Chaotic scenes were witnessed in Parliament on Tuesday amid the ongoing Budget session, with several members of opposition parties staging a walkout from the Rajya Sabha while raising slogans against the government and asking for discussions on the Indo-US trade deal.
Soon after the zero hour ended, Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that information about the trade deal was being received from Washington instead of Indian officials, which was a matter of embarrassment.
Leader of the House, J P Nadda, explained that US President Donald Trump had informed about the reduction in tariffs on Indian goods through a post on social media and also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the government is ready to discuss the details, and accused the Opposition of venting its “frustration”.
“I want to assure the house that the government is ready to discuss the Indo-US trade deal and provide all minute details of the deal. The government will come out with a suo motu statement on the trade deal. But this methodology is fatal for democracy and is the irresponsible behaviour of the Indian National Congress and the INDI alliance,” he said, adding, “It is your frustration which is speaking. We are ready.”
However, the opposition members continued raising slogans, alleging that the interests of the country were being bartered. Chairman, C P Radhakrishnan, intervened, requesting that they listen to the government’s statement, but the uproar was constant.
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Earlier, in a post on X, Jairam Ramesh had alleged that details of Prime Minister Modi’s conversation with Trump were first disclosed not by the Indian government, but by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor.
“It seems that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump spoke to each other today. This information has been provided not by the Indian side but by the US Ambassador to India. This now seems to be the routine - India gets to know of its Govt’s actions only from President Trump or his appointees. Trump-nirbharta,” Ramesh wrote.
In another post on X, Ramesh referred to Operation Sindoor, saying Trump’s repeated claims of playing a key role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan during the operation suggest that Trump had leverage over Modi.
“He announced the halt of Op Sindoor from Washington DC. He announced the updates on India’s oil purchases from Russia and Venezuela from Washington. He’s now announced an India-US Trade Deal from Washington, the full details of which are awaited.
President Trump clearly seems to have some leverage over Prime Minister Modi - who is now mortified of even being seen with him, let alone engage in the usual bout of hugs. It appears Mr. Modi has capitulated finally. Surely this cannot be the father of all deals. In Washington clearly Mogambo Khush Hai,” Ramesh wrote on X.
In the Parliament, Nadda said the Opposition is now an “issueless party”. “Their interest is only in creating politics out of everything, and we saw an example of that just now...They are trying to create an atmosphere in the country as if the government is avoiding a discussion. You are an issueless party now. You have got no issues. This is very irresponsible behaviour, and in a way this is anti-national behaviour. It is anti-national,” he said.
All opposition members, except the TMC, later staged a walkout in protest. TMC member, Saket Gokhale, who was sitting in the house, left shortly after the walkout.
TMC said it staged a separate walkout on the treatment of SIR-affected families by the Delhi police.
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