RS returns Manipur budget & GST bills
The Manipur Appropriation Bill authorises payment and appropriation of certain sums out of the consolidated fund of the state of Manipur for services for 2025-26. The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to implement the decisions approved by the GST Council, would replace the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
As the House resumed at 2 pm, leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of Opposition MPs being taken into custody by the Delhi Police while they were on their way to protest at the ECI office. The moment Kharge raised the point, Sasmit Patra who was in the chair, didn't allow him to speak further as his concerns were not about the bills taken up for discussion. The leader of the house JP Nadda strongly objected to the remarks made by Kharge and requested the chair to take it off the record. While the government initiated a discussion on Manipur bills, the Opposition walked out in protest.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also criticised the Opposition for voting against the bills related to Manipur. The reference of Opposition members voting against the bill was made after a few Opposition MPs who were present in the House even after the boycott said "no" when the bill was passed. Opposition members, however, maintained that they boycotted the House in protest.
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