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Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the government over the ongoing LPG crisis in Rajya Sabha, accusing it of failing to plan ahead. Union Minister J P Nadda hit back, alleging the Congress was trying to create panic and politicise the issue.

Kharge says LPG crisis due to govt's lack of planning, BJP accuses Congress of creating anarchy

Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the government over the ongoing LPG crisis in Rajya Sabha, accusing it of failing to plan ahead. Union Minister J P Nadda hit back, alleging the Congress was trying to create panic and politicise the issue.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday held the government responsible for the current LPG crisis by not taking preemptive measures, evoking a sharp counter from Union Minister J P Nadda, who accused the Congress of trying to create anarchy in the country and indulging in politics instead.
Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the House, Kharge accused the government of not doing advance planning and making alternative arrangements for LPG imports as the government "knew" that the West Asia crisis could impact critical maritime routes and energy supplies.
Rebutting him strongly, Nadda, who is also Leader of the House, accused opposition parties, especially Congress, of not standing with the people but of instigating them.
"The LPG crisis has caused widespread panic across the entire nation. Its impact is severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users," Kharge said.
India imports nearly 60 per cent of its total LPG requirements. Of this, 90 per cent of imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. From this perspective, Kharge said the current situation has become a matter of serious concern for both domestic availability and price stability.
He said the effects of the LPG crisis are being felt in nearly every part of the country, and people in households are distressed.
Kharge sought to highlight that small roadside eateries, restaurants, hostels &mdash; all are impacted. From community kitchens to Ram Rasoi, everything has shut down. Not just homes &mdash; MSMEs and other commercial users are facing severe difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders.
"It is concerning that many establishments have limited or completely halted their operations. Some are purchasing at exorbitant rates, over Rs 5,000 per cylinder," the senior Congress leader claimed.
Kharge further said that the Union Petroleum Minister had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there is no shortage of LPG and called for caution against rumours.
"But the ground reality proves the government's claims wrong," he added.
He said that when the government was issuing advisories to Indian citizens in Iran that the situation could worsen, it should have clearly stated that this could also impact critical maritime routes and energy supplies, and should have taken steps in advance.
"Government very well knew that a crisis was impending at the Strait of Hormuz. The situation would not have been that bad had advance planning and alternative arrangements for LPG imports done in advance," Kharge said.
He said the waiting period for cylinder bookings in the country has also been extended, now 25 days in cities and 45 days in villages/remote areas.
This has triggered panic booking and increased the likelihood of hoarding, he said.
The Congress leader questioned why the government did not take stringent measures if it knew that the LPG crisis in the country would escalate.
"Why didn't it take the people and opposition in confidence? This crisis exposes the government's dismal management and flawed foreign policy," he said, and demanded a discussion on the issue.
While Kharge was making his remarks, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan repeatedly asked him to conclude as only three minutes are allowed to a speaker during the Zero Hour. However, the Chair allowed him extra time.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had given a detailed response on the issue in the Lok Sabha, but Congress members did not hear him out.
The Minister said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was given the floor in the Lower House to speak on the issue, but he spoke on other things instead.
Nadda lamented that the Opposition, especially the Congress, is not hesitating to indulge in politics even during times of crisis.
He said the current West Asia conflict is not due to India and has no contribution.
The senior BJP leader said a Congress leader has also been caught hoarding LPG cylinders.
"They are resorting to hoarding of cylinders. They are instigating people. They are inciting the peaceful people of the country, and this is very unfortunate that even in such a situation, they are indulging in politics.
"Instead of standing with the country, they are trying to create anarchy...This is condemnable," Nadda added.

Around 10 protesters were detained after staging a brief demonstration inside an exhibition hall at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Youth Congress workers detained after shirtless protest at AI Impact Summit

Around 10 protesters were detained after staging a brief demonstration inside an exhibition hall at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A group of Indian Youth Congress workers on Friday staged a dramatic 'shirtless protest' at an AI Impact Summit exhibition hall, walking around holding T-shirts with slogans against the government and the India-US trade deal printed on them, before being whisked away by the security personnel.
A senior police officer said that around 10 people were detained when they were protesting at the AI Summit.
"They were removed immediately and were taken to Tilak Marg police station. No one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation," the officer said.
The BJP slammed the Congress for its youth wing workers' protest, alleging that a "ruckus" was created at the venue to sabotage India's global image at the behest of former party chief Rahul Gandhi.
The protesters marched inside Exhibition Hall No 5, wearing or holding white T-shirts with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump printed on them, along with slogans such as "India-US Trade Deal", "Epstein Files" and "PM is compromised", soon resulting in a commotion.
The ensuing melee witnessed heated exchanges between some of the attendees of the mega event and a few protesters.
Posting a video of the protest, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) said the question being asked is: Why exactly did young Congress workers need to raise their voices against the "compromised PM inside the AI Summit."
"In a country where the media, the system, and the prime minister himself have already been compromised, what platform remains to raise a voice against it? If we protest on the streets, we are stopped. Under the guise of IT Rules, social media posts against the government are taken down. The media has become the government's mouthpiece. So, what avenue remains open to us?" the Youth Congress asked.
"We are not against the AI Summit. We are against the compromises being made with India's interests. When the country's farmers are being bargained away, anti-India trade agreements are being signed, and the youth is kept unemployed while being dragged into politics of hate, should we stay silent?" it asked.
It said India belonged to its 140 crore citizens.
"If we know how to walk the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, we also know how to walk the path shown by Sardar Bhagat Singh. We will never allow the interests of the country's youths and farmers to be bargained away. Inquilab Zindabad," the IYC said in its post in Hindi.
A police officer said the incident took place around 12.30 pm.
"The protestors registered online to get QR codes to enter the summit venue. They wore sweaters and jackets above T-shirts with objectionable content printed on them. They removed the jackets near the lobby of Hall No 5 and held a protest there," the officer said.
He said the protesters were immediately detained. "We are taking appropriate legal action against them. Some of them are yet to be identified. Efforts are on to identify them," he said.
A Delhi Police personnel on duty said they have heightened security inside the halls after the "unfortunate episode".
The protest, which lasted a few minutes before the group was bundled out of the hall, caught the guests and other visitors by surprise, many of whom watched the unfolding scenes in disbelief, given the significance of the AI Summit that India is hosting.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the AI Impact Summit, which is being held from February 16-20 at Bharat Mandapam and is being attended by several heads of state, global AI leaders, academicians and researchers, heads of global tech giants and philanthropists.
After being whisked away from the hall, the protesters marched towards the lobby, stood against a massive backdrop mounted there and shouted slogans against the government.
A student from Ludhiana who visited the Impact Arena at the summit on Friday said that when general visitors register through the summit website, a QR code comes in their email, which carries the name and identity of their organisation or institution. This QR code is used to enter the Bharat Mandapam premises, he said.

