Eight Congress MPs Suspended from Lok Sabha Amid Budget Session Protests
Opposition disruption over trade deal and national security debate leads to suspension for rest of session
Eight Congress Members of Parliament were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the ongoing Budget Session on Tuesday after repeated disruptions and sloganeering in the House.
The suspended MPs are Gurjeet Aujla, Hibi Eden, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Kiran Kumar Reddy, Dean Kuriakose, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, and S. Venkatesan. The action followed allegations that the members raised slogans and threw torn papers into the Well of the House during proceedings.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the motion for suspension, which was passed through a voice vote. Following the decision, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The disruptions stemmed from mounting tensions between the Opposition and the government over the India–US trade deal and restrictions placed on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the House.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that he was repeatedly prevented from speaking because the government was uncomfortable with questions being raised. Speaking inside and outside Parliament, he claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was under pressure and had been “compromised,” which, according to him, led to the sudden signing of the trade deal after months of delay.
“The trade deal was stalled for four months. Nothing changed, yet it was signed suddenly. There is tremendous pressure on the Prime Minister,” Gandhi told reporters. He further alleged that farmers and workers would suffer due to the agreement and accused the government of silencing dissent in Parliament.
The current standoff has its roots in Monday’s proceedings, when Rahul Gandhi attempted to respond to allegations made by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. Gandhi sought to quote from former Army chief General Manoj Naravane’s unpublished memoir regarding the 2020 India–China border standoff. Senior ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Kiren Rijiju, objected, citing parliamentary rules that prohibit references to unpublished material. Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 349(i) and directed Gandhi not to read from the book.
The Congress accused the government of deliberately blocking debate on matters of national security, claiming it feared exposure of its failures during the border crisis. Gandhi questioned why he was being stopped from speaking on issues related to India’s foreign policy and security, particularly in the context of global tensions involving China and the United States.
On Tuesday morning, Opposition MPs resumed protests, raising slogans against the Prime Minister over the trade deal. Several members, including Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, submitted adjournment motions demanding a detailed discussion on the agreement. However, continued sloganeering led to repeated adjournments and ultimately the suspension of eight MPs.
The developments have further deepened the confrontation between the government and the Opposition during the Budget Session, with key debates remaining stalled amid procedural clashes and political accusations.
