Eight Congress MPs Suspended
Within minutes of the Lok Sabha resuming in the afternoon, Chair Dilip Saikia named eight Congress MPs for allegedly disrupting proceedings by raising slogans and throwing torn paper in the Well of the House. The members suspended include Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurdeep Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Prashant Padole, Kiran Kumar Reddy, S. Venkataraman, and Manickam Tagore.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a motion seeking their suspension for the remainder of the session. The motion was passed through a voice vote, following which the House was adjourned until Wednesday morning.
Row Over Rahul Gandhi’s Remarks
The disruption followed a major controversy triggered on Monday when Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from an unpublished memoir attributed to former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane during a discussion on the India-China border situation. BJP members objected strongly, accusing him of misleading Parliament and undermining the armed forces.
On Tuesday, Mr. Gandhi maintained that he had authenticated the contents of a magazine article referring to the memoir. However, repeated objections from the Chair prevented him from continuing, leading to fresh protests by Opposition MPs and multiple adjournments.
Congress Targets India-U.S. Trade Deal
The Opposition also intensified its attack on the government over the recently announced India-U.S. trade deal. Congress leaders demanded that the full text of the agreement be tabled in Parliament and debated, citing its potential impact on farmers and domestic markets.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister was under immense pressure and accused the government of compromising national interests. He claimed the agreement would adversely affect Indian farmers and questioned the circumstances under which the deal was finalized.
Government Responds in Rajya Sabha
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda criticized the Opposition’s approach, calling it disruptive and unconstructive. He assured members that the government would present detailed information on the trade agreement at an appropriate time and emphasized the need for orderly debate.
The Upper House functioned with relatively fewer disruptions, continuing discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. Proceedings were extended until 8 p.m. to allow more members to speak.
Session Marked by Repeated Adjournments
The Lok Sabha was adjourned multiple times throughout the day, including during Question Hour and Zero Hour, as Opposition members continued their protest. Efforts to resolve the standoff included meetings between the Lok Sabha Speaker, senior Congress leaders, and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, but no immediate consensus was reached.
The developments underscore the deepening political confrontation during the Budget Session, with legislative business repeatedly stalled amid accusations and counter-accusations from both sides.
