Today in Politics: PM Modi likely to reply to Rajya Sabha debate amid fireworks; curtains on Parliament session

The first Parliament session after the Lok Sabha elections is going to conclude on Wednesday, when the Rajya Sabha would continue the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to this debate in the Upper House.

The first session of the newly-constituted 18th Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die by Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday after the passage of the motion of thanks on the President’s address. The session, which began on June 24, had seven sittings, which saw 539 Lok Sabha members take oath or make affirmation over the first two days.

Heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches are expected in the Rajya Sabha during PM Modi’s reply on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks in the Lok Sabha, the PM mounted a scathing attack on the Congress a day after he and his party were targeted by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, telling the House that his government had a clear mandate for stability and continuity with a third consecutive term in office while the Congress, like a “parasite” (parjeevi) feeding on its allies for survival, remained in denial.

Modi, who spoke in the Lower House for over two hours amid Opposition chants of “Justice for Manipur” and “Bharat Jodo”, accused the Congress and its “entire ecosystem” of attempting to “look down upon, abuse and insult Hinduism” and of plotting a “conspiracy to falsely” claim Hindus were violent, Vikas Pathak reported.

Alleging that the Congress was trying to spread chaos in defeat, the PM urged the Speaker to take strict action to “defend the dignity of the House” against what happened Monday which was “a slap on the wisdom of our