Congress Protest Forces Lok Sabha Adjournment, PM Modi's Reply Postponed
The Lok Sabha witnessed unprecedented disruptions on Wednesday evening, leading to an abrupt adjournment just minutes before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to reply to the debate on the President's Address. The dramatic turn of events unfolded as Congress MPs, joined by other Opposition members, stormed the well of the House holding a large banner featuring the Prime Minister's photograph and a provocative slogan.
Escalating Tensions and Political Standoff
The Congress move, which significantly deepened the ongoing standoff with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in Parliament, came hours after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family during proceedings. Dubey's remarks sparked immediate uproar and led to multiple adjournments earlier in the day, setting the stage for the evening's confrontation.
When the House reconvened at 5 PM following an afternoon adjournment, Deputy Speaker Sandhya Ray, who was presiding over the session, called upon BJP MP P P Chaudhary to speak. However, Congress legislators, supported by other Opposition members, immediately rushed into the well of the House, shouting slogans and creating chaotic scenes.
Banner Display and Treasury Bench Confrontation
Almost simultaneously, a group of Congress MPs led by Varsha Gaikwad unfurled a substantial banner bearing Prime Minister Modi's image along with the slogan "Jo uchit samjho wo karo" (Do what you deem appropriate). This phrase was widely interpreted as a reference to a purported line from an unpublished book by former Army chief General M M Naravane, which Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had cited just days earlier.
Holding the banner aloft, the Congress parliamentarians began marching purposefully toward the treasury benches, managing to cross four rows before being intercepted by senior BJP leaders including Ashwini Vaishnaw and Arjun Ram Meghwal. As BJP leaders engaged with the advancing Congress MPs in a tense standoff, Nishikant Dubey exited the chamber entirely.
Final Adjournment and Political Accusations
Amid the escalating commotion and rising voices, Deputy Speaker Ray announced that the House stood adjourned until 11 AM on Thursday, effectively postponing Prime Minister Modi's scheduled reply. Vaishnaw could be heard instructing BJP MPs to vacate the chamber while Opposition members continued their vocal protests.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had warned outside Parliament that "If the Leader of Opposition is not allowed to speak, we will not let them speak either." Following the final adjournment, she directly accused the government of deliberately using Dubey to provoke the Opposition benches.
"Nishikant ji is brought forward only when the government wants to create disruption," Vadra asserted. "The government is not letting a member quote from a book, but he brings six books to the House and quotes from them. This government wants to show that only their way will work in Parliament. It is the first time that the government itself doesn't want the House to function."
Earlier Protests and Parliamentary Disruptions
Before the evening's dramatic events, Congress leaders had met Speaker Om Birla around 4 PM to formally object to Dubey's remarks about the Gandhi family. Sources indicated they protested the manner and content of his statements during parliamentary proceedings.
In the morning session, Congress MPs had already staged a demonstration at the Makar Dwar in Parliament complex, protesting both the suspension of eight Opposition MPs and Rahul Gandhi not being permitted to speak. Gandhi himself participated in this protest, highlighting the ongoing tensions.
Inside the Lok Sabha, proceedings faced repeated disruptions from the very beginning of the day, with Opposition members raising diverse issues including:
- The Indo-US trade deal negotiations
- The suspension of Opposition MPs
- Alleged damage to the Ahilyabai Holkar temple in Varanasi during renovation
Speaker Birla had initially adjourned the House until noon after his repeated appeals to allow Question Hour to proceed were ignored by protesting members. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal later attempted to make a statement regarding the Indo-US trade deal, but this only triggered further loud protests and another adjournment until 2 PM.
The day's events represent one of the most significant parliamentary confrontations in recent memory, highlighting the deepening political divisions as the Budget session continues. With both sides trading serious accusations and parliamentary decorum breaking down repeatedly, the functioning of India's highest legislative body remains under severe strain.
