The budget session of Parliament resumed on Thursday after a month-long break . Here are key highlights of the day

The first part of the session, which started on 31 January, closed on 9 February, following the presentation of the Union Budget. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The budget session of Parliament resumed on Thursday ahead of the declaration of results for the assembly elections in five states on Saturday. The session, starting on Thursday, will continue till 12 April.

The first part of the session, which started on 31 January, closed on 9 February, following the presentation of the Union Budget. A passage of motion of thanks to President’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses was also presented on conclusion of the first part of the Budget Session.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed hope that a breakthrough on the GST will be achieved in the budget session. Until noon, the session saw Opposition members, led by Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge raising the issue of attacks on Indians in the US. Union home minister Rajnath Singh announced that the NIA will probe the Lucknow encounter.

Here are the developments and highlights from the budget session of Parliament:

• The issue of an Indian fisherman being allegedly shot dead by the Sri Lankan Navy was raised in the Lok Sabha today with members demanding swift action by the Indian government.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, AIADMK member P. Venugopal said although there has been a consensus between the two countries that the fishermen will not be shot at, the incidents of Indian fishermen being attacked by the Sri Lankan navy are rising.

V. Elumalai, another AIADMK MP, highlighted the same issue saying the youth was killed in a “cold-blooded and barbaric” manner. He said in the past week, over 50 Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said the fishermen from his state have also been arrested by Pakistan over the last ten 10 days.

• Members in the Lok Sabha today expressed grave concern over hate crimes against Indians in the US, with opposition parties questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” on the matter and the government saying it was being “viewed seriously”. Opposition members asked the government to spell out in Parliament how it plans to deal with the issue, prompting Home Minister Rajnath Singh to say that it has taken a serious note of these incidents and later assured that steps will be taken to ensure that “Indians abroad feel safe.” (PTI)
• Congress member Kantilal Bhuria today created a scene in the Lok Sabha by squatting in the Well after he was disallowed from raising a question, leading Union minister Nitin Gadkari to invite him for a discussion. The incident took place during the Question Hour when the House was discussing issues related to construction of National Highways and Bhuria wanted to ask a supplementary relating to his constituency of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. But Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow him and moved on to the next question.

However, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari told Bhuria to come to his office and discuss the matter with him. An infuriated Bhuria then entered the Well and sat on the floor to protest the Speaker’s decision.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge stood in support of Bhuria and requested the Speaker to allow him to speak. “I know your problem. Your and my area is the same. It is related to Indore-Ahmedabad road. You go to the Minister, he is ready to discuss,” she said. With this, Bhuria agreed and went back to his seat. Mahajan represents Indore constituency in Lok Sabha. (PTI)

• CPM MP P. Karunakaran slams RSS over political attacks in Kerala.
• Congress’ Shashi Tharoor: “Tamil Nadu fishermen urgently needs government’s attention.”
• CPM’s Mohammed Saleem: “The Indian government should raise the issue of Kansas shooting with the US government.” (CNN-News18) He is joined by AIADMK leader M Thambidurai who says “ it is high time India should intervene and protect Indians, and see to it that such incidents don’t repeat.”
• Union home minister Rajnath Singh speaks in Lok Sabha. Highlights of his speech:

— The probe in the Lucknow encounter to be conducted by NIA. (PTI)

— Rajnath commends father of the terrorist killed in Lucknow for saying “one who cannot be loyal to the nation, how can he be ours”. (PTI)

— Terror suspect Saifullah did not surrender despite police warning.

— So far a total of 6 arrests have been made in Uttar Pradesh in connection with Wednesday’s encounter.

— The home minister also assured a statement next week on attacks against Indians in the US. Earlier, the Congress party moved adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha on ‘hatred generating for Indians in USA’. The party said PM and the government are silent on hate crimes in US against Indians.

• Mines minister Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha: “We have separated exploration and mining auction by amending the act. We have launched Mines Surveillance system monitored through satellite to prevent illegal mining.” (TV reports)
• Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after obituary references to sitting member Haji Abdul Salam and four former members. (PTI)
• India has taken US incident seriously. We will give the statement in house next week: Rajnath Singh speaks in Rajya Sabha (CNN-News18)
• We hope for a breakthrough on GST, says PM Narendra Modi, ahead of Parliament session. (PTI)
• PM hopes that discussions will take place in a democratic manner and the level of debate will be good. (PTI)
• Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders protest in front of the Gandhi statue at Parliament complex regarding attack on Indians in the US. (CNN-News18)
• Here is Thursday’s list of business in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as reported by PTI:

— Lok Sabha: Bills for consideration and passing: The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016; The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims), 2016.

— Rajya Sabha: Bill for consideration and passing: The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016. Further discussion on the Union Budget for 2017-18.