BJP moves notice seeking termination of Rahul Gandhi's membership in Lok Sabha

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a formal notice seeking the termination of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's membership. Dubey’s move is based on allegations that the Leader of the Opposition has repeatedly "misled the House" and made "wild, unsubstantiated claims" that tarnish India's global reputation. The BJP leader argued that Gandhi has failed to provide any factual evidence or prior notice before leveling serious charges against the Prime Minister and other senior cabinet ministers during the ongoing Budget Session.

This latest move follows a highly controversial speech by Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, February 11, where he launched a scathing attack on the India-US interim trade deal and the Union Budget 2026-27. Gandhi accused the government of "selling Bharat Mata" and compromising India's energy and food security under foreign pressure. His remarks, which included references to the "Epstein files" and allegations against Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, triggered massive protests from the treasury benches, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju labeling them as "outright lies."

The tension had been building for days after Gandhi was repeatedly blocked by the Chair from quoting excerpts from former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir regarding the 2020 India-China conflict. While Gandhi argued that the public has a right to know about the "indecisiveness" at the border, the government maintained that quoting unpublished material violates parliamentary rules. The stalemate led to the suspension of eight Opposition MPs last week and has since paralyzed several sessions of the House.