Monsoon Session: Protecting farmers, MSMEs key in India-US trade talks, says Goyal
Both the Houses were adjourned for the day amid protests by Opposition over several issues, including Trump tariff and Bihar electoral roll revision
Both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned for the day on Thursday (July 31) amid protests by the Opposition parties over various issues including the US announcing 25% tariff on India and electoral roll revision in Bihar. Both the Houses witnessed repeated adjournments throughout the day.
However, before being adjourned for the day, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha saw Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal making a statement on US President Donald Trump's move to impose 25 per cent tariff on India. In his statement, Goyal said that the central government will take all steps to protect the country's interests.
Goyal said that India has risen from the 11th to the fifth largest economy in the past decade due to the contributions of its farmers and MSMEs, and emphasised the need to protect their interests while negotiating any trade deal. He said the Indian government is examining the impact of the US move on Indian exporters and the economy.
As soon as the statement got over, Opposition MPs rushed to the well and raised slogans demanded a discussion on special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. "If you want to have a discussion, go to your seats and if you want to raise slogans then hit the streets," Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla told the protesting MPs. With the Opposition MPs not relenting, he adjourned the House for the day.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mounted a fresh offensive on the NDA government, saying everybody except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman know that India is a “dead economy”, as he alleged that the BJP-led government has destroyed India's economic, defence and foreign policies.
Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex, Rahul also claimed that a trade deal with the US will happen and Trump will define it, while Prime Minister Modi will do what the American President tells him to do.
Rahul’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariff and penalties on India and called India and Russia “dead economies”.
Earlier, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi joined other INDIA bloc MPs outside Parliament at Makar Dwar, protesting against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Holding a banner that read “SIR – Attack on Democracy,” they were accompanied by leaders like Pramod Tiwari and Manickam Tagore. The protest included caricatures and sharp slogans targeting the EC.
Also read related Parliament stories:
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Did Modi govt answer all questions on Op Sindoor in Parliamentary debate?
Trump embarrasses Modi again? Ceasefire claim sparks political storm
Nehru-Congress-bashing again and again; Modi concludes his 100-minute speech
‘Op Sindoor could resume’, govt asserts in LS, denies US role in India-Pak truce
Operation Sindoor debate: How did terrorists come to Pahalgam? Gogoi asks Centre
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Live Updates
- 31 July 2025 4:08 PM IST
Piyush Goyal giving statement on Trump tariff in Lok Sabha
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is making a statement in Lok Sabha on the issue of US President Donald Trump imposing 25 per cent tariff on India.
- 31 July 2025 3:59 PM IST
Will Modi remain 'silent' on baseless charges made by Trump against India, asks Kharge
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said the PM had observed a "maun vrat" in Parliament on US President Donald Trump's India-Pakistan ceasefire claims, and asked whether he will remain silent on the baseless allegations made by the American leader on India.
Kharge also asserted that the nation comes first and "we are always with the nation". His remarks came after Trump once again mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said that the two countries can take their "dead economies down together".
The US president's fresh criticism of New Delhi and Moscow came hours after announcing 25 per cent tariffs against India, plus a "penalty" for its trade with Russia. "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care," he said.
In a post on X, Kharge said, "Modiji had observed a 'maun vrat' in the Parliament on Donald Trump's statements on ceasefire. Will Modi ji remain silent on the baseless allegations made by Trump on India? Narendra Modiji, nation comes first and we are always with the nation."
"This is how your friend — 'Namaste Trump' and 'Abki Baar Trump Sarkar' rewarded our country for your friendship?" he said.
- 31 July 2025 2:29 PM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned till 4 pm amid protests by Opposition
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the second time on Thursday (July 31) amid protests by Opposition members over various issues, including poll roll revision in Bihar.
As soon as the House met again at 2 pm, the Chair had to adjourn the proceedings till 4 pm as Opposition members continued with their noisy protests. Some Opposition members were in the Well of the House raising slogans as they sought to raise certain issues.