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticised leaders joining the BJP, calling them politically “insignificant,” and asserted that the upcoming assembly elections will be a contest between the “real Congress” and the “old Congress.”

Gaurav Gogoi Criticizes Defection to BJP in Assam Politics

Assam Politics: Gogoi Slams BJP Defections

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticised leaders joining the BJP, calling them politically &ldquo;insignificant,&rdquo; and asserted that the upcoming assembly elections will be a contest between the &ldquo;real Congress&rdquo; and the &ldquo;old Congress.&rdquo;

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said those who joined the ruling BJP have become "insignificant" in their political journey.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Gogoi said former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who is likely to switch over to the BJP on February 22, will also meet the same fate.
"Those who joined the BJP have become insignificant. We can see the example of Sarbananda Sonowal and many more. The AGP party (Sonowal's previous party) is on the verge of extinction. I don't think I need to talk specifically about Bhupen Borah's joining the BJP," he said.
Gogoi said that the fight in the upcoming assembly elections will be between the "real Congress and old Congress".
"The BJP is full of old Congress leaders who were most corrupt during the 15-year rule of the Congress in the state," he added.
Speaking about Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma terming Borah as the "last Hindu leader" in the Congress, Gogoi alleged that the BJP leader is "Assam's Jinnah" and he should stop giving "Hindu certificates" to the politicians.
"The Congress is like an ocean; we are all just water drops in it. The Congress was there long before our fathers and forefathers existed. Bhupen Borah's leaving will not impact our party's prospects in the assembly polls," he stressed.

The Congress has criticised the India-US interim trade agreement, calling it a “steal” and an “abject failure” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political and economic diplomacy, claiming India conceded more than it gained.

'No deal but US steal': Congress's dig at govt over Indo-US trade agreement

The Congress has criticised the India-US interim trade agreement, calling it a &ldquo;steal&rdquo; and an &ldquo;abject failure&rdquo; of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s political and economic diplomacy, claiming India conceded more than it gained.

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US interim trade agreement, saying the deal is a steal by the "PM's good friend in Washington" and reflects an "abject failure" of our "political huglomacy" as well as economic diplomacy.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said no matter what spin the "PM and his lie-brigade" may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded.
"It is significant that a number of independent analysts and commentators -- who have not been Modi-unfriendly -- have criticised the India-US trade deal as a capitulation, an asymmetrical set of commitments, a sell-out, and a humiliating cave-in," Ramesh said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It is significant that a number of independent analysts and commentators - who have not been Modi-unfriendly - have criticised the India-US trade deal as a capitulation, an asymmetrical set of commitments, a sell-out, and a humiliating cave-in. Whatever the spin that the PM and&hellip;
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2021429307785334941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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"Whatever the spin that the PM and his lie-brigade may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded. This is inspite of Mr. Modi's aggressive wooing of President Trump, including campaigning for him in September 2019," the Congress leader said.
PM Modi also managed to be among the first to greet the re-elected President Trump in February 2025, he pointed out.
The prime minister's public demonstrations of his personal friendship with President Trump have not yielded the desired results, Ramesh said. President Trump too has given full expression to his friendship with Modi but while doing so has dealt India big blows, he claimed.
"This is an abject failure of our political huglomacy and economic diplomacy. The spin will, of course, continue. But facts are facts. The trade deal is a steal -- by the PM's good friend in Washington who has also claimed close to hundred times that he halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025," Ramesh said.
The Congress on Tuesday claimed the India-US trade deal is not a "calibrated opening", but a "coerced opening" and India has been "forced to concede" more than what it has got.
In a post on X, Ramesh had said, "It did not take long for President Trump and his team to puncture the tall claims being made by the PM and his many megaphones on the Indo-US trade deal."
Clearly, the US' understanding of the deal is very different from the propaganda that is being put out by the Modi government, he had said.
"This is not a calibrated opening but a coerced opening. India has been forced to concede more than what it has got. And now our much-touted advantage over Bangladesh in textile exports to the US has vanished with the details of the US-Bangladesh trade deal also having just been announced," Ramesh had said in his post on Tuesday evening.
Last week, India and the US announced in a joint statement the framework for an interim agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.
Under this, the US has agreed to reduce the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent. It has already eliminated the punitive 25 per cent tariff on India, which was imposed in August last year for purchasing Russian crude.
The Congress has alleged that the interim Indo-US trade pact is "not a deal but a surrender" of the country's self-esteem and interests, and is a betrayal of India and its people.

Assam Congress lodges police complaint against CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over video allegedly targeting Muslims, sparking political and communal controversy.

Assam Congress Files Complaint Against BJP Over Controversial CM Video

Assam BJP-Congress Clash Over Video

Assam Congress lodges police complaint against CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over video allegedly targeting Muslims, sparking political and communal controversy.

