Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the government, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from Lok Sabha proceedings. She asked whether the government was avoiding issues being raised by the Opposition. Her remarks came amid growing tension in Parliament and repeated disruptions in both Houses.
Reacting to Union Minister JP Nadda’s statement in the Rajya Sabha, where he described Rahul Gandhi as “naive,” Priyanka Gandhi said such language was unacceptable. She insisted that the Leader of the Opposition should be allowed to speak freely in Parliament. Questioning the government’s intent, she asked whether it feared Rahul Gandhi quoting from a book, raising questions linked to the Epstein files, or questioning the India–US deal that could harm farmers.
Priyanka Gandhi, who represents Wayanad, referred to reports linked to the Epstein files that mentioned Prime Minister Modi and his official visit to Israel. The government has strongly rejected these reports, calling them baseless and contemptible. Her comments added to the already charged political atmosphere as Parliament resumed amid protests.
Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha saw heated exchanges after Prime Minister Modi’s scheduled address in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday was cancelled. JP Nadda accused the Opposition of deliberately blocking Parliament from functioning. He rejected claims that democracy was under threat and said democratic norms must be followed. He also accused the Opposition of holding the House hostage and used strong words against Rahul Gandhi.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, strongly countered Nadda’s remarks. He accused the government of suppressing debate and stopping Opposition leaders from speaking in the Lok Sabha. Kharge stressed that Parliament includes both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and questioned why issues of national importance could not be openly discussed. As tensions rose further, Congress members staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha.
The standoff in the Rajya Sabha unfolded alongside continued protests in the Lok Sabha. The Congress has claimed that Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to complete his speech during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. On Monday, he was interrupted while trying to quote from former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which he said raised serious national security concerns.
