New Delhi, February 16, 2026 — Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has stated that, according to parliamentary rules, a strong case exists for action against Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, potentially leading to the cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership. This comes amid heightened tensions in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session, triggered by Rahul Gandhi's remarks and actions in the House.
In an interview with CNN-News18, Rijiju remarked: “Rule book-wise a case is made out to take away Rahul Gandhi's membership, but we will see when Parliament meets again.” He accused Gandhi of deliberately disrupting proceedings, claiming the Congress leader is “not interested in running the House” but rather in “making issues.” Rijiju further alleged that Gandhi has been influenced by certain NGOs suggesting better days ahead for his party, leading to stalling tactics, and predicted that Congress's Lok Sabha tally would decline further in future elections.
The controversy stems from incidents in the first part of the Budget Session. Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote excerpts from an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane during a debate, which the Chair disallowed on grounds that references to unpublished materials or external documents violate parliamentary norms. This led to uproar, with opposition MPs, including several from Congress, protesting vigorously—resulting in the suspension of eight opposition members for the remainder of the session's first half over alleged unruly behavior, such as disrupting proceedings and throwing papers.
The government initially planned to move a privilege motion against Gandhi for allegedly misleading the House, making baseless allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and using unparliamentary language. However, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a substantive motion—a more direct private member's initiative—seeking the immediate termination of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership. Dubey argued that Gandhi's actions aimed to destabilize the country and attack institutions, potentially in coordination with “anti-India” forces, and also called for barring him from contesting elections for life.
Following Dubey's move, the government decided to drop its own proposed motion temporarily. Rijiju explained that once Dubey's substantive motion is admitted by the Speaker, a decision will be taken in consultation with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on whether to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee the Ethics Committee, or bring it directly for discussion and vote in the House.
Rijiju emphasized that the government would follow due process and consult the Speaker on the way forward, indicating institutional support for examining the plea while allowing the private member's initiative to proceed.
The episode has intensified the ongoing standoff between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc. Opposition leaders have criticized the government's approach as an attempt to suppress debate, while the treasury benches have accused the opposition of breaching decorum and parliamentary rules.
The second part of the Budget Session is set to resume, with potential discussions on related matters, including a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla moved by opposition parties alleging partisan conduct.
This development underscores the sharp political divisions in the 18th Lok Sabha, where procedural battles and privilege issues continue to dominate proceedings. Further action on the substantive motion will depend on the Speaker's admission and subsequent consultations.
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