The Assam Congress on Tuesday filed a police complaint against the ruling BJP for circulating a controversial video of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on social media.
Party legislators Sibamoni Bora and Diganta Barman lodged the complaint at Dispur Police Station in Guwahati.
The Assam BJP had posted the video on its official social media handle on Saturday, which showed Sarma purportedly taking aim with a rifle and firing a shot at two people, one wearing a skull cap and the other with a beard, with "point-blank shot" as the caption.
The video was deleted after a massive political backlash.
Sarma had on Monday claimed ignorance of the video, even as state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi accused the CM of &ldquo;inciting genocide&rdquo; against Muslims through his videos, and urged the police to take suo motu cognisance.
The Congress, in its complaint, said the video depicted &ldquo;Sarma symbolically firing at Muslims at point blank range&rdquo;.
The opposition party claimed that the overlaid text in the video included phrases such as &ldquo;foreigner free Assam&rdquo; and &ldquo;there is no forgiveness to Bangladeshis&rdquo;.
It asserted that such phrases alluded to the &ldquo;state&rsquo;s Bengal-origin Muslims, often derogatorily labelled as &lsquo;Miyas&rsquo; or &lsquo;Bangladeshis&rsquo;&rdquo;.
&ldquo;The aforesaid content targeting a particular community is highly provocative and communal, which will definitely lead (to) social disharmony amongst the people,&rdquo; the Congress MLAs said in the complaint.
On Monday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad Police, seeking criminal action against the Assam CM over the now-deleted video.
Reacting to it, Sarma had said he was not aware of such a video and added, "If any case has been filed against me, arrest me. I don't have any objection. I will be prepared to go to jail. I will always stick to my words. I am opposed to Bangladeshi infiltrators and will always remain so.&rdquo;

Congress women MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging pressure from the ruling party led to false claims against them and urged impartiality to uphold parliamentary dignity.

'You are under sustained pressure from BJP': Congress' women MPs write to Om Birla

Congress women MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging pressure from the ruling party led to false claims against them and urged impartiality to uphold parliamentary dignity.

Congress' women MPs in the Lok Sabha wrote to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, claiming that under pressure from the ruling party to defend the "non-appearance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he made grave allegations against them. They urged the Speaker to act as an impartial custodian of the Lower House.
Their letter to the Speaker comes days after Birla stated in the House that he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
Speaking about the letter signed by her, along with other women MPs of the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "There is so much pressure on the Speaker which is not right. There is no question of anyone raising a hand on the PM or do anything like this. There are 11 women MPs, they are all serious MPs."
"He (Birla) should not have made the statement, he has been pressured to say it by the government and that is why he made the statement because Modi ji did not have the courage to come to the House that day so the Speaker is giving clarification on his behalf. This is wrong," she told reporters.
In their letter, the women MPs of the Congress in the Lok Sabha said that, clearly pressured by the ruling party to defend the "non-appearance of the Prime Minister", Birla issued a statement making grave allegations against the women MPs of the party.
"We are being targeted simply because we have consistently fought against Prime Minister Narender Modi's anti-people government and demanded accountability from him. His absence from the House was not due to any threat from us, it was an act of fear," said the letter signed by MPs like Priyanka Gandhi, Jyothimani, R Sudha, Varsha Gaikwad and Jyotsna Mahant.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Congress Women MPs write to the Lok Sabha speakers on the baseless allegations against them👇 &ldquo;Our protests have been unrelentingly peaceful, firm, and entirely within democratic norms. Most of us come from humble backgrounds and many are first generation politicians. Our&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/mZ76FRFKpX">pic.twitter.com/mZ76FRFKpX</a>
&mdash; Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) <a href="https://twitter.com/SupriyaShrinate/status/2020769437260161428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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"He (PM) did not have the courage to face the Opposition. We are Members of Parliament from the Indian National Congress, a party that stands for love, peace, constitutional values, and human dignity. We do not believe in violence and intimidation. We are brave women elected representatives who will not be silenced by intimidation," the Congress' women MPs said.
"We believe that transparency is the only way to restore the dignity of the Speaker's office and the credibility of this House," they added.
The women MPs further said they have the utmost respect for the Speaker's office and for his good self. "However, it is amply clear that you are under sustained pressure from the ruling party. We urge you once again to act as the impartial custodian of the Lok Sabha. We will stand with you and support you wholeheartedly in this endeavour," the women MPs said.
"Let history remember you as one who stood for what was right in the most trying circumstances and upheld constitutional propriety for the good of the nation. Let it not remember you as one who bowed to pressure from those who leave no stone unturned in subverting constitutional values and damaging the democratic fabric of our nation," they added.
In the letter, the women MPs said they are writing to Birla with deep anguish and a strong sense of constitutional responsibility. "It is extremely unfortunate that you, as the Hon'ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the constitutional custodian of this august house, have been forced by the ruling party to make: false, baseless, and defamatory allegations against women Members of Parliament belonging to the Opposition, particularly from the Congress," the MPs said.
"The Speaker's Chair is a constitutional office meant to protect the dignity of Parliament, ensure fairness, and safeguard the rights of all Members, irrespective of party affiliation," the MPs added.
During the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, established parliamentary convention mandates that both the ruling party and the opposition are allowed to speak, after which the prime minister replies, they said.
"Yet, for the past four consecutive days, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, has been deliberately denied this opportunity in the Lok Sabha. This is unprecedented and indefensible," they said.
On the other hand, eight members of Parliament from the INDIA bloc were suspended on the behest of the ruling party and a BJP MP was permitted to speak in a vulgar and obscene manner about former prime ministers, they said.
"...At 5 pm, violating conventional procedure, the prime minister was scheduled to speak in the Lok Sabha. All members of the INDIA alliance rose in protest and the prime minister failed to appear in the House," they said.
"The next day, clearly pressured by the ruling party to defend the non-appearance of the prime minister, you issued a statement making grave allegations against the women MPs of the Congress," the MPs said.
In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks on Thursday last without the prime minister's customary reply that was scheduled a day earlier in the face of relentless sloganeering by opposition members.
An anguished Lok Sabha Speaker last Thursday said he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

Opposition members staged a walkout in Rajya Sabha after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to speak on Rahul Gandhi being denied response during Motion of Thanks.

