The House was first adjourned till 2 pm due to sloganeering soon after it convened. When proceedings resumed, disruptions continued, prompting another adjournment till 5 pm. Even after the evening session began, Opposition members persisted with protests, leading the Chair to adjourn the Lok Sabha for the day. Prime Minister Modi, who was slated to address the House at 5 pm, exited amid the uproar.
The turmoil comes a day after eight Opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Budget Session for allegedly throwing papers towards the Speaker’s chair during protests. Those suspended include Congress MPs Gurjeet Aujla, Hibi Eden, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Kiran Kumar Reddy, Dean Kuriakose, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, and CPI(M) MP S. Venkatesan.
At the centre of the confrontation is Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to raise questions on the 2020 military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. For the second consecutive day, Gandhi sought to quote from an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, excerpts of which were recently published in The Caravan. The Chair stopped his speech, citing violations of parliamentary rules, triggering protests by Opposition MPs who moved into the Well of the House.
On Tuesday, Gandhi accused the government of silencing him and alleged that Prime Minister Modi was “compromised” under external pressure. The remarks drew sharp reactions from the Treasury benches and intensified the standoff.
Amid the chaos, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described the recently signed India–US tariff agreement as “historic,” asserting that it safeguards India’s agriculture and food sectors and would aid overall economic growth. He said the reduction of US tariffs on Indian goods to 18% was lower than those imposed on several competing nations and would benefit exporters, MSMEs and farmers.
Opposition MPs, however, disrupted Goyal’s statement with slogans, alleging that the deal amounted to a “surrender” of national interests. Congress and other Opposition parties have demanded a full parliamentary debate, questioning the timing of the announcement while Parliament was in session and seeking clarity on claims made by US President Donald Trump regarding zero tariffs on American imports.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mounted a broad attack on the Centre, accusing it of undermining parliamentary democracy and social justice. Referring to the prolonged ethnic violence in Manipur, Kharge said the state had effectively turned into a “militarised zone,” alleging governance failure and lack of political accountability. He also criticised labour reforms, warned against diluting MNREGA, and flagged rising economic inequality.
Other members echoed concerns over democratic norms. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan urged lawmakers to uphold parliamentary decorum, saying “Gen Z is watching.” Separately, MPs raised issues ranging from deepfake threats and AI misuse to the sale of enemy properties and spelling errors in official exercises.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the government’s position, stating that all members, including the Leader of the Opposition, must adhere to rules and that the government was ready for discussion within established procedures. BJP leaders also dismissed allegations that the trade deal would hurt farmers, insisting that safeguards were in place.
With tempers running high and key legislative business pending, including several bills under committee review, the Budget Session faces an uncertain path ahead. Whether the government and Opposition can break the deadlock when the Lok Sabha reconvenes on Thursday remains to be seen.
