Rajya Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge made remarks on the manner in which political parties select women candidates from weaker sections and raised the issue of "delayed" GST payments to non-BJP ruled states.

Addressing the Upper House at its first sitting in the new Parliament building, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, Kharge, who is the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, referred to the Women Reservation Bill which was passed in 2010 in the House. His comments that all political parties only give tickets to those women from backward classes who cannot assert themselves evoked sharp reactions from the treasury benches.