Opposition walks out from Rajya Sabha on Kharge being not allowed to speak

Opposition members staged a walkout in Rajya Sabha after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to speak on Rahul Gandhi being denied response during Motion of Thanks.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed an uproar and a walkout by the Opposition over the incidents of the Lok Sabha, where Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi could not finish his speech, and later Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed away amid allegations that women MPs could have attacked him.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised the issue as soon as the Question Hour started at 12 noon. Chairman CP Radhakrishnan allowed Kharge to speak, adding that he should not speak on anything that happened in the other House.
"I am only raising issues concerning the Constitution... Parliament consists of our House and Lok Sabha... and the Constitution recognises these two Houses... We have to run according to procedures and rules..." Kharge said and went ahead to mention the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House is "not being allowed to speak".
Radhakrishnan, however, did not allow him to raise the issue relating to the Lok Sabha and said "nothing that he says will go on record". The Chairman proceeded with the Question Hour.
However, Kharge and other Opposition leaders continued to stand in their seats, demanding to be allowed to speak. As the Chairman did not relent, Opposition MPs started raising slogans, accusing the ruling BJP of insulting women MPs. MPs of all the INDIA bloc parties were on their feet, except the TMC.
After raising slogans for a while, the Opposition MPs staged a walkout from the House, and the Question Hour continued.
Lok Sabha has been witnessing disruptions since February 3 after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the Chair from quoting from an article based on excerpts of former Army chief M M Naravane's 'unpublished memoir' in which he has referred to the India-China conflict of 2020. Eight Opposition MPs have also been suspended from the House.
On February 5, an anguished Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
Congress' women MPs in the Lok Sabha, meanwhile, wrote to Birla on Monday, claiming that under pressure from the ruling party to defend the "non-appearance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he made grave allegations against them.
Several Opposition parties have decided to move a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from office for disallowing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the House on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address.

Congress leaders claim opposition voices are being stifled in Lok Sabha, allege derogatory remarks by government MPs, and suggest united action, responding to reports of a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla.

Congress Raises Concerns Over Opposition's Lack of Voice in Lok Sabha

Congress Criticizes Lack of Opposition Voice

Congress leaders claim opposition voices are being stifled in Lok Sabha, allege derogatory remarks by government MPs, and suggest united action, responding to reports of a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla.

The Congress on Monday claimed that there "is no space for opposition" in the Lok Sabha and responded to reports that the opposition may move a motion of no confidence against Speaker Om Birla, saying "wait for action".
Congress MP K C Venugopal alleged that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders are not being allowed to air their views in the Lower House, while the government side can state whatever they want and even make "derogatory remarks" against the opposition members.
Asked about reports that the Opposition may move a motion of no confidence against Speaker Birla, Venugopal said, "You see what is happening in Parliament. You can see in this session, the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is not being allowed to speak anything in this House."
"The government side can speak anything. They can attack anybody, speak derogatory things, even against those who are not alive. The Speaker is making allegations against Congress women MPs. There is no space for opposition in this house at all," Venugopal told reporters in Parliament House complex.
"Whether it is the LoP or other opposition leaders, they are not being allowed to speak. This type of attitude toward the opposition has not been there at any time," he said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | Congress MP KC Venugopal says, "As per the Parliamentary rules, the Leader of Opposition is a shadow Prime Minister. But here, the LoP is not being allowed to speak in the House. The government can say anything and attack anyone... the Speaker is himself making&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/GoEY5mpWlR">https://t.co/GoEY5mpWlR</a> <a href="https://t.co/HzAMpInl4c">pic.twitter.com/HzAMpInl4c</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2020743860373311735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On whether the opposition will seek to move such a motion, Venugopal said "after action you will get to know", and added that the entire opposition is united. "Cannot comment on reports, wait for action," he said.
Venugopal's remarks come after a meeting of opposition floor leaders in Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament House complex this morning to decide on a joint strategy for the next few days.
In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks on Thursday last without the prime minister's customary reply that was scheduled a day earlier in the face of relentless sloganeering by opposition members.
An anguished Lok Sabha Speaker last Thursday said he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
As the Lower House reassembled after three adjournments on Thursday, Birla said if this incident had taken place, then this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in "shreds".
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had told reporters in Parliament House complex that day that it was an "absolute lie" that there was any plan to hurt Modi. She also alleged that Prime Minister Modi was "hiding behind" the Speaker.

PM Modi defended BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu against Rahul Gandhi’s “traitor” remark, accused Congress of hatred towards Sikhs, and lauded Sadanandan Master’s dignified display of artificial limbs.

PM Modi hits back at Rahul Gandhi over ‘traitor’ dig at Ravneet Bittu, calls it an insult to Sikhs

PM Modi defended BJP MP Ravneet Singh Bittu against Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s &ldquo;traitor&rdquo; remark, accused Congress of hatred towards Sikhs, and lauded Sadanandan Master&rsquo;s dignified display of artificial limbs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday came out in defence of BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, who was called "my traitor friend" by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and accused the Congress of having "hatred" for Sikhs.
Replying to a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister also defended nominated MP C Sadanandan Master, who had displayed his artificial limbs in the House during his maiden speech.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had sparked a controversy on Wednesday when he called Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor", prompting the BJP to accuse him of insulting the entire Sikh community and demand action from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
"A sharp brain of Congress called a member of this House a traitor. This is the peak of arrogance. So many factions have split from the Congress, so many people have left, he called the MP a traitor because he is Sikh... It was an insult of Sikhs, Gurus, and showed the hatred against Sikhs that the Congress has," Modi said.
"On the other hand is the scene of Sadanandan Master, due to political animosity his legs were cut in his youth. He has spent his life with that, but his values are so high, he never uses foul language. Yesterday during his maiden speech, when he displayed his artificial limbs, the scene was painful for the country," Modi added.
"INDI alliance is responsible for it. Due to ideological differences, a teacher, a youth, his legs were chopped, and they have no regrets," he said.
A dramatic episode unfolded in the Rajya Sabha on Monday when BJP-nominated member C Sadanandan Master displayed his artificial limbs on the table during his maiden speech. This triggered a sharp exchange with CPI(M) leaders and prompted a point of order.
The Kerala-based MP, a school teacher-turned-politician, made the striking gesture while recounting an attack he allegedly suffered three decades ago, which he attributed to CPI(M) workers.

