Parliament passes Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 after brief debate

Parliament Budget Session Day 11 updates: Both Houses pass Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 after brief debate

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Subjects of special mentions include recruitment of assistant professors in Gojri and Pahadi languages, request for constructions of a flyover, an invasive species taking over land in Rajasthan, increasing prevalence of PCOS in adolescent girls, farmer suicides due to debt, rising cancer rates in Punjab, and lack of caution signs near potholes leading to deaths.

The House adjourned for the day at 7:17 p.m. Proceedings will resume tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Dr. Mansukh Mandviya, the Union Minister for Labour and Employment, says that this Act has been brought in for legal clarity. The government has the power to repeal, but this legislation will make it clearer, he says. This is Narendra Modi’s government which seeks to protect labour and workers and also save industries. There should be balance between the two, he says, noting that so far that they have been placed in opposition.

He says that trade unions and workers support it, but those who want to do politics come here and speak about it. These Codes ensure equal wages and rights for men and women, he says.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge says that attention is not being drawn to this issue, and I don’t know why, since the four codes have become a way to steal the rights of workers. They have joined with corporates to strangle labour, he says. You are threatening job security and increasing working hours, he says.

AIADMK MP Dr. M Thambidurai says that while their party is for the labour and seeks to protect the labour interest, but since the Court has specified, we also support the Bill. He also highlights that BJP and AIADMK are both for labour interest.

YSRCP MP Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla notes that this amendment seeks to address a narrow but important drafting concern, mainly the possibility that the existing wording could be interpreted as delegating the power to repeal primary legislation to the executive. He voices his support for the clarificatory amendment.

Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen says that the four labour Codes were passed one-sidedly in the Rajya Sabha when the Opposition was out of the House, having been suspended for protesting against the Farm Bill. She calls it a corporate code, not a labour code.

This Bill is anti-workers, anti-labourer, anti-employee, anti-union, anti-association and anti-federation, says DMK MP R. Girirajan. While the previous Acts were landmark legislations, these Codes dilute the workers’ rights, he says. A similar sentiment is expressed by BJD MP Niranjan Bishi, who says it is against the principles of natural justice and that it will destroy the workers’ interests.

CPI (M) MP Dr. V Sivadasan says that the government is not for the people, and asks that it withdraw the anti-people policies of the government.

Meanwhile, CPI member Sandosh Kumar P highlights that trade unions have had a huge role in India’s independence movement and asserts that the government is ignoring the people’s voices.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says that the Industrial Relations Code 2020 was passed in the din on September 23, 2020 by a voice vote. Today we are amending, with retrospective effect, a law that was passed six years ago, this reflects a complete failure of the government, as this repealing of the old Act should have been done before the new law was passed, he says. It is a bizarre proposition, I know it is because of the Supreme Court decision, but it is standard to repeal an Act before a new one is passed, he says. He also notes that the laws were passed without discussion in the Indian Labour Conference.

He notes that the most significant change being brought about by the amendments today is that we are going to enable ease of firing. There is no ease of hiring, but there is ease of firing, he says. We are weakening collective bargaining and trade unions, even the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has objected to the Industrial Relations Code, he notes.

It is inevitable that we have to pass this Bill, but it reflects poorly on the government, he says.

He also notes that these labour codes are anti-labour and that there is a national protest going on today. Two of the Acts we are repealing were the personal contribution of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar when he was a labour member in the Viceroy’s Executive Council, he says.

Labour Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandviya moves that the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 be taken up for consideration. The Chair C.P Radhakrishnan announces that a total of 30 minutes has been allotted for the Bill by the Business Advisory Committee. Of this, 10 minutes will be allotted to BJP, 3 minutes to Congress and 1 minute each to the remaining parties, based on numerical strength.

The total outgo on major subsidies, namely food, fertilizers and petroleum is Rs. 4.1 lakh crore, and the expenditure on education has gone up from Rs. 41,000 crore to Rs. 93,000 crore from 2014 to now, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

With this, she concludes her reply to the discussion on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refers to MP Derek O’Brien’s comment that farmers in Texas, Kentucky and Wisconsin are happier than those in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal, pointing out that all of these States are ruled by the INDI Alliance. You need to see why they are unhappy, she says. She notes that a scheme for tea workers was not implemented in West Bengal, and that they did not implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme either.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says that all senior citizens 70 years and above have been included in PM Jan Aarogya Yojana, so free health cover of Rs. 5 lakh cover is available for senior citizens. She says GST on several important items has been brought down, which will benefit senior citizens. This includes 0 GST on 33 life-saving drugs, 5% GST on certain other drugs, 5% GST on corrective spectacles and lenses, and reduction of GST on health insurance premiums from 18% to 0%.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses MP Jaya Bachchan’s concerns about lack of provisions for entertainment in the budget, saying that they treat that sector as an industry. The Budget recognises AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics) and the content creation economy as a growth engine, she says. As a result, support has been announced, she says, noting that the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies in Mumbai will help in skilling and creating content creator labs in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges. 2 million professionals will be created by 2030, she says.

