Budget Session: Debate on President`s address from today; Rahul Gandhi to be first speaker

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the first speaker in the debate on motion of thanks to the President`s address on Wednesday (February 2, 2022) in Lok Sabha, said sources.

According to sources, 12 hours have been allotted to opposition parties to express their reply to the Presidential address during the motion of thanks in Lok Sabha. Congress has been allotted one hour out of the total 12 hours of opposition parties.

"Rahul Gandhi will open the debate from the side of opposition parties as Congress being the largest opposition party will get the first chance to speak," said sources.

"He will speak on Presidential address, Budget and will raise the issue of spyware software Pegasus in his address," source added.

Meanwhile, Congress party has also asked Youth Congress workers to protest outside parliament and raise the Pegasus issue.

Earlier, when reporters asked Rahul Gandhi for comment on the Budget and presidential address, he said he will first speak in the house only.

Soon after the budget was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in parliament on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to slam the centre over budget calling it "Zero-Sum Budget."

"M0di G0vernment`s Zer0 Sum Budget! Nothing for--Salaried class--Middle class--The poor and deprived--Youth--Farmers--MSMEs," tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

Reply to the Motion of Thanks by Prime Minister Modi is likely to be given in Lok Sabha next Monday (Feb 7) and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (Feb 8). President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday addressed the joint session of Parliament on the first day of the budget session.