NEW DELHI: During the Budget Session, the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address began in the Lok Sabha on Monday, but the direction of the debate soon changed, leading to uproar as the ruling and opposition parties clashed. The disruption began when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, while referring to an unpublished book by former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh objected, saying that if the book had been published, Rahul Gandhi should produce it. Amid the uproar, Rahul Gandhi instead cited an article published in a magazine, leading to multiple adjournments on Monday.
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi again sought to speak, this time referring to Chinese actions and the government’s response during the Kailash Range standoff, instead of Naravane’s book. However, when he insisted on delivering his prepared speech, the Speaker called upon other members to speak on the motion of thanks. Congress and opposition members began shouting slogans, which intensified after a TDP MP started speaking.
Amid the chaos, some members were seen throwing papers, forcing the House to be adjourned till 3 pm on Tuesday. When proceedings resumed, BJP member Dilip Saikia, who was in the Speaker’s chair, named eight opposition members.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju then moved a motion to suspend the eight members for the remainder of the Budget Session. The suspended MPs include Congress members Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadavrao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Dean Kuriakose, along with CPI(M) member S. Venkatesan.
On Wednesday, February 4, chaos and protests erupted both inside and outside the House, including at the Makar Dwar, the main entrance to Parliament. While opposition MPs shouted slogans inside the House, the suspended MPs staged protests outside. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi arrived carrying a book by General Naravane and said he would present it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, the situation inside the House remained tense.
On the same day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, while speaking in the Lok Sabha, made allegations citing several books, prompting a strong counter-attack by opposition parties. Opposition MPs accused Dubey of using abusive language and created further ruckus. The House was originally scheduled to speak at 5 pm but could not attend.
BJP MPs later claimed that women MPs had surrounded the Prime Minister’s chair. The motion of thanks to the President’s address was passed without a reply from the Prime Minister. This marked the first time in nearly 21 years that a Prime Minister could not respond to the motion of thanks.
The following day, Thursday, February 5, Speaker Om Birla’s statement in the Lok Sabha drew strong objections from Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders. The Speaker said he had advised Prime Minister Modi not to enter the House as an untoward incident could have occurred.
On the repeated adjournments, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that if the Leader of the Opposition is not allowed to speak, they will not allow the Prime Minister to speak either. Rahul Gandhi, talking at a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, remarked, “Do whatever you deem appropriate.”
