BJP to move privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for ‘misleading the House’, says Kiren Rijiju

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party will move a privilege notice in the Lok Sabha against Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for allegedly misleading the House and making baseless statements during the debate on the Union Budget 2026–27. Rijiju said Gandhi had levelled serious allegations against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi without following due procedure.

Addressing reporters, Rijiju stated that there are clear rules governing the conduct of business in Parliament, especially when a member makes serious charges against another. He said such allegations require prior notice and substantiation. The minister added that Gandhi had accused the Prime Minister of “selling India and Indian interests” and made allegations against Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri without giving advance notice.

Rijiju objected to Gandhi leaving the House immediately after delivering his speech, saying members are expected to remain present to hear the reply. He claimed the Leader of the Opposition did not make a substantive contribution to the Budget discussion and instead made what he termed “wild allegations”. The BJP, he said, would counter the remarks both inside and outside Parliament.

He further asserted that Gandhi’s statements would be examined under parliamentary rules and that any unparliamentary words or unsubstantiated claims should be removed from the record. Rijiju said he had reminded Gandhi that “no one can sell this country, no one can buy it”, rejecting the allegations made during the debate.

In his Budget speech, Rahul Gandhi had spoken about the India–US interim trade deal and accused the government of “surrendering” the future of the country’s people. The matter is now expected to be taken up formally through a privilege notice before the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.