Budget to be passed without any debate

Finance Bill to be introduced on Friday.

The Union Budget 2004-05 will be passed without a debate in both Houses of Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government and the Opposition held a meeting with the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today to discuss ways in which the Opposition's boycott of proceedings could be set aside in order to clear the Budget.

"The opposition has agreed to co-operate in passing the Budget, the Apropriations Bill, and the guillotine of ministries without any debate," said Azad.

According to parliamentary sources, the Finance Bill will be introduced on Friday, after which the House will be adjourned sine die.

Ever since the second part of the Budget session began, the Opposition, led by the National Democratic Alliance has allowed any business to be transacted over the "insult" of Veer Savarkar and the revival of the Idgah Maidan case by the Karnataka government against former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti.

"Opposition leaders said they would not suspend their agitation, therefore this method was evolved to make sure the Budget was passed," said Azad.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram regretted that there would be no debate on the Budget. "I will be disappointed if Rs 4,77,000 crore is appropriated without a debate or a discussion," he said. "My sincere appeal is that the Opposition should allow a debate on the Finance Bill," Chidambaram said.

The NDA refused to take blame for the stalemate in Parliament. "We have been raising the issue of Savarkar and the unfair way in which Uma Bharti has been targeted," said BJP spokesperson VK Malhotra.

After boycotting the standing committees and delaying thier formation by over a week, the Opposition's led to the Railway Budget being passed in a hurry. While this may suit the government, the opposition has lost an opportunity to air its views on the Budget.