PM Modi condemned Congress for Lok Sabha disruptions, saying they insulted the tribal woman President, Constitution, Dalits, Northeast, and Bhupen Hazarika.

PM accuses Opposition of insulting President, Constitution for not allowing debate in Lok Sabha

PM Modi condemned Congress for Lok Sabha disruptions, saying they insulted the tribal woman President, Constitution, Dalits, Northeast, and Bhupen Hazarika.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of insulting the tribal woman President of India, as well as the Constitution, by resorting to disruptions in the Lok Sabha and not allowing the debate on the Motion of Thanks on her address.
Terming the events in the Lok Sabha painful, he also accused the main Opposition party of insulting tribals, dalits, and people from the northeast.
Replying to a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of insulting the Constitution. He had to skip his reply to the debate in the Lok Sabha because of repeated uproar by the Opposition.
Talking about disruptions in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said, "Congress insulted the President, who comes from a humble tribal community. It's shameful... Yesterday in the Lok Sabha, a discussion could not be held on the President's address. They have insulted the entire tribal community, a woman and India's top constitutional post, the office of the President. They have also insulted the Constitution."
"Such people do not have the right to speak about the Constitution."
"The incident that took place in the Lok Sabha is very painful. We can understand your frustration, but it was done in the temple of democracy. At that time, there was an MP from Assam in the chair, and papers were thrown at him. Is it not an insult to the northeast? Not an insult to the people of Assam?"
He was referring to Dilip Saikia, a BJP MP from Darrang-Udalguri in Assam, and Krishna Prasad Tenneti, a TDP MP from Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh. Both are members of the Panel of Chairpersons in the Lok Sabha.
"They did it yesterday as well, at that time, a son of a Dalit family from Andhra Pradesh was sitting in the Chair. They are doing their job, but you are insulting him because he comes from a Dalit family?" he said.
He also accused the Congress of insulting the singer, composer, filmmaker, poet, and lyricist from Assam, Bhupen Hazarika.
"It was our fortune that we could give Bharat Ratna to him. They raised objections to that as well," he said.

PM Modi attacked the Nehru-Gandhi family, criticized Congress’s governance failures, and highlighted his government’s reforms in banking, PSUs, and policy implementation.

PM Modi targets Nehru-Gandhi legacy, slams them for considering people as 'problems'

PM Modi attacked the Nehru-Gandhi family, criticized Congress&rsquo;s governance failures, and highlighted his government&rsquo;s reforms in banking, PSUs, and policy implementation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family during an almost 100-minute-long speech, accusing them of viewing India&rsquo;s population as &ldquo;problems&rdquo;, and slammed the opposition party&rsquo;s approach towards governance.
He also accused the Gandhi family of &ldquo;stealing&rdquo; the surname of Mahatma Gandhi, alleging that stealing was their ancestral profession.
Replying to a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President&rsquo;s address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi also ridiculed the Congress party&rsquo;s work culture, and said it only indulges in imagining and did nothing towards implementation.
Citing a speech by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Iran, Modi said she had recalled Jawaharlal Nehru describing the country&rsquo;s 35 crore people as &ldquo;problems&rdquo;, and later herself equating the population of 57 crore as the same problem.
At that time, the population of our country was 35 crores, he said.
&ldquo;She went on to say, today the population of our country is 57 crores. That is why the number of problems I have is also the same. My father used to think that a 35 crore population was a problem, and now the problem of the country is 57 crore,&rdquo; Modi said.
He further questioned, &ldquo;How can someone consider the population of her own country to be a problem? This is the difference between their thinking and our thinking.&rdquo; The prime minister also ridiculed the Congress party&rsquo;s work culture, recalling Indira Gandhi&rsquo;s criticism of the Planning Commission over its refusal to provide mules for workers in Himachal Pradesh, while highlighting his own decision to abolish the body in 2014.
Taking a dig at the opposition party, he said, during the Nehru-Gandhi tenure it believed only in the &ldquo;jeep&rdquo; and &ldquo;mule&rdquo; culture, as he questioned the implementation of schemes. He cited that once Indira Gandhi had visited Himachal Pradesh, and the Planning Commission was not even ready to make a special scheme for hilly areas.
Quoting Indira Gandhi, Modi said, &ldquo;I had gone to Himachal Pradesh. When I came back, I said to the Planning Commission that our workers don&rsquo;t need jeeps; instead, they need mules to carry on their stuff.&rdquo; However, she was told by the Planning Commission that she will pay for the jeeps only as &ldquo;there is no policy to pay for the mules&rdquo;. The Planning Commission said it would be either a jeep or nothing.
This was the work culture &ldquo;in the long rule of Congress&rdquo;, and even Indira herself knew that this &ldquo;sin was going on, but she did not take any step to improve this work or culture.&rdquo; His father was the founder of the Planning Commission, which she was criticising.
&ldquo;Till 2014, everyone was sad, worried, looking at their mistakes, but, they were not ready to improve,&rdquo; he said, adding that after becoming Prime Minister in 2014, he abolished the Planning Commission with the Policy Commission.
Over implementation, the prime minister further said, Congress can only imagine. Referring to the Narmada Dam project, Modi said a dam project was visualised by the late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel before his birth. This dam project, whose foundation was laid by Jawaharlal Nehru, saw completion after he became prime minister.
He further said India has now put the Indus Water treaty under abeyence, which was signed by the Congress government.
Without taking the name of Rahul Gandhi, the prime minister said the Congress party never promoted the startup culture. &ldquo;Their condition is such that they are not even able to lift their own home-based startup.&rdquo; The prime minister also mentioned the banking sector reforms, and said the banks&rsquo; profits are on record high and their NPA is below one per cent. His government freed banks from the illness that had crept into the system and restored their financial health.
Taking a dig at the previous Congress governments, Modi said before 2014, there was a prevalent &ldquo;phone banking culture&rdquo; in which politicians would make calls to influence the disbursement of loans.
As a result, loans were often granted based on these calls rather than proper assessment, he said.
&ldquo;The poor were frequently denied access to credit, and nearly 50 per cent of the population did not even have bank accounts. On the recommendation of Congress politicians, millions were lent to individuals who never repaid the money,&rdquo; said Modi, adding that during the UPA era, this led the banking system to teeter on the brink of collapse.
Similarly PSUs are also having a record profit and some of them are now going global.
Modi further said the Congress government was &ldquo;remote-controlled&rdquo;, and his government is also controlled by remote. However, his remote is 1.4 billion citizens of the country.