The National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid is also designed to document cultural and heritage sites and is explicitly generating jobs for filmmakers, digital storytellers, animators, editors and researchers, she says. We are not just making a token gesture, it is actually being given prominence and resource allocation, she says. A new National Institute of Design is being created, she adds.

She says that Orange Economy concept is aimed at the entertainment industry, and asks the member to take cognisance.

Ms. Sitharaman yields the floor to MP Jaya Bachchan, who says she spoke about tickets and entertainment tax, not about institutes of design but about the entertainment industry. We are some of the highest tax-paying individuals of this country, she says.

Ms. Sitharaman responds, but there is cross-talking and mild disturbance in the House. She objects to gesticulating and running commentary. She then notes that entertainment tax and ticketing of films are State subjects, and that there is no point in asking her.

FInance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says that the Indian market is undergoing a structural transformation, with record low unemployment. India’s unemployment has fallen from 5.6% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24, the economy is actively absorbing labour, she says. She says that in Quarter 2 of financial year 2026, 56.2 crore people were employed, and that 8.7 lakh net new jobs are being created in just three months.

Opposition members protest at this point. Several members had cited unemployment as a concern not addressed by the budget.

Ms SItharaman says that that annual survey of industries records a 6% year-on-year increase in manufacturing sector employment, adding over 10 lakh organised sector jobs in a single year, saying that the job quality is also improving.

There is no inflation crisis right now, it has been tamed and stabilised, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. There was never lower inflation in the last 10-year cycle, she says. She compares with other major markets- the UK is at 3.4%, U.S is at 2.7%, many emerging markets have not seen this kind of number. India is maintaining low inflation not by chance but by strategy, not just through blunt monetary tools, but through a calibrated mix of fiscal policy, trade policy and supply-side interventions.

She mentions four measures taken as examples of such interventions. The first is dynamic duty management, and she highlights that when edible prices go up, we make sure that the basic customs duty is brought down proactively. But if it comes down, we manage it to ensure that farmers are not impacted.

A second measure mentioned by her is actively maintaining a buffer stock. We have ensured that railways will be the route for these goods to ensure low logistics prices, she says.

The third measure is GST rationalisation, while the fourth is giving support to agriculture.

Government cannot borrow excessively, Congress is obsessed with outlays, but we are saying we will give money but also show us the outcome, says FM Niramala SItharaman. We care about results, she says.

Under Mr. Modi we ensure that all money will go, more than Rs. 48 lakh crore have been sent through DBT to various beneficiaries, and because it is DBT, we have saved an estimated Rs. 4.31 lakh crore from falling into wrongful hands, Ms. Sitharaman says.

We have not slashed public expenditure, we only release funds when the ground work is being done, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It is an assurance to the taxpayer that every rupee is accounted for.

Opposition members protest, asking about funds that have not been released to states.

Ms. Sitharaman says that she has introduced a new statement in the expenditure profile, which shows fund balance under a single nodal agency for States and UTs in respect of centrally-sponsored schemes. The Centre’s funds are not a free pool of cash that can be used, it is hard-earned contribution of every Indian citizen, we refuse to squander this money simply to meet a deadline, she says. There is a transparent process and we go by that, she adds.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urges all members and parties to encourage their state governments to participate actively in the schemes which have been announced, noting that many of them will operate in a challenge mode, and any state can benefit if they come with exhaustive planning and look at the filters under PM Gati Shakti.

We will rejuvenate 200 legacy industrial clusters, says Ms. Sitharaman. We also aim to support MSMEs, she says, adding that the budget introduces Rs. 10,000 crore in the name of SME growth fund.

Atmanirbharata is an important element and will be kept in mind for everything we build for the economy, we have built domestic manufacturing capacity, says Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. We have also kept energy security in mind while preparing the budget and ensured that citizens become atmanirbhar in their own spheres of life, she says, pointing to ease of living, employment generation, improvement of agricultural productivity and increase in household purchasing power as conscious steps taken in this direction.