Awadhesh Prasad, who was chairing the House, urged the members to take their seats but adjourned the proceedings as his pleas went unheard.
Earlier, Speaker Om Birla had urged the protesting members to stop shouting slogans and go back to their seats. “You (protesting members) don't want to discuss issues?” he said and also asked whether people have chosen them to indulge in sloganeering in the House.
“The House is for discussing issues and the behaviour of the members is not appropriate,” Birla said before adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm.
- 31 July 2025 2:20 PM IST
Kharge slams Shah
Leader of Opposition in RS, Mallikarjun Kharge, has objected to Leader of the House JP Nadda's submission in the House earlier in the day. Nadda had pointed out to the Opposition that after the 2008 terror attacks, the then Home Minister and then Prime Minister had responded to the discussion in Lok Sabha.
Kharge said Nadda was diverting the issue of Modi's absence from the House. He also criticized Amit Shah for his "deal with me" remark made during yesterday's discussion. Kharge said the Opposition had been insulted by the Home Minister when Shah said "pehle mujhse nibat lo" (deal with me first).
As Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju intervened to assert that the PM had already replied to the Lok Sabha on the Op Sindoor discussion, Opposition bursts into protests again.
The House has been adjourned till 4.30 pm.
- 31 July 2025 1:41 PM IST
Chandrashekhar Azad urges India to pass condemnation resolution against USA
Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad criticised US President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, calling it a betrayal of friendship.
He accused the US of repeatedly humiliating India — citing remarks on the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, and alleged support to Pakistan — while now attempting to damage India’s economy.
Azad called on the Indian government to pass a resolution condemning the US actions, stating that no nation has the right to question a country of 1.4 billion people.
- 31 July 2025 1:12 PM IST
Govt destroyed economy, defence, foreign policy: Rahul Gandhi
Explaining his "Trump has stated a fact", Rahul says, "the government has destroyed our economic policy, the government has destroyed our defence policy, has destroyed our foreign policy; they are running this country into the ground."
"The Prime Minister works for only one person: Adani. All small businesses have been demolished. You wait and see, this deal will happen and Trump will define how this deal happens and Modi will do exactly what Trump asks," Rahul said.
- 31 July 2025 1:08 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi backs Trump’s ‘Dead Economy’ remark, blames BJP for economic ruin
Rahul Gandhi says Trump is right in saying that the Indian economy is a "dead economy".
"Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. The whole world knows that the BJP has finished the Indian economy to help Adani", Rahul told reporters outside Parliament earlier today.
- 31 July 2025 1:07 PM IST
TMC MP questions Modi’s silence on Trump’s remarks, slams SIR voter list revision
TMC MP Dola Sen questioned Prime Minister Modi’s silence on US President Trump’s “dead economy” remark and claim of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, suggesting his silence implies acceptance.
She argued that only the Prime Minister can clarify whether Trump is lying or telling the truth.
On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, she criticised the government for suddenly discrediting the same voter list that was used to elect Modi in 2024, questioning how, "voter list was right in 2024, now suddenly it has become wrong in 2025."
- 31 July 2025 1:04 PM IST
Congress MP Manickam Tagore blames 'Modi-Trump friendship' for escalating US tariffs
Congress MP Manickam Tagore held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the 25 per cent US tariff on Indian products, calling it a result of his failed foreign policy and personal equation with Donald Trump.
He criticised Modi’s continued silence in Parliament over Trump’s repeated claims of preventing a war between India and Pakistan.
Tagore warned that India is facing escalating external pressure and diplomatic embarrassment while the Prime Minister remains unresponsive.
- 31 July 2025 12:58 PM IST
Shashi Tharoor warns that US tariffs could hit Indian exports
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed concern over US President Donald Trump’s remarks on India’s “dead economy” and the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff, with possible penalties rising as high as 100 per cent.
He warned that such measures could devastate India’s exports to the US, a key trading partner.
Tharoor added that while trade talks are ongoing, India has the right to resist unreasonable demands, and the US must recognise India’s economic realities and competitive challenges.
