Govt should be sensitive: Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat on Kiren Rijiju's 'reverse gear' remarks

The Budget session began on Wednesday with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament. The Union Budget 2026-27 will be presented on February 1 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while the Economic Survey of India will be presented today.

Bhagat also said that the party will raise MNREGA, foreign policy, and air pollution issues during the session.

"As we noted in the last session, MNREGA is a major issue for us. The rupee's decline against the dollar, foreign policy, and Delhi's pollution are also important... Even today, the issues the government is pursuing and how it is handling them indicate that it is always moving towards dividing society. Our party will raise these issues loudly during this budget session...," he told ANI.

On Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement, he said, "...The government remains insensitive, because yesterday (January 28), the way the Parliamentary Affairs Minister talked about reverse gear, the government shouldn't be talking about this and ego, and the government should be sensitive."

After the adjournment of a joint session of Parliament on Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the act of the opposition during the session. He said that the opposition has made the country feel ashamed for the behaviour they displayed in parliament.

"What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies," Rijiju said.

Pointing out the behaviour of the opposition during the session, he said, "Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was being mentioned, and tribute was being paid to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the entire Opposition started creating a ruckus. When the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, the opposition created a ruckus. When Babasaheb Ambedkar's 150th birth anniversary was mentioned, they created a ruckus yet again. When the centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika was mentioned, they created a ruckus. The anniversaries of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and Sardar Patel are very important topics, and everyone should bow and salute. All should welcome the while president addresses the parliament, but at such time they are insulting them by sloganeering."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country would not stand the insult of prominent personalities.

"I can tolerate my insult, but Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhupen Hazarika, Sardar Patel, 125th anniversary of Birsa Munda, insulting these altogether, and all over that insulting, while mentioning the 150th anniversary of Vande mataram. I belive country will not forgive. Politics can be done in anything, but politics in these matters, I think, the country will not forgive them."

The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)