Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark about Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s age, suggesting the 83-year-old Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha raise slogans while seated, led to a tumultuous session in Parliament. The sharp comment triggered immediate backlash from opposition members already engaged in slogans in the Upper House. The situation escalated into a storm of protests, transforming the Rajya Sabha into a venue of slogans and disruptions.
The chaos unfolded as PM Modi stood to respond to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, with Congress and INDIA bloc members launching coordinated slogans demanding unrestricted speech for Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. The uproar was not just procedural but a carryover from the previous day’s tensions when Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha was repeatedly interrupted over references to an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane regarding the 2020 India-China border standoff.
The Opposition’s walkout followed accusations against the government of stifling discussions on national security and showing disrespect to eminent leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. On the other hand, the ruling party maintained that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks violated House rules and posed a risk to institutional morale. Despite the commotion, PM Modi continued his address to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, emphasizing the government’s accomplishments and responses to the President’s speech amid the charged atmosphere.
Earlier, Leader of the Upper House JP Nadda’s characterization of the Opposition’s behavior as immature had already heightened tensions, setting the stage for the ensuing confrontations.
