Stormy scenes in the Lok Sabha saw eight Congress MPs suspended after opposition protests exploded over Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to quote from former Army chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished book on the 2020 India-China stand-off in Ladakh.
The Speaker denied permission, protests escalated, and reports said some MPs hurled torn papers towards Speaker Om Birla, forcing an early adjournment of the House.
Outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of trying to “silence” him while speaking on the India-China border issue and claimed the government blocked discussion despite procedural compliance. Gandhi said he had authenticated the material before submitting it. Two MPs from the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress later declined to speak, signalling solidarity with the Leader of the Opposition.
Rahul Gandhi Parliament row over book excerpts and House rules
The confrontation followed a build-up from the previous day, when Rahul Gandhi first tried to read passages from General MM Naravane’s yet-to-be-published book. On Monday, Speaker Om Birla had refused permission, saying the attempt breached Parliamentary rules. Senior ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, backed the decision, triggering loud protests and repeated adjournments.
Experts claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s move violated rules because MPs must secure prior approval before placing unpublished text on the record. When proceedings resumed the next morning, Rahul Gandhi said he had formally authenticated the information, asserting it was accurate to the best of knowledge, yet was still prevented from reading the Ladakh-related excerpts in the Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi Parliament row, suspensions and opposition anger
The clash inside the House soon turned into a disciplinary issue as eight Congress MPs, including Hibi Eden, Amarinder Raja Warring and Manickam Tagor, were suspended for the rest of the session. Congress leaders said members had torn documents in protest but argued this did not justify suspension. Anger within the party grew as leaders framed the punishment as excessive and politically driven.
Amarinder Raja Warring told media, “Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak… even though he had authenticated the document and submitted it to the House. We protested against this and tore up the papers. Is this a crime demanding suspension?” Congress maintained the action showed the government’s reluctance to confront questions on the India-China border and the Ladakh stand-off.
Rahul Gandhi Parliament row draws sharp BJP counterattack
BJP MP Anurag Thakur strongly criticised Rahul Gandhi’s conduct and accused Congress of disrespecting institutions after papers were flung towards the Chair. Thakur said Gandhi had “insulted democracy and Parliament”. He alleged the opposition had no response after the Union Budget presentation and therefore resorted to disruption and theatrics instead of debate on policy issues inside the Lok Sabha.
Anurag Thakur said, “He had just one intention… to insult Indian soldiers. That is the only agenda the Congress is left with. After a fantastic budget was presented (on Sunday) the opposition was left with nothing else to say. And so, pieces of paper were torn and thrown at the Chair,” Thakur said.
Continuing his criticism, Anurag Thakur added, “What can be a bigger misfortune than this? An individual who doesn’t know that permission needs to be obtained from the Speaker or Chairman to speak… look at the arrogance. This is the arrogance of one party and one family. This is the intoxication of power…” The BJP also announced it would submit a formal complaint, demanding strict action against the suspended MPs.
Inside the House, Rahul Gandhi attempted to press his point, insisting he had followed procedure regarding the material on China. Rahul Gandhi shouted, “I have authenticated the article on China… now why is the government scared of this book?” As Speaker Om Birla moved to other speakers, Rahul Gandhi responded by declaring, “You can’t stop the Leader of the Opposition from speaking.”
Even as the India-China argument dominated, Rahul Gandhi also shifted focus to economic policy, targeting the India-US trade deal announced after a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump. Rahul Gandhi questioned how a complex agreement, stalled for several months, could be finalised in one night and alleged that Indian farmers would bear hidden costs.
Rahul Gandhi said, “Modiji is rattled… India-US trade deal stalled for the past few months… was signed last night (but) there is extreme pressure on him… our PM is compromised. Oublic needs to think about this. Modiji sold your hard work… sold the country. He is scared because those who shaped his image are breaking it…” A furious Congress demanded the full text of the trade understanding.