The Lok Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Tuesday, leading to the suspension of eight Opposition members and multiple adjournments, after a heated row over former Army chief MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Soon after proceedings resumed at 3 pm following a brief adjournment, the House suspended eight Opposition MPs for “creating ruckus.” Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a resolution against members who allegedly threw papers in protest after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote a media article citing Naravane’s memoir.
Eight Opposition MPs Suspended
The suspended MPs include Congress leaders Manickam Tagore, Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Aujla, Prashant Padole, S Venkat Raman, Kiran Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose. Following the suspensions, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, with proceedings scheduled to resume on Wednesday at 11 am. Earlier in the day, chaos erupted shortly after the House convened at 11 am, forcing an adjournment within minutes.
Gandhi Pushes National Security Debate
Proceedings resumed briefly at noon and again at 2 pm, but disruptions continued as Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand to speak on national security issues, citing Naravane’s unpublished memoir related to the 2020 India–China border standoff. Gandhi said he had authenticated the magazine article he sought to quote. BJP members strongly objected, arguing that unpublished material cannot be cited under House rules.
Government Rejects Unpublished References
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also opposed the reference, stating that only formally published documents are admissible in parliamentary debates. The Opposition’s protests extended beyond the memoir issue, with members raising slogans and staging demonstrations over the alleged demolition drive at Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat and the India–US trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump.
Speaker Flags ‘Planned’ Disruptions
In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs staged a walkout over the trade agreement. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticised the disruptions, calling them a “planned attempt” to derail proceedings and urging members to uphold the dignity of Parliament. On Monday as well, the House was adjourned multiple times after Rahul Gandhi insisted on discussing the border standoff with China, triggering sharp exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches. BJP leaders accused Gandhi of misleading the House and undermining the armed forces, while the Congress alleged the government was avoiding scrutiny on national security issues.