PM Modi attacked Congress for personal attacks and disruptions, highlighted government reforms, startups, economic growth, and landmark international trade deals.

Congress will never be able to dig my grave: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

PM Modi attacked Congress for personal attacks and disruptions, highlighted government reforms, startups, economic growth, and landmark international trade deals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress saying the Opposition party is unable to digest its successive electoral defeats and his rise, and asserted that it will never be able to "dig his grave" as the blessings of crores of Indians are his "protective shield".
Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Modi regretted the disruption caused by the Opposition party in the Lok Sabha and said it was not just an insult to a poor tribal woman President of India but also the top Constitutional position she occupied, and the Constitution of India. They have no right to talk about the Constitution, he said.
Modi deplored Rahul Gandhi's "traitor" comment on Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, and termed it an insult to the entire Sikh community due to their deep-rooted hatred for Sikhs. Insulting people is part of the Congress culture, he said.
He accused the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC party of protecting "ghuspaithiyas" (infiltrators) in West Bengal, who were taking away jobs and rights of the youth and the lands of tribals. Such merciless government is pushing the future of people into darkness, he said, adding that how the youth of the country would forgive such people who are putting in efforts to fight the case of infiltrators.
The motion of thanks was adopted by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote in the absence of Opposition members, who staged a walkout minutes after the Prime Minister started speaking. They initially raised slogans while trying to disrupt the PM's speech.
In his nearly 100-minute speech, Modi singled out the Congress for a no-holds-barred attack saying it failed to give the country a vision towards development, and filled their own coffers while serving the interest of only the 'shahi family' (Congress's first family).
Accusing the Congress of adopting double-standards, the Prime Minister said those who talk of 'Mohabbat ki dukaan' are raising slogans like 'Modi teri kabr khudegi', which highlights their frustration of electoral defeats and their deep-seated hatred towards him. He said the Congress was making a death wish for him as "it had no other option left".
"Naare kitne hi laga lo, kabr tum nahi khod paoge. (Raise as many slogans as you want... you will not be able to dig my grave)," Modi asserted, saying the blessings of crores of people, mothers and sisters, is his armour.
He also said they abuse him daily because they are unable to digest how a poor man like him has occupied the top post and is also continuing. Modi said the Congress and other Opposition parties want to dig his grave because he removed Article 370, ended violence and terrorism in the Northeast and action against Naxalism and attacked Pakistan in their terrorists through Operation Sindoor, among several other big achievements.
Congress's first family considered the Prime Minister's post their ancestral right, "for me, politics is a medium of service and not self-gratification".
"Those who claim to run a 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan' are raising slogans saying, 'Modi, teri kabr khudegi'. What kind of 'Mohabbat ki dukaan' is this that dreams of digging the grave of a fellow citizen of the country?"
He said while his government has promoted over two lakh startups in the country, the Congress is unable to "give a lift to their family's startup", an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi.
Referring to the speech made by former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Modi said the Congress treated Indians as "problems" while his government treated them as strength and solution to challenges. He said Indira Gandhi once cited an instance where someone asked her about the challenges her father Nehru faced in India and she answered -- 35 crore population. "And when Indira Gandhi was asked about her problems she said 57 crore, the Indian population at that time," Modi said, asking what kind of a leader treats their own people as problems.
Listing out the achievements of his government in the last 11 years, he asserted that high growth and low inflation reflect the strength in the country's economy, which was set to emerge as the third largest in the world. Modi also spoke about the recent trade deals with the European Union and the US and said the world is feeling more confident about stability after these developments.
He said India is now riding on 'Reform Express' and will achieve the goal of a developed nation by 2047. "India will no longer miss the bus, it will lead from the front," he said while referring to the rapid strides made by the country. The second quarter of this century will be vital in building a Viksit Bharat, he said.
Modi countered the Opposition's criticism about his government's track record of implementing schemes and talking about 'Viksit Bharat'. He also cited examples of tardy implementation of various infrastructure projects and said, "the Congress only indulged in imagining and have nothing to do with implementation".
He also said India has become a strong voice of the global south. India reaching a trade agreement with the United States close on the heels of a landmark agreement with the European Union has installed greater confidence in the country in the eyes of the global community, the Prime Minister said, calling the agreements "future-ready".
"The deal (India-US) is a good omen for the world&hellip; Today when we speak of deals we speak with pride whereas in the past, deal meant Bofors," Modi added.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he advised PM Modi not to attend House after opposition MPs’ disruptive actions threatened democratic decorum.

