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Parliament Session Highlights: "Congress acted irresponsibly, crossed all limits during the COVID-19 first wave. Congress asked labourers from UP, Bihar and other states in Mumbai to return home during the first wave, when the entire world was asking people to stay wherever they are. What kind of politics was this? Congress forced people into hardship," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a statement in Rajya Sabha regarding attack on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and the action taken by police. Shah said Centre has sought a report regarding the incident from the state government and requested Owaisi to accept the Z category security that was accorded to him after the attack. "Two unidentified people had fired on the car. He came out safe but there were 3 bullet marks on lower portion of his vehicle. The incident was witnessed by three witnesses. An FIR has been registered," Shah said. The Hyderabad MP has rejected the Z category security accorded to him by the Ministry of Home Affairs after the attack. Earlier, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said in the Rajya Sabha on February 7 that one cannot dismiss the work done by previous governments and the country cannot be run on single ideology. “This is not sarcasm but whoever wrote it (the President’s Address), did injustice to the President. This challenges the judgment of the people and negates the difficult situation before the country,” Sharma said in his speech during Motion of Thanks on President's Address in Rajya Sabha. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh hit out at BJP for instilling fear in the name of Pakistan among people in election campaigns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the Lok Sabha in the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament. Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for an hour as a mark of respect to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar after the members paid tributes to her in both houses of Parliament. Congress MP Anand Sharma, in his speech, said whoever had written President's speech did injustice to him. The Budget Session that commenced on January 31 with the President’s address to the joint Houses of Parliament reconvened for the sixth day on Monday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaking in Lok Sabha on February 2 attacked the government alleging that two Indias, one for the rich and one for the poor, have been created and the gap between them was widening. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented Budget 2022-23 on February 1. The timings of the session of both the houses will be staggered with the Rajya Sabha sitting from 10 am to 3 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm. The session will continue till April 8, with a month-long break after the first part culminates on February 11.
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The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 4 pm tomorrow. The House, earlier today, witnessed a scathing address from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who sharply targeted the Opposition. Modi accused the Congress of practicing the politics of "divide and rule", and went on to describe the party as a leader of the "tukde tukde gang".
Congress walks out of Lok Sabha following the speech delivered by its senior MP Shashi Tharoor. Reports said the party decided to move out of the Lower House as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was absent during the discussion.
PM Modi concludes his address, thanks all lawmakers who participated in the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address.
The Congress "inherited divide-and-rule policy from the Britishers", and now, they are leading the "tukde-tukde gang", Modi said. The party is "now sowing such seeds that will support the roots of separatism", he added.
"Congress won several elections due to their 'Garibi Hatao' slogan but failed to do that. Then poor of this country voted them out in 2014, reducing them to only 44 seats (in the Lok Sabha)," the prime minister said.
"Pandit Nehru had said that the Korean war caused inflation. He had said that any disturbance in America also caused inflation. He also gave up on inflation,"PM Modi said in the Lok Sabha.
"Congress' P Chidambaram is writing articles on economy in the newspapers these days. In 2012, he said that public not troubled when they've to spend Rs 15 on a water bottle andRs 20 on ice cream but the public can't tolerate when Re 1 increase in prices of wheat andrice. These were the kind of statements made by leaders then,"the prime minister said.
Inflation was in "double digit" during the Congress, but under the current government, it "never rose above 5percent" from 2014 to 2020, the prime minister said. The low inflation rate was maintained despite the global challenges, he added.
"Some people have a problem with 'Make in India' because, for them, it means that there will be no corruption, they won't be able to gather money...we have made an attempt to resolve all pending issues of the defence sector,"PM Modi said in Lok Sabha.
There are over 60,000 startups in India, the prime minister said, adding that several among them are emerging as unicorns. These unicorns will turn into large multi-national corporations and provide employment to scores among the youth, he added.
"Before 2014, there were only 500 start ups in the country.60,000 start ups are working in this country in 7 years. Unicorns are being made in it.We are moving towards making the century of unicorns in a very short time. In the case of startup-unicorn, has reached number three in the world," Modi said.
