 "PM Modi's 'no foreign interference' jibe at Oppn ahead of Budget session")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took a veiled swipe at the Opposition, saying that for the first time in a decade, there has been "no foreign interference" aimed at creating controversy before a crucial Parliament session.
Addressing the press outside Parliament ahead of Budget session 2025, PM Modi said, "This is probably the first session of Parliament since 2014 in which an attempt has not been made to set fire to a foreign country a day before."
He also pointed out a "recurring pattern" observed over the last 10 years, suggesting that "certain forces" have often worked to create unrest before key Parliamentary proceedings.
"I have been observing for the last 10 years, before every season, people get ready to do mischief, and here we know that there is no shortage of people to escalate it," he said.
Speaking about India's economic trajectory, PM Modi emphasised that the country is progressing in a "mission mode," driven by three key pillars: innovation, inclusion, and investment.
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PM Modi also expressed optimism about the impact of the Budget session, stating that it will infuse new confidence and energy in achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047, when India celebrates 100 years of independence.
"Friends, I hope that we will live up to the hopes and aspirations of the country in this Budget session, " he added.
Budget session 2025
The Budget session 2025 of Parliament will begin on January 31 and will be held in two phases, concluding on April 4. The first phase will continue until February 13, after which both Houses will go into recess. The second phase will resume on March 10 and continue until April 4.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2025-26 on Saturday, February 1. With this, she will become the first finance minister in Indian history to present eight consecutive Union Budgets.
However, the record for the most budget presentations overall remains with former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who delivered 10 budgets. Desai presented six budgets between 1959 and 1964 as finance minister and four more between 1967 and 1969.