Had concrete info that Cong MPs could carry out unexpected act, asked PM not to come to LS: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said he advised PM Modi not to attend House after opposition MPs&rsquo; disruptive actions threatened democratic decorum.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said he had concrete information that many Congress MPs could carry out an "unexpected act" by reaching the spot where Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits and therefore he asked him not to come to the House to deliver his address.
If this incident had taken place, then this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds, Birla said as the House reassembled at 3 PM.
Lashing out at opposition members, the Speaker said the conduct of some of them in his office on Wednesday was not appropriate and in fact was "like a black spot".
"With sadness I have to inform that some members displayed such behaviour in the House on Wednesday that had never been witnessed in its history," he said.
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed dramatic scenes as women opposition MPs charged towards the prime minister's seat holding banners ahead of his scheduled speech, leading to adjournment of proceedings for the day.
Modi was not present in the House, and BJP member P P Chaudhary was making his remarks on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address when the opposition members trooped into the Well of the House.
Birla said the dignity of the chair has been established in the Constitution.
"Never in history have political differences been dragged to the House. The conduct of the opposition members in the office of the Speaker was not appropriate and in fact it was like a black spot," he said.
"When the Leader of the House was to reply (to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address), I had concrete information that many members of the Congress party could carry out an unexpected act by reaching the spot where the prime minister sits," he said.
"If this incident had taken place, this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds. To avoid this, I requested the PM to not come to the House and as the Speaker it was my responsibility to uphold the dignity of the House," Birla said.
The Speaker thanked Modi for acceding to his request and avoiding unpleasant scenes in the Lok Sabha by not coming to the House on Wednesday.
Birla later adjourned the House for the day as opposition members raised slogans and protested.

Congress and other opposition parties protest in Lok Sabha as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is not allowed to speak on the Motion of Thanks, calling it a threat to parliamentary democracy.

Congress hits out at government over Rahul Gandhi not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha

Congress and other opposition parties protest in Lok Sabha as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is not allowed to speak on the Motion of Thanks, calling it a threat to parliamentary democracy.

Amid the logjam in the Lok Sabha, the Congress on Thursday hit out at the government and said all opposition parties are united that if Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak on the most important order of business, there is very little opportunity for the House to run.
The opposition party also recalled that on June 10, 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
"There is only one issue in Parliament that is agitating the opposition that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha has been prevented from speaking. When he began to speak raising fundamental issues of security, foreign and defence policy, the prime minister did not want to hear, the home minister did not want to hear, the defence minister did not want to hear," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Delhi | Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says," There is only one issue in Parliament that is agitating the opposition that the LoP in Lok Sabha has been prevented from speaking in Lok Sabha. LoP in the Rajya Sabha raised this issue. Oppisition MPs in the Rajya Sabha have also walked&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/rgQ1EjeHSP">pic.twitter.com/rgQ1EjeHSP</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2019315756614447401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are two interlinked pillars of Parliament. When one is undermined the other is weakened. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has been prevented from speaking for the past four days....All Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha walked out in protest of the denial of opportunity for the LoP Lok Sabha to speak," Ramesh told reporters in Parliament House complex.
The Congress leader further said that he would like to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP that on June 10, 2004, the then Prime Minister Singh did not reply to the Motion of Thanks because he was prevented from doing so. "The debate had taken place and here the debate has not taken place. Then, the following year, on March 10, 2005, he thanked the President twice, for 2004 and 2005. This is the BJP's track record," he said.
Today, the LoP has not been allowed to speak and all opposition parties are united that if the LoP is not allowed to speak in the most important order of business in which the Budget session commences &mdash; the motion of thanks to the President's address &mdash; there is very little opportunity for the House to run, Ramesh said.
Ramesh posted on X a video of Singh's speech on March 10, 2005, recalling that the then PM had referred to the fact that he was prevented from replying to the Motion of Thanks on June 10, 2004. On Wednesday night, Ramesh had said that to recall and remind on June 10, 2004, the then prime minister was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
"On March 10, 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh began his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address thus: 'Mr. Speaker, Sir, I deem it a great privilege to be standing here today to express the gratitude of our Government to the respected Rashtrapatiji for his address to members of both Houses of Parliament.'
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the video of Dr Manmohan Singh&rsquo;s speech on March 10 2005 - where he refers to the fact that he was prevented from replying to the Motion of Thanks on June 10, 2004 <a href="https://t.co/RyDSwhkMzG">https://t.co/RyDSwhkMzG</a> <a href="https://t.co/uJNfgne78Z">pic.twitter.com/uJNfgne78Z</a>
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2019259304168309102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"'Sir, this is a hard-earned privilege for me since I have had to wait out the entire year to perform this happy task. I would like to take this opportunity to doubly thank the President for her Address last year and her Address this year'," Ramesh recalled.
In the morning, floor leaders of several opposition parties met in Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber and it was decided that the issue of Gandhi "not being allowed to speak" on the President's address would be raised in the Rajya Sabha. Subsequently, Kharge raised the matter in the Upper House, even as the government asserted that the proceedings of the Lower House cannot be discussed in the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex, Congress MP and AICC General Secretary organisation K C Venugopal had demanded that Gandhi and other opposition members be allowed to speak on the motion of thanks to the President's address. "Parliament is for debate and discussion. In parliamentary democracy, LoP has a right to speak and initiate the debate which has been completely denied in this House," Venugopal said.
He said the "single point agenda" of the opposition is that the LoP has to be allowed to speak. "Our demand is very clear, let LoP speak. When LoP began his speech, they disrupted the speech and switched off the mic. They passed on the mic to treasury benches. Not a single member from the opposition spoke," he said.
Venugopal reiterated that the LoP and all other opposition party leaders be allowed to speak. "Our fight is to protect parliamentary democracy. LoP must be allowed to speak, other opposition leaders can speak and then the PM can speak," he said.
Meanwhile, the suspended opposition MPs continued their protest on the steps and near the Makar Dwar of Parliament, raising slogans against the government.
In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President's address without the customary speech by Prime Minister Modi, amid vociferous protests by the opposition.
The prime minister was not present in the House when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla put the amendments moved by the opposition to the Motion of Thanks to vote, which were rejected. The Speaker then read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to both Houses of Parliament on January 28, which was passed by a voice vote, amid sloganeering by the opposition members.
As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 PM. Congress members stormed the Well, carrying posters with PM Modi's picture and 'Narendra-Surrender' slogan written at the top.
Samajwadi Party members too were in the Well, carrying three banners and pamphlets raising the issue of demolitions at the Manikarnika ghat on the river Ganga in Varanasi. The SP banners carried pictures of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, who had developed the ghats nearly 300 years ago.
Trinamool Congress members were also in the Well joining the protest, while other members of the INDIA bloc, including the DMK and the Left, stood at their seats and in the aisle in solidarity.
The face-off between the government and the opposition in Lok Sabha had intensified on Tuesday following the suspension of one CPI(M) and seven Congress members for unruly behaviour for the remainder of the Budget session.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raises concerns over Indo-US trade deal announced during Parliament session, questioning tariffs, farmer security, and transparency.

