CONG SLAMS PM'S PARL SPEECH FOR INVOKING NEHRU

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha will take up on Monday a two-day discussion on 75 years of the Constitution in the backdrop of a turbulent last week in the Upper House. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will initiate the debate while leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge is set to be the first speaker from the opposite side.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

Union home minister Amit Shah will be replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha, government functionaries indicated.

The Lok Sabha witnessed a spirited discussion on the 75-year journey of the Constitution of India last week, with its share of attacks and counter-attacks between the treasury and the opposition benches, but avoided any major disruption and adjournments.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have traded allegations over the last week over alleged links of the principal opposition party to US billionaire George Soros and bribery charges against the Adani Group. The commotion is likely to steer narratives during the debate. Some lawmakers from both parties did not rule out the possibility of the debate on the Constitution turning into an all-out verbal war between the two sides.

Opposition leaders maintain that the discussion in Rajya Sabha might take place at a different scale. "The way the opposition and the ruling side sparred over issues such as George Soros, Adani and the opposition's notice for the removal of Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, it is possible that the issues might find its way in the debate on Constitution," an opposition leader said.