh's interests in the budget. "Andhra Pradesh is facing a revenue deficit over last 10 years. We have a debt of ₹13.5 lakh crore. Over the last five years, debt has been taken and no new infrastructure has been added. We want jal shakti minister to look into Polavaram project also." Raja, who was in the Speaker's chair then, asked TDP MP to stick to the President's address.


In her maiden address, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj slammed the Opposition, saying its MPs were creating a constitutional crisis in Delhi because CM Arvind Kejriwal is adamant on running the government from jail.