Has India compromised under US pressure: Kharge on India-US trade deal

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge raises concerns over Indo-US trade deal announced during Parliament session, questioning tariffs, farmer security, and transparency.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday questioned the manner in which the Indo-US trade deal was announced at a time Parliament was in session, and asked whether India had compromised in any manner under US "pressure".
He also asked whether India has agreed to zero tariffs on American imports, as claimed by US President Donald Trump. In a post on X, he also asked whether the country's farmers were secure and whether India has opened the agriculture sector for the US agriculture market.
He said India and the United States enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership driven by shared values since several years now. "The Indo-US Nuclear Deal signed under former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh was a prime example of our commitment to mutual progress. The Congress-UPA government was transparent in its approach in regularly taking Parliament into confidence while inking the various agreements of the landmark deal.
"Contrast this with the present scenario, where the nation does not know any aspect of the trade deal, announced by President Trump," he said in his post.
Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet was on thanking him for reducing tariffs to 18 percent, but did not mention anything about the deal. "Parliament is in session, but the Modi government used an outside platform to talk about the deal, without divulging any details.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
India and the United States enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership driven by shared values since several years now. The Indo-US Nuclear Deal signed under Former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh was a prime example of our commitment to mutual progress. The Congress-UPA Govt&hellip;
&mdash; Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge/status/2018939384662573145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Three key questions, among others remain unanswered - Has India compromised in any manner under US pressure? Have we agreed to ZERO tariffs on American imports, as claimed by Mr. Trump? Would our farmers be secure? Have we, fully or partially opened up our agricultural sectors for the US Agri market?" he asked in his post.
"Would India stop buying oil from Russia? What has India conveyed to Russia in this regard?," he also asked. "Parliament and 140 crore people of India have the right to know," the Congress chief stressed.
India and the US have agreed on a framework for a trade deal under which Washington will bring down tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 50 per cent.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu clash outside Parliament, with Gandhi calling Bittu “traitor” and Bittu retorting “desh ke dushman.”

Rahul calls Ravneet Bittu 'traitor', Union minister retorts with 'desh ke dushman' jibe

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu clash outside Parliament, with Gandhi calling Bittu &ldquo;traitor&rdquo; and Bittu retorting &ldquo;desh ke dushman.&rdquo;

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday exchanged barbs with former party colleague and union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu in Parliament premises.
In videos released by the Congress, Gandhi was heard calling Bittu "a traitor" and the minister retorting with "desh ke dushman" (enemy of the nation) jibe.
The incident took place right outside Parliament's Makar Dwar, the main entrance which MPs take to enter the new Parliament building, where Gandhi was standing in solidarity with suspended Congress MPs, mostly from Punjab.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: As Union MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu passes by the protesting Congress MPs at Makar Dwar, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face..." LoP Rahul Gandhi offered to shake his hands, saying, "Hello brother, my traitor&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/5wMgjM8KAW">pic.twitter.com/5wMgjM8KAW</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2018932001563455695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
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As soon as he was about to speak, Bittu passed by, and remarked, "they (suspended Congress MPs are sitting here as if they have won a war".
Gandhi hit back, "The thing is, here is a traitor walking right by. Take a look at the face. How he looks."
Gandhi then extended his hand towards Bittu for a handshake, and said, "Hello brother, my traitor friend".
"Don't worry, you will come back (to the Congress)", Gandhi added addressing the Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing.
Bittu, however, declined to shake hands with Gandhi and, while pointing to him, said, "desh ke dushman."
The union minister was seen in the videos springing past the Makar Dwar stairs, repeating his "desh ke dushman" charge while pointing at the Congress leaders and suspended MPs, who continued to jeer at him. They were also heard saying, "surrender, surrender".
Bittu, the grandson of late Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, was a former MP of the Congress from Ludhiana and Anandpur Sahib before he switched sides to the BJP ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Eight Congress MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour, including tearing and throwing papers, following disruptions over Rahul Gandhi citing excerpts from former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir.

Eight members suspended from Lok Sabha for 'unruly behaviour'

Eight Congress MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour, including tearing and throwing papers, following disruptions over Rahul Gandhi citing excerpts from former Army chief M M Naravane&rsquo;s unpublished memoir.

In escalation of the tussle between the government and the opposition, seven Congress members and one CPI-M MP were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for 'unruly behaviour' after they tore papers and threw them at the Chair.
Their suspension from the House for the remaining part of the Budget Session that concludes on April 2 will intensify the face-off with the government over various issues, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi being denied an opportunity to cite an article based on excerpts from an unpublished 'memoir' of former Army chief M M Naravane on India-China conflict of 2020.
The opposition have also raised concerns about American President Donald Trump announcing the India-US trade deal and the alleged demolition drive at the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.
As soon as the House met at 3 pm following multiple adjournments, