Opposition leaders staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised objections to Rahul Gandhi being denied a chance to speak in the Lok Sabha and was stopped from quoting former Army chief MM Naravane's unpublished memoir. The session descended into chaos with protests and sharp exchanges between Treasury and Opposition benches.
The Rajya Sabha descended into chaos on Thursday when Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, rising after papers were laid, objected to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, being denied a chance to speak on national interest issues. "Parliament means Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as per our Constitution. But the Lok Sabha LoP is not allowed to speak even when he wants to raise issues of national interest," Kharge said.
Leader of the House JP Nadda countered that proceedings of the Lok Sabha could not be discussed in the Upper House. "If you have so much interest, tell your party members to discuss the matter in Lok Sabha and allow Rajya Sabha to function smoothly," he responded.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that disrupting Rajya Sabha business violated House rules and that Lok Sabha matters could not be raised in the Council of States. "All members are waiting to listen to the Prime Minister. If Congress members don’t want to listen, that’s their choice. But they cannot stop others," he added, noting that Rahul Gandhi had not followed procedures.
Kharge replied that he did not intend to disturb proceedings but highlighted that the Lok Sabha had been stalled for four days. "Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha together constitute Parliament. You cannot paralyse one pillar to hide your mistakes," he accused the government. Nadda affirmed that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ready to discuss every issue in detail.
Tensions escalated as Kharge accused the government of being rattled by Gandhi's criticisms and used the word "lynch," prompting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to demand its expungement. She referenced incidents under Congress rule in Rajasthan and Kerala. DMK MP Tiruchi Siva cited Rule 238 to argue that any matter could be raised, while CPI(M) MP John Brittas emphasized respecting the Leader of Opposition institution.
Chairman Radhakrishnan reiterated that each House operates independently, a long-standing convention. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi called the opposition "abodh" or ignorant, stressing no substantial evidence could be presented on the floor regarding sensitive communications. The confrontation peaked when Kharge was disallowed from quoting MM Naravane’s book, leading to the Opposition's walkout. In closing, Nadda accused Congress of undermining democracy and spoiling the country's growth under Modi.
