Parliament budget session live: Lok Sabha witnesses uproar over Rahul Gandhi's reference to Ex-Army chief Naravane's 'unpublished book'

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the rupee’s position must be viewed in the broader context of the economy, noting that a weak currency becomes a concern only when the underlying economy is fragile. She added that with the Indian economy currently strong, she would not frame the discussion in terms of personal comfort but emphasised the importance of overall economic stability.

On rising gold demand, Sitharaman said global uncertainties are pushing investors toward time-tested safe-haven assets, which is driving sustained interest in bullion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi often “shoots from the hip” and does not rely on strong foundational data while making his points. She criticised his earlier “dead economy” remark, saying it was made in haste and weakened his own argument.

Sitharaman added that such comments are frequently made without adequate basis and said India deserves a more credible and data-driven Opposition voice.

The Lok Sabha bursts into uproar as Rahul Gandhi begins speaking, quoting from an unpublished book of former Army General Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Rajnath Singh raises concern about the fact that he cannot quote from an unpublished book, which is not authentic.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, partaking in a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address tries to quote a para from a news report in which General Manoj Mukund Naravane make a point. The government, led by none other than Defence Minister Rajnath Singh counters Gandhi's remarks and says that the contents of Naravane's observations is not in public domain.

Harsh Maharajan questioned whether the new, modified UDAAN scheme includes Shimla. Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, responded that 657 air routes were operationalised by the UDAAN scheme so far. He said that whatever feedback the UDAAN scheme has received in the past is being implemented in the modified scheme.

Questioned about the transfer of funds from Jal Jeevan Mission to Tamil Nadu, C.R. Patil, Minister of Jal Shakthi, said that the information is available in the public domain. He said that Rs 67,000 crore has been allocated to the Jal Jeevan Mission in Budget 2026, and the information for State-wise allocation is also available on the public domain.

“The nation is paying a heavy price for concentration of power in Delhi,” CPI(M)’s Dr. John Brittas said, discussing human-animal conflict. He said that the Wildlife Act should be amendment so States can be empowered to declare certain species as vermin.

"This is one of the best budgets. Despite the global situation from Trump tariffs to war conditions, the economy is projected to grow at 7 per cent. With a vision for 2047, this budget is very important in laying the foundation for the future."

M. Dhanapal, AIADMK, Tamil Nadu, requested a Bharat Ratna for Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Minister, J. Jayalalitha. While Mr. Dhanapal listed out the schemes brought by the former CM, Chairman Radhakrishnan said, “Please ask the Central government what they should do for Tamil Nadu State.”

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to meet at 11 am for a busy day of proceedings. A total of 18 hours has been allocated for the debate on the President’s address, which lays out the government’s policy priorities and broad agenda.

Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju cites Tesla CEO Elon Musk to counter Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, urging him not to “disparage India” while criticising the government.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore today submitted an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha, requesting an urgent discussion on international reports that allegedly reference Prime Minister Narendra Modi in communications linked to Jeffrey Epstein.

The motion seeks to address concerns raised by these reports and urges the government to provide clarifications in Parliament. No date for the discussion has been announced yet.

Dense fog enveloped parts of Delhi on Monday morning, reducing visibility to below 50 metres in some areas and slowing traffic on major roads.

At Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, operations were shifted to CAT III conditions, allowing landings in very low visibility but likely causing delays. Passengers have been advised to stay updated with their airlines, while on-ground support remained available across terminals. The city’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 196 at 6:30 AM, in the “moderate to poor” category.

Meanwhile, a 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district early today, officials said. The tremor occurred at 5:35 am, with Pattan identified as the epicenter, they added.

So far, there have been no reports of damage or casualties due to the earthquake, according to officials.

Separately, parts of Delhi, including areas near IGI Airport, woke up to dense fog on Monday morning. The India Meteorological Department reported “moderate fog” conditions, while the Air Quality Index in the area stood at 134, classified as ‘moderate’, according to CPCB data.

Key announcements included proposals for seven high-speed rail corridors, new dedicated freight corridors, and the operationalisation of 20 national waterways over the next five years. The Budget also flagged a push for environmentally sustainable passenger transport and nature-based tourism, including the development of trekking and hiking trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, the Araku Valley and Pudigai Malai.

The Budget reiterated a strategy of combining high growth with a gradual reduction in the fiscal deficit, while increasing allocations for defence modernisation, manufacturing, logistics, data centres, AI-driven industries and employment generation.