The ongoing Budget Session of Parliament witnessed high drama on Tuesday as eight Opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha. The move comes amid a deepening standoff between the government and the Opposition over discussions regarding the 2020 India-China border conflict.
The Suspension and Uproar
As the House reconvened at 3:00 PM following a series of adjournments, presiding officer Dilip Saika named eight members of the Congress party for “gross misconduct.” The members were accused of tearing official documents and throwing them toward the Chair during a period of intense sloganeering.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a formal resolution to suspend the members for the remainder of the Budget Session, which is slated to end on April 2, 2026. The resolution was passed via a voice vote, leading to an immediate adjournment for the day as the Opposition erupted in protest.
The Trigger: Gen Naravane’s ‘Memoir’
The confrontation began when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi sought to cite a controversial news article. The report was allegedly based on excerpts from an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, specifically concerning the 2020 India-China conflict.
The Chair disallowed the reference, citing parliamentary rules against quoting unpublished or unverified documents. This refusal triggered a massive wave of protests from the Opposition benches, eventually leading to the physical disruption that prompted the suspensions.
Protest at the Gandhi Statue
Following the suspension, Rahul Gandhi led a protest outside the Parliament building. The Opposition has accused the government of “muzzling their voice” and refusing to allow a transparent debate on matters of national security. Meanwhile, treasury benches maintain that the Opposition’s behavior was a “pre-planned attempt” to denigrate the dignity of the House.