As in previous instances, this time the Parliament also expunged Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s references to Adani and Ambani during the discussion on the Union Budget. Additionally, he faced multiple interruptions from Speaker Om Birla, resulting in a dramatic scenario unfolding in the Lok Sabha on July 29.
The issue began when Gandhi attempted to refer to billionaires Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani in his speech, only to be stopped by Speaker Birla. The interruptions came as Gandhi drew a parallel between the current political situation and the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharat.
He likened the present-day political environment to a “chakravyuh,” a complex military formation from the epic, which he claimed was used to entrap and defeat Abhimanyu, a heroic figure. Gandhi suggested that this modern-day "chakravyuh" was controlled by six key figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the business tycoons Adani and Ambani.
The Speaker’s repeated interventions to prevent Gandhi from mentioning Adani and Ambani led to strong protests from the opposition. Birla emphasized that, according to a written agreement from Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi, references to individuals not part of the House were not permitted. Despite Gandhi's attempts to modify his speech by referring to Adani and Ambani indirectly as “A1” and “A2,” the disruptions continued.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju intervened to address the disruption, highlighting that Gandhi’s refusal to yield to procedural norms had lowered the dignity of the House. Gandhi, however, remained defiant, arguing that if the Prime Minister and other ministers were willing to yield to the opposition’s requests, the opposition would reciprocate.
Heated exchanges erupted when Rahul Gandhi displayed a photograph of the traditional ‘halwa’ ceremony that precedes the budget presentation. The photograph featured Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with finance ministry officials.
However, every time Gandhi raised the photo, Sansad TV showed Speaker Om Birla instead, prompting Gandhi to allege that the cameras were intentionally diverted. Birla maintained that displaying posters was not permitted.
Gandhi used the photograph to critique the lack of representation of marginalized groups among the officials involved in preparing the budget, arguing that the diverse makeup of India was not reflected.
He emphasized the need for a nationwide caste census and criticized the budget for ignoring this and other crucial issues. Additionally, Gandhi reiterated his call for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, asserting that the INDIA alliance would push for this in the House.
Gandhi’s speech also included a strong critique of the budget itself, which he argued failed to address the needs of farmers, labourers, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He contended that the budget served only to reinforce the influence of big business and political monopolies, undermining the democratic structure and exacerbating economic inequality.
He expressed disappointment that the budget did not fulfil expectations of supporting the middle class, which he claimed had been betrayed by the new tax provisions.
Adding to the drama, Gandhi reiterated his call for a nationwide caste census and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. He criticized the budget for neglecting these issues, despite widespread public demand for a caste census.