Budget debate, Rahul Gandhi to speak first

The vote of gratitude to President Ram Nath Kovind's address will be debated during Parliament's Budget session on Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, will be the first Opposition leader to respond to the Lok Sabha debate. According to sources, both houses have set up 12 hours for debate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to react to the Lok Sabha debate on February 7 and the Rajya Sabha debate on February 8, according to sources.

President Ram Nath Kovind praised India as one of the world's fastest-growing economies and asked citizens to "work hard" to make the country a "big, modern, and developed" country by 2047 in his 50-minute address to Parliament.

The president said,  “In the year 2047, the country will celebrate its centenary of Independence. We have to work hard now for building a grand, modern, and developed India of that time. We have to ensure that our hard work leads to fruitful results in the end. We all have a stake, and an equal stake in this journey.”

Following the February 11 holiday, both houses will take a month off before returning on March 13. The budget debate will last through April 8th.

The sources say, "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."

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

Meanwhile, members of the Congress party's Youth Congress have been asked to demonstrate outside of parliament and discuss the Pegasus problem.

When reporters questioned Rahul Gandhi about the budget and the president's address, he stated he would first speak in the house.