New Delhi: Contending that passing the Union budget was "not inevitable", Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said not adjourning the Parliament following the death of former Union Minister E. Ahamed, will be a big mistake.

Speaking to the media the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, also slammed the Narendra Modi government for not promptly announcing Ahamed's death who passed away at 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday. "We have discussed with several parties and all believe that the budget presentation should be postponed by a day in honour of Ahamed," Kharge said.

"It will be big mistake if we don't respect his death and break this precedent of not adjourning the house in case of a death of a sitting member," he added. "At this moment, presenting the budget is not inevitable. Had today (Wednesday) been March 31, then the case would have been different."

"Postponing the budget by a day will not incur losses. The government has already advanced the budget and now they are not willing to accept a precedent. This is very wrong," he said. The Congress leader also said that it was "inhuman" on the part of the government to delay announcing the death of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP from Kerala.

"The government had information of Ahamed's death and could have taken a decision of postponing the budget immediately after the death. But they did not. All this was done just in order to present the budget," added Kharge.

Meanwhile President Pranab Mukherjee condoled the death of IUML MP from Kerala E. Ahamed and said he was a tireless "campaigner" for welfare of the "underprivileged".

"Heartfelt condolences over the sad demise of IUML President, former Minister and MP, E. Ahamed," Mukherjee tweeted addressing him as a long-time "friend and colleague". The President said Ahamed's "services to the nation will be long remembered". E. Ahamed, who on Tuesday collapsed in Parliament's Central Hall, suffered a cardiac arrest and died after undergoing treatment at the city-based Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The 78-year-old leader served as Minister of State for External Affairs in the UPA government and has been a Lok Sabha member from Malappuram in Kerala since 1991.

--IANS