LS disrupted as Rahul pushes to cite article on ex-Army chief’s memoir; 8 MPs suspended

The presiding officer at the time, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, objected to Gandhi reopening a matter on which the House had already given a ruling the previous day.

As disagreements intensified, Congress MPs protested inside the House, with several climbing onto desks, tearing papers and throwing documents towards the Chair. The scenes prompted condemnation from the presiding officer and forced multiple adjournments.

Dispute Over ‘Authentication’ of Article

Defending his attempt to cite the article, Gandhi told the House that he had verified its contents.

“I have authenticated it,” Gandhi said, arguing that the article related to issues of national security.

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Under parliamentary procedure, a member is required to authenticate a document by submitting a signed copy affirming its accuracy to the best of their knowledge.

Tenneti asked Gandhi to formally table the document, saying, “We will examine it and get back.”

As Gandhi continued to press the issue, the House was adjourned until 3 pm.

‘Permission’ Row Adds Fuel to Fire

The confrontation deepened when Gandhi objected to references to “permission” from the Chair.

“I am objecting to the word permission. I’m not given permission by anyone; I am the Leader of the Opposition,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded sharply, stating, “Everyone speaks with permission, whoever he is. Nobody speaks without permission from the Speaker.”

The Chair reiterated that Gandhi must restrict his remarks to the President’s address and avoid revisiting settled rulings.

Chair Condemns Language and Conduct

As tempers flared, Tenneti later said the situation worsened after objectionable language was used.

“One of the members addressed me as ‘yaar’ and I objected to that,” he said.

He described the subsequent conduct as unacceptable.

“After this, they came on the table, tore papers and threw them at the Chair, which is very, very objectionable,” Tenneti said.

Explaining the gravity, he added, “Coming on the table means coming closer to the Chair, which is highly objectionable.”

Without speculating on intent, Tenneti concluded, “These MPs have crossed all the limits.”

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The disorder resulted in the suspension of eight MPs and stalled legislative business for a significant period.

Rahul Gandhi Speaks Outside Parliament

After the adjournment, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of deliberately preventing him from speaking.

“For the first time in history, the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak on the President’s address,” he claimed.

PM Modi is Compromised.

PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 3, 2026

He linked the controversy to the India-US trade deal concluded the previous night, alleging pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and warning of consequences for farmers.

“Indian farmers must understand that Prime Minister Modi has sold out their hard work through this trade deal,” Gandhi said.

Rijiju Defends Chair’s Decision

Defending the Chair, Kiren Rijiju said Gandhi had attempted to quote from an unpublished memoir of a former Army chief, which is not allowed under parliamentary rules.

“We have only told the Congress leaders that Rahul Gandhi ji can continue his speech, but he cannot stubbornly try to force statements that are not permitted under the rules,” Rijiju said.