To develop human capital, we have set a target of creating 1 lakh allied health professionals over the next five years, supported by an outlay of Rs. 1000 crores for this year only, Ms. Sitharaman says. This will create employment, improve health services and promote medical tourism, she adds.

We are establishing a high powered education to employment and enterprise standing committee to prepare youth for the services sector, where we aim to capture 10% of the global market by 2047, she says. The committee will prioritise IT, fintech, logistics, healthcare, tourism and creative services, she says. They will look at closing skill, infrastructure and credit caps, and suggest reforms for standards, accreditation and digital regulation. It will help expand AI, cloud and professional exports, she says.

Union Minister Finance Minister says that this budget arrives at a moment when there is a rare balance for India, where there is high growth of the GDP and there is low inflation, being held continuously for some time. This “Goldilocks moment” is not by fluke that we have arrived here, she says, noting that tremendous effort, granular details in planning, and timely action has been undertaken.

The National Statistical Office gave the first advanced estimate, where real GDP growth is projected at 7.4% for 2025-26, with a nominal growth rate at around 8%, while CPI inflation has softened to nearly 2%, she says.

Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, speaks during the discussion on the budget, offering rhyming lines in praise of Prime Minister Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the budgetary provisions, and questioning the Opposition for its anger. A sample from his poetry: Bharat-U.S ka itna accha ho gaya deal, toh Kharge sahab aap ko kyun ho raya hain feel? (India and U.S have signed a great deal, so Mr. Kharge, why are you feeling upset?)

He says that it is difficult to make provisions for farmers, but Prime Minister Modi has done it. He says that the budget for his ministry is Rs. 1.98 lakh crore today. There was an attempt to remove the poor, not poverty, he says, noting that now progress is happening. 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, he says.

He says that people from all backgrounds are with us and this budget seeks to give justice to all, so everyone should support this budget.

Matters of urgent public importance are being taken up

The Chair Sasmit Patra announces that the business advisory committee has decided that the working of the Ministries of Rural Development and Environment, Forest and Climate Change will be discussed during the second half of the budget session. Three more ministries to be taken up for discussion will be finalised in due course.

Union Labour Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya replies to the debate on the amended Industrial Relations Code.

Critiquing the Left parties, Mr. Mandaviya says that the LDF Kerala government did not give essential certificate necessary for a medical college to be established in the State. He highlights the benefits of the Bill, listing timely wages, pro-industrialisation features and the minimum wage guarantee.

Bharat Adivasi Party MP Raj Kumar Roat urges Centre to speak with workers and take their inputs on the Bill before blind passage. He suggests that a provision be added that children of workers who will be hired by the companies will receive free education in schools nearby.

BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya says that this is a growth-oriented budget. He says that farmers in Haryana are happy, but farmers in West Bengal are unhappy and committing suicide, who is responsible for that, he asks. I am coming from a State that is becoming an old age home, there is an exodus of capital, students, labour and merit from West Bengal, he says. At this point of time, if we want inclusive pan-India growth, we have to have a good federal structure, we have to honour it, he says. Those criticising the Central Budget should look at what is happening in Bengal right now, he says, highlighting issues with land acquisition and railway lines.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien says he will give viewers an interactive experience and asks people to go to www.indiabudget.gov.in and download the Finance Minister’s speech. He says many of them cannot do that, because 5 out of 10 people living in rural India do not have proper access to the internet, and yet with this minimum access we are asking MNREGA workers to go online, to use apps, to mark attendance, through bank-accounts, to do e-KYC, to get their wages.

Then let’s do a search on that document, he says, asking viewers to put in the word middle-class. For middle-class, 4 out of 5 Indians are earning less than Rs.117 a day, and net household savings fell to the lowest in the last 50 years, he says.

The second word he suggests is unemployment. 1 out of 3 youth are not in education, employment or training, he points out, adding that 1 out of 4 positions in the union government are vacant and from every Rs. 100 set aside for the PM internship scheme, Rs. 5 was utilised. He highlights a youth scheme launched in West Bengal, where Rs. 1500 is put into the accounts of those aged 24 to 40, saying that in true federalism, you don’t need to copy States.

He then asks people to search for ‘falling rupee’ in the budget speech. He quotes someone (unspecified): “the way the value of the rupee is falling, it seems there’s a competition between the rupee and the union government, (as to) whose prestige will fall faster.” He notes that the Prime Minister did not say this, the Chief Minister of Gujarat said it in 2013.

