New Delhi, March 12, 2026 — Chaos erupted in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi directly accused Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri of being “compromised,” linking the minister’s past professional contacts with disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein to alleged Indian concessions on energy security and a US waiver for Russian oil imports. The sharp jibe triggered loud “Epstein” chants from Opposition benches, forcing Speaker Om Birla to intervene and leading to a brief adjournment of the House.
The incident occurred during a discussion on India’s energy security amid the escalating Middle East crisis, particularly disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz that have threatened crude oil supplies. Rahul Gandhi, speaking on the floor, criticised the government for allowing the United States to influence India’s oil purchase decisions.
“The foundation of every single nation is its energy security. Allowing the United States to decide who we buy oil from, who we buy gas from, and whether we can buy oil from Russia or not. Our relationship with different oil suppliers can be decided by us. This is what has been bartered,” Gandhi said. He then pointedly remarked: “I have figured the puzzle out, and the puzzle is about compromise. We have a gentleman sitting here who is the oil minister.” Gandhi explicitly tied the alleged “compromise” to Puri’s name surfacing in US Department of Justice files related to Epstein.
The moment Gandhi referenced the Epstein connection, pandemonium broke out. Opposition MPs erupted in chants invoking “Epstein,” creating uproar in the House. Speaker Om Birla, who had survived a no-confidence motion the previous day, interrupted Gandhi, directing him to stick to the notice given for the debate. Gandhi’s speech was curtailed, and the Lok Sabha was adjourned shortly afterward.
# Background: The Epstein Files Row
The confrontation is the latest escalation in a political storm that began earlier this year after the release of nearly three million emails and documents from the US Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein — the convicted sex offender who died in 2019. Puri’s name appears in references covering the period from May 2009 (when he served as India’s Ambassador to the UN in New York) until 2017, before he joined the Union Cabinet.
Gandhi has repeatedly claimed these files also name industrialist Anil Ambani and have created a “chokehold” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, forcing disadvantageous trade and tariff agreements that compromise India’s interests in farming, data, energy security, and defence. Earlier, outside Parliament, Gandhi told reporters he possessed “verified information” from the Department of Justice files and questioned why no action had been taken.
# Puri’s Firm Rebuttal
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, describing his interactions with Epstein as strictly professional, minimal, and occurring well before he became a minister. In a detailed press conference and statements to the media, Puri clarified:
“I want to remind you that today, during the Parliament session, my name was mentioned in the context of some developments elsewhere — the Epstein files. I just want to share some information… These facts are all public.” He added that the emails reference “only three or four meetings, and my interactions were entirely professional.”
Puri explained the context: After serving as UN Ambassador, he joined the International Peace Institute (IPI) as Secretary General of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), a project under IPI. His boss, Terje Rod-Larsen, knew Epstein, and the meetings occurred as part of official IPI/ICM delegations focused on UN multilateralism and related issues. “It is as part of a delegation of the IPI or the ICM that I met Mr Epstein on a few occasions, three or maximum four,” Puri stated. He emphasised there were no private meetings, no personal interest in Epstein’s activities, and that Epstein once described him as “two-faced” — indicating Puri was not aligned with Epstein’s circle.
Puri expressed unease about the encounters: “I had no interest in Epstein’s activities. For them, I was not the ‘right person’… I didn’t seek meetings — they were set up for me.” He stressed the files concern criminal offences, paedophilia, and Epstein’s island activities — none of which involved him. “My interaction had nothing to do with that,” he asserted.
On the broader allegations of compromise affecting India-US trade deals or the oil waiver, Puri dismissed them outright. He argued the interim trade framework benefits India, given its external sector dependence, and accused Gandhi of not reading the documents. “Mr Rahul Gandhi is a young, not-so-young politician who doesn’t read himself, who needs better advisors. And if he had read it, he would perhaps have taken measures not to make an absolute ass of himself,” Puri said bluntly.
# Puri’s Sharp Attack on Gandhi
Puri has repeatedly slammed Gandhi’s approach as immature “politics by innuendo” and “buffoonery.” In one response, he said: “So, this is not about Epstein. This story is about the lack of maturity and the fact that the Leader of the Opposition — who believes in politics by innuendo and follows a ‘spit and fly’ approach — hasn’t grown up.” He contrasted serious nation-building politics with what he called “entertainment value through streaks of buffoonery.”
Puri also defended India’s energy position amid the Hormuz crisis: “The world has not faced a moment like this in modern energy history. India’s crude supply position is secure, and the volume secured exceeds what the Hormuz would have delivered… Thanks to the Prime Minister’s outstanding diplomatic outreach.”
# Opposition Demands and BJP Counter
Opposition parties, including Congress, have intensified calls for Puri’s resignation, holding protests in Parliament with placards questioning “Who’s grip, who’s choke.” They argue the disclosures raise serious questions about the minister’s suitability.
BJP leaders, including MP Nishikant Dubey, hit back at Gandhi during the uproar, accusing him of desperate tactics and diverting attention from real issues. The government maintains that Puri’s pre-Cabinet professional contacts have no bearing on current policy and that India’s energy and trade decisions are sovereign and beneficial.
The row has reignited debates over the Epstein files’ relevance to Indian politics, with the government dismissing Opposition claims as baseless smear campaigns. As the Budget Session continues, the “Epstein chants” and “compromised” jibe are likely to fuel further acrimony between the ruling NDA and the INDIA bloc.
This incident underscores the deepening polarisation in Parliament, where personal allegations increasingly intersect with debates on national security and economic policy.
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