Eight Opposition MPs Suspended from Lok Sabha Over Rahul Gandhi Ladakh Row

Eight opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for the remainder of the Budget Session after repeated disruptions and alleged rule violations during a heated standoff over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the 2020 eastern Ladakh face-off with China.

The suspension followed multiple adjournments of the House amid uproar over Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on making a specific reference to Chinese actions during the Kailash Range standoff in eastern Ladakh and the government’s response to it. The government objected to the remarks, stating that the Leader of the Opposition could not cite an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General M M Naravane or a magazine article based on it.

When the Lok Sabha resumed proceedings at 3 pm, Rahul Gandhi clarified that he would not quote any magazine article but would comment on the Chinese actions during the Ladakh standoff. The Chair, however, directed him to resume his speech on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address strictly in line with an earlier ruling.

As Rahul Gandhi persisted with his intended remarks, the Chair called upon other members to speak on the motion of thanks. This triggered sloganeering by Congress and other opposition MPs, which escalated when a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member began his speech. Amid the disorder, some members were seen throwing papers towards the Chair, forcing another adjournment.

After the House reconvened, BJP MP Dilip Saikia, who was presiding, named eight opposition members for their conduct. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju subsequently moved a motion seeking their suspension for the remainder of the Budget Session for “violating rules and throwing papers on the chair.” The motion was adopted by voice vote amid continued protests from the opposition benches.

Suspended MPs

The MPs suspended include Congress members Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Dean Kuriakose, along with CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan.

The Lok Sabha had witnessed similar disruptions a day earlier as well, with repeated adjournments over the same issue concerning Rahul Gandhi’s attempts to make references linked to the memoir controversy.