Eight Opposition MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for ‘Unruly Behaviour’

In a dramatic escalation of the tussle between the government and opposition, seven Congress MPs and one CPI-M MP were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for the remainder of the Budget Session, which concludes on April 2, after they tore papers and threw them at the Chair .

The suspended MPs Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole, Dean Kuriakose (all Congress) and S Ventakesan (CPI-M) acted in protest after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was denied permission to cite excerpts from the unpublished memoir of former Army chief Gen (retd) M M Naravane concerning the 2020 India-China conflict. The opposition also raised issues including the India-US trade deal announced by Donald Trump and the alleged demolition at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.

The incident occurred soon after the House met at 3 pm following multiple adjournments. Dilip Saikia , presiding over the House, named the eight MPs for their conduct , and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a resolution citing “utter disregard to the House and the authority of the Chair.” The resolution was passed by voice vote, after which proceedings were adjourned amid uproar.

The suspended MPs had reportedly tried to climb onto the table of the Secretary General, raised slogans, and continued disrupting proceedings, actions deemed “objectionable” by the Chair.

Opposition MPs condemned the suspension, calling it an attack on parliamentary democracy . Manickam Tagore said, “This is an attack on the democracy of India, and we all know that Prime Minister Modi does not want the Leader of the Opposition to speak.” Hibi Eden added, “Eight of our members were suspended, but we will continue our fight inside and outside Parliament.” Amarinder Singh Warring said the situation was forced upon them because their voice was suppressed.

The opposition is protesting both inside and outside the House . MPs not suspended vowed to continue raising issues during parliamentary proceedings, while suspended MPs staged demonstrations and addressed the media outside Parliament, accusing the government of deliberately silencing dissent.

The uproar in the Lok Sabha began Monday afternoon after Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to quote from Naravane’s unpublished memoir. The current suspension reflects a continuation of long-standing tensions in Parliament, where opposition MPs have often protested restrictions on speaking rights and disruptions during debates on sensitive issues.