Pressure mounted on the government to adjourn the budget session as the threat of coronavirus spreading among the lawmakers became real. Many leaders who came in contact with the BJP MP Dushyant Singh in Parliament, including Derek O'Brien, Anupriya Patel and Deepender Hooda, have gone into self quarantine.
Singh and his mother former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhra Raje had attended the party thrown by Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor in Lucknow. Kapoor, who had arrived from London, was tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.
After attending the party, Singh had attended the parliamentary standing committee meeting and even attended a breakfast hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Leaders of opposition parties have demanded the government to adjourn the session to contain further damage. However, no official word has come on the Parliament session as government was monitoring the situation closely. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla took a round of the Parliament house and checked the measures taken to sanitise the building and other public areas.
The government had earlier said the session will not be curtailed and will continue till April 3 as scheduled. This was done with an eye to send a message that lawmakers were working.
On Monday, the session will start late at 2pm to allow MPs who would have travelled over the weekend to return. Before the government could end the session, it needs to pass the finance bill so that it becomes finance act, thus signalling completing of the budget approval exercise in the Parliament. The government had listed finance bill for Wednesday in Lok Sabha only to defer it. Now, the government will be under pressure to bring the finance bill fast for approval.
Realsing the seriousness of the situation resulting out of Kanika Kapoor episode, the Uttar Pradesh government shut down the Taj Hotel in Lucknow where the party was held. UP Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh has already gone into quarantine, as is several MLAs who attended the party.
