Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM Modi of Being 'Compromised', Claims Unprecedented Parliamentary Silencing
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made explosive allegations in Parliament on Wednesday, claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "compromised" and asserting he was deliberately prevented from speaking during the crucial motion of thanks debate. This marked what Gandhi described as the first instance where a Leader of Opposition was thwarted from addressing the Lok Sabha, raising serious questions about parliamentary democracy.
Allegations of Systematic Silencing
In brief but pointed remarks, Rahul Gandhi revealed, "Last time during the February 2-3 session, I raised the issue of the Prime Minister being compromised, former Army chief MM Naravane's revelations, the Epstein scandal connections, and the Adani matter. I was systematically silenced. These are fundamental issues affecting every Indian citizen, and our Prime Minister has been compromised. The consequences of this compromise are known to everyone."
The Congress leader emphasized this wasn't an isolated incident, stating he has been prevented from speaking on multiple occasions in Parliament. His intervention came as BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized him in the Lok Sabha, prompting Gandhi to counter allegations that "vile" remarks were being made about him by ruling party members.
Opposition's Broader Parliamentary Concerns
Congress MP KC Venugopal joined the criticism, targeting both Speaker Om Birla and Prime Minister Modi's absence during key parliamentary proceedings. Venugopal highlighted the government's failure to have the Prime Minister present in the House to respond to the motion of thanks for the President's address on February 4.
"The Prime Minister deliberately avoided coming to Lok Sabha, and the government utilized the Speaker to create an escape route," Venugopal alleged, referencing Birla's statement that he asked Modi to stay away because Congress women MPs were blocking his seat and "some unfortunate incident" might occur. Venugopal characterized this as "the most irresponsible statement by Speaker Birla."
Historical Precedents and Current Contrasts
Drawing historical parallels, Venugopal questioned why Prime Minister Modi wasn't defending Speaker Birla when former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi had actively participated in debates concerning removal notices against speakers during their administrations. This contrast between past and present parliamentary conduct formed a central part of the opposition's critique.
Venugopal also recalled Prime Minister Modi's controversial "clouds" remark during Balakot operations planning and referenced former Army chief Naravane's unpublished book claims about the Prime Minister's response to Chinese incursions. These references were presented as evidence of concerning patterns in national security decision-making.
Specific Issues Blocked from Discussion
The opposition leaders detailed several critical matters they claimed were prevented from parliamentary debate. Venugopal specifically questioned whether the United States granting India 30-day permission to purchase Russian oil constituted a "surrender of sovereignty" that deserved examination. He further raised the issue of a cabinet minister's alleged appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files, asking why this wasn't open for parliamentary discussion.
Venugopal additionally alleged technical interference in parliamentary proceedings, claiming Rahul Gandhi's microphone was frequently switched off during interventions. He contrasted this with previous parliamentary sessions where Leaders of Opposition were permitted to intervene freely without such restrictions.
The opposition has submitted a formal notice seeking removal of Speaker Om Birla, citing these incidents as evidence of deteriorating parliamentary norms and democratic values. These developments occurred against the backdrop of a contentious Budget session that has seen repeated confrontations between treasury and opposition benches over procedural matters and substantive policy debates.
