New Delhi, Aug. 24: The curtain may fall on the budget session of Parliament a week ahead of the September 3 closure because of the continuing stand-off.

The BJP-led Opposition, which has hardened its stand on the Uma Bharti and Veer Savarkar issues, again forced an adjournment today.

As the Opposition ensures that the House cannot function, speculation is rife that Parliament may be adjourned sine die after the Finance Bill is passed without discussion on Thursday.

Realising that an immediate end to the United Progressive Alliance-Opposition spat is unlikely, the latter has agreed to let the government pass the appropriation bill and general budget without discussion. The railway budget was passed on Monday without discussion amid a din.

“It is not good for the Opposition or government to do so, so we decided to let the Finance Bill pass in an orderly way,” parliamentary affairs minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

Parliament has been paralysed since last week over the removal of Savarkar’s plaque from Cellular Jail in the Andamans and the arrest warrant issued against Uma, which prompted her to quit as Madhya Pradesh chief minister yesterday.

“We have accepted the proposal of the NDA under which the Opposition has agreed to cooperate in the smooth passage of all financial business, including the Finance Bill, without any discussion,” Azad said. “By this week, we will finish our business.”

He sidestepped queries on whether this meant the session would end on Friday and if the government had put off bringing forward some key bills in the current session, including the one to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

“Let us not jump to any conclusions. In politics and Parliament, the situation keeps changing,” the minister said.

But parliamentary lobbies are agog with reports that the session may not last beyond this week due to continuous disruption over issues like the “tainted” ministers in the UPA government and the alleged favourable foodgrain allotment to Andhra Pradesh by the then NDA regime.

Asked about the possibility of sine die adjournment, Azad said: “I do not want to talk about adjournment. What I am saying is that this week itself all important business will be completed. You can draw your own conclusion.”

He said the House has not transacted any business over the last few days, adding that it seemed the Opposition was determined not to allow Parliament to function.

The parliamentary affairs minister had told leader of Opposition .K. Advani on Friday to allow the House to run properly or at least permit the Finance Bill to be passed.

Criticising the NDA for forcing repeated adjournments, Azad said no House can run unless the Opposition cooperates. He said the government “will not chicken out” of discussing any issue, be it Savarkar, Uma or the “tainted” ministers.