In a surprising display of camaraderie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi greeted each other warmly during an informal tea meeting organized by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday. The gathering took place shortly after the Lower House was adjourned sine die, just one sitting before the scheduled end of the Monsoon Session.
The session, initially slated to conclude on August 12, was cut short as Speaker Birla announced the adjournment, citing the completion of crucial legislative work. Despite the early conclusion, Birla highlighted that the House maintained a productivity rate of over 130%.
'About the tea meeting'
The tea meeting, held within the Parliament complex, saw Prime Minister Modi seated on a sofa alongside Speaker Om Birla, with Rahul Gandhi positioned on a chair to Modi’s right.
Significantly, several other leaders from both the government and opposition were also present at the meeting. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal, and Chirag Paswan attended, along with opposition MPs including Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Kanimozhi, who were seated in the same row as Gandhi.
'About the Budget Session'
During the session, Parliament managed to pass several significant pieces of legislation, including the Finance Bill, 2024, and the Appropriation Bill, 2024, both critical to the Union budget. The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2024, and the Indian Aircraft Bill, 2024, were also among the four bills approved.
Further, one of the session's more contentious moments came with the introduction of a Bill to amend the Waqf Act, 1995. However, the Bill, was eventually referred to a joint committee of Parliament for further scrutiny.
(With inputs from agencies)
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