He then asks people to search for Jan Dhan Yojana, saying that 1 out of 4 accounts are non- operational, and 1 out of 10 accounts are zero-balance.

He pivots to farmers, saying that they are happy in Texas, not in Tamil Nadu; in Kentucky, not Karnataka; Wisconsin, not West Bengal.

He says there is nothing in the budget about environment and air pollution. He says that not much is there about minorities, but we were looking for members for the National Commission of Minorities, but nothing as been filled up. Further 2000 FCRA accounts run by Christian NGOs doing good work, but were shut down, he says. Social minority or LGBTQ, nothing is mentioned.

Nothing has been mentioned about rail safety either, he says. The rail budget has grown 25 times since the UPA 2 regime, but the budget State-by-State has not seen even growth, with States like Gujarat, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh seeing double-digit increases, while States like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have only seen eight-fold and three-fold increases.

He notes that the Finance Minister will reply to the discussion, but the real response will come from Tamil Nadu and Kerala in two months, and from Uttar Pradesh in February 2027.

He quotes another member’s speech from the Lok Sabha: until you understand the difference between what is written in the GST Act, and what is written on a family grocery bill of a poor family, you will keep living in your India, let us live in our India.

Textile Minister Giriraj Singh raises a point of order saying that the name of the Lok Sabha member mentioned by Mr. O’Brien should be expunged from the record.

IUML MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer highlights that the Bill sacrifices workers’ right for the employers. “Unrecognised workers are not considered, no safety protocols and hazardous conditions are considered. Minimum wage is not mentioned,” says Mr. Basheer while vehemently opposing the amended Industrial Relations Code.

CPI(ML) MP Sudama Prasad points out that while all the workers’ unions across India are opposing the four Labour Codes already in force, the Centre is doubling down on its support for few industrialists at the cost of India’s labourers.

NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule questions if contract workers are covered under the new Industrial Relations Code Bill. “42% of workers in India are on contract. But gig workers and workers are not protected by this Bill and in the past 10 years, PSUs like LIC and Mazagaon Docks have not made any contract worker permanent. While we are not against capitalism, we cannot allow this government to build India’s progress on the backs of the poor, disenfranchised,” she says.

BJP MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, who hails from Tripura, highlights positive measures introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including LPG cylinders for women and ensuring proper sanitation facilities. He also notes the distribution of free food grains to the public.

In the budget, there has been an increase of 14.2% in the education sector and 10% to modernise the health sector, he says. He notes that he hails from the north-east and appreciates budgetary provisions to increase rail connectivity in the region.

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raises the question of railway concessions, which were removed during the Covid-19 era and were not brought back. She also says that enough provisions were not made for elder care. Referring to health insurance, she points out that there is health inflation, but they have not adjusted deductions accordingly.

Ayushman Bharat is not applicable to those above 60, with exceptions for certain sectors, she says. More should be done for those in the last leg of their life who have spent their lives working for the country, she says.

There is nothing for common man to celebrate in this budget, says CPI MP Sandosh Kumar P, calling it a corporate-friendly budget. He says that Kerala has once again been brutally neglected in the budget. We had demanded 29 items, a comprehensive package was submitted, a detailed memorandum with a set of reasonable demands was submitted, nothing was accepted, he says, asking whether Kerala was not part of India. An example brought up by him is the request for AIIMS in Kerala, as well as a high-speed corridor.

We don’t expect generosity or extra money from this government, when you collect Rs. 100 from us, give us back Rs. 50, he says, noting that they are currently getting only 25%.

BJP MP Kumar Nayak from Gujarat, Mayankumar Nayak, says that the people in rural areas get development with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts.

He reads about the achievements of PM Modi, and praises the Budget 2026. He also says the Foreign Relations of India have improved a lot after 2014.

He says, “Modi hai to mumkil hai (Everything is possible with Modi).”

Congress MP from Karnataka, G.C. Chandrashekhar, says that even though the Budget 2026 has earmarked around 53.4 lakh crore, the major programmes are not even given 20-30% of the Budget.

He adds that big numbers are given for “making big sound, advertising, changing names and diverting from the topic.”

He reads out the Data on funds spent and allocated on the Budget. He also pulls out Data to substantiate how the Budget is not up to the mark.

BJP MP Madan Rathore says that the Opposition is criticising Budget 2026 for the sake of it.

He reads out the achievements that the NDA Government has achieved throughout its tenure.

Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 p.m., to resume after lunch.

Rajya Sabha utilises extra time, skipping the lunch break, to accommodate the remaining members of the House in the discussion of Union Budget 2026.

Bhubaneswar Kalita takes over the chair from Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today rejected Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s claim that she encouraged Congress MPs during a confrontation in the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chamber, asserting that no abuse took place and that she spoke only peacefully at the end.

Read more:

Priyanka Gandhi denies instigating MPs and criticizes the India-U.S. trade deal's impact on farmers amid political tensions.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, during the discussion on Industrial Relations Code, SP MP Afzal Ansari says, there is no safety for labourers in India.

“During Covid, migrant labourers were treated horrifically by the Union Government. They were lathi charged, and left without any means to support themselves. Time and again, this government has proven that they don’t do anything for the labourers in the society,” he says.

This condition is deplorable in Uttar Pradesh, he adds.

“This government is committing a massive blunder by sidelining the interests of the labourers,” he adds.

DMK MP, G. Girirajan, asks if there will be any change in the time proposed for the completion of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, following the new India-U.S. trade deal, which was said to be completed by 2027.

MoS Jitendra Singh replies that the programme will be completed on time due to “the conviction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

He also says that the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project has achieved its rated capacity of 700 kilowatts.

He adds that the Kudankulam project was kicked off, almost half a century after the announcement, during the Vajpayee Government.

He adds that the project is moving forward due to the willpower of the current government.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MP Chowdry Muhammad Ramzan raises the issue of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir.

He says that unemployment is a striking issue in the State, adding that unemployment leads the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to social evils like drugs.

He asks the Minister what the Central Government is planning to do to stop this plight of Jammu and Kashmir.

Minister of State Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, says that the Government has employed several schemes bring the young people to the forefront.

She says 1,60,000 people have come to EPFO from Jammu and Kashmir within two years.

“To save Kashmir and bring the young people to the forefront is our aim,” she says, adding that a girl in the middle of a flight told her that “This is the first time ever in the history of the nation, a Prime Minister is thinking about the children of Jammu and Kashmir.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday said he has given a notice to initiate a ‘substantive motion’ against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking to PTI videos in Parliament House complex, Mr. Dubey said that in his notice he has stated how Mr. Gandhi visits foreign countries joining hands with the Soros Foundation, USAID, Ford Foundation and “colludes” with anti-India elements.

A substantive motion is an independent, self-contained proposal submitted for the approval of a legislative house or assembly, drafted to express a decision or opinion.

“No privilege motion notice. I have given a substantive motion notice where in I have mentioned how he visits Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia with Soros Foundation, Ford Foundation and USAID, and colludes with anti-India forces,” Mr. Dubey alleged.

PTI

Speaking on the discussion on Industrial Relations Code in Lok Sabha on Thursday says the female participation in the labour force has come down and these codes are not helping to overcome this problem.

Instead of dialogue, the government has chosen dominace, he alleges.

“The UPA government was a pro-labour government, unlike the current regime. We introduced MGNREGA, upheld social justice, introduced food security act, and helped all labourers across sectors,” he says.

He says that the current government is privatising PSUs.

We demand for the Bill to be withdrawn, he adds.

Lok Sabha begins discussion on Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

Union Labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya introduced the ‘Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Wednesday through supplementary agenda soon after the Question Hour.

It is interesting to note that, employees and workers associated with a joint forum of ​central trade unions will observe a day-long strike​ on Thursday to protest against the labour codes.

Reiterating his claim that Congress MPs had abused Speaker Om Birla inside his chamber, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (February 12, 2026) said that the BJP believes in debate and discussion and does not support any form of physical or verbal intimidation.

Read more:

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Kiren Rijiju accuses Congress MPs of abusing Speaker Om Birla, sharing an alleged illegal video of the incident.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh today submitted a zero-hour notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a discussion on the demand for strong national laws and accountability for safe roads across India, highlighting the growing number of road accidents caused by potholes and poor road maintenance across the country.

Read more:

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AAP MP Sanjay Singh demands urgent discussion in Rajya Sabha for stronger road safety laws amid rising accident fatalities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in the Rajya Sabha. MPs welcome Mr. Modi with slogans.

Some MPs sloganeer “Jai Modi ji” and “Jai Sri Ram” on PM Modi’s arrival.

Lok proceedings resume.

Papers are being laid on the table.

CPI(M) MP John Brittas speaks about the nationwide strike of labourers, which happens today, demanding the withdrawal of the new “anti-labour” four labour codes and restoration of the MGNREGA scheme.

“All the centre unions except BMS have joined the strike,” he says. The rights of the labourers are snatched away in the name of labour codes, he adds.

He adds that “you should not be blaming the workers for the stagnation in the industrial sector, because of the haphazard policies of this government.”

The slogans of the strike also include upholding the sovereignty of the nation and protecting the farmers of the nation, he says, adding that the Indo-U.S. deal has created widespread protest among crores of people.

He says that Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar is the voice of energy security and strategic autonomy, adding that Mr. Jaishankar is “keeping mum” on energy security.

Opposition MPs on Thursday staged a protest in Parliament House complex over the India-U.S. interim trade deal, accusing the government of “surrendering” Indian interests.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, DMK’s T.R. Baalu, SP’s Dharmendra Yadav and Jaya Bachchan, CPI-ML’s Sudama Prasad, among others, participated in the protest near the Makar Dwar of Parliament.

With a huge banner that read “trap deal” and carrying ‘Narender Surrender’ posters, the MPs raised slogans such as “U.S. deal hai atyachari” and “desh ko bechna bandh karo”.

Later, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other Congress MPs, including those who have been recently suspended, stood on the steps of Makar Dwar and protested against the government over the deal.

Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will listen to them now or if there is a “grip” on him too strong.

PTI

LoP of Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raises the issue of a Dalit woman in Odisha, who works as a helper cum cook in an Anganwadi, is denied food to the students.

The Boycott of the Anganwadi has been going on for the last three months, Mr. Kharge says.

“Anganwadi is supposed to be a place for the physical and cognitive growth of children,” he says, adding that this will affect the growth of the students.

He condemns the attitude of the parents who show discrimination towards the Dalit woman. He also points out that the children have the right to get the nutrition that they deserve.

He also mentions two cases of Dalit discrimination in Gujarat and Chandigarh.

The Rajya Sabha will skip the lunch hours to accommodate the remaining 30 speakers who are to speak in the discussion of the 2026 Budget.

The remaining members will submit papers utilising the extra hours today.

Minutes after the House commenced proceedings, Opposition creates ruckus, protesting against the interim trade pact between India and the US.

Krishna Prasad Tenneti, in the Chair, allows for the Question Hour to begin, with sloganeering in the background.

Many members troop into the Well of the House. Some of them were heard shouting slogans demanding “trade deal wapas lo” (take back the trade pact).

The Chair adjourns the proceedings till 12 noon.

MoS of Parliamentary Affairs, L. Murugan, moves motions for the election of members to the Committees of Public Accounts, Public Undertakings, Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes

Rajya Sabha agrees after a voice vote, and the motions are adopted.

Lok Sabha proceedings begin.

The House proceeds with the Question Hour.

Sloganeering continues in the background.

Opposition MPs will protest outside the Makar Dwar fon Thursday. The protest has been organised against what has been termed as “anti-people” clauses in the Indo-US trade deal and to expresses solidarity with farmers who have called for an All India Bandh.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss “important topics”, including the India-U.S. interim trade deal and the joint statement.

As per the adjournment motion, Mr. Tewari demanded an immediate statement from the government on the matter, alleging that the India-U.S. joint statement on the interim trade deal includes commitments regarding Russian oil purchases and agriculture-related concessions. He said that such steps would raise questions on India’s energy security, farmers’ interests, and strategic autonomy.

“I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely:- I move that this House do suspend Question Hour, Zero Hour and all other listed business of the day to take up the serious concerns emanating from the USA-India Joint Statement on the Interim Trade Agreement and the recent Executive Order of the White House,” Manish Tewari said.

ANI

Several papers will be laid on the Table of the Lok Sabha on Thursday during the ongoing Budget Session by various Ministries.

As per the Lok Sabha list of business, BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari and Chandra Prakash Joshi will present the Fourth Report (in Hindi and English) of the Committee on Petitions on the representation of Parameswaran Krishna Iyer concerning the levying of penal charges for non-maintenance of minimum balance in bank accounts.

BJP MPs Harendra Singh Malik and Rajkumar Chahar will also present reports (in Hindi and English) of the Committee on Government Assurances.

Further, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab and LJP (RV) MP Arun Bharti will present the Twenty-ninth Report (in Hindi and English) on the Action Taken by the Government on the observations and recommendations contained in the Twenty-sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Finance on the subject, “Roadmap for Indian economic growth in light of global economic and geopolitical circumstances.”

ANI

Published - February 12, 2026 10:41 am IST

India / Live news / parliament / Parliament proceedings

Source: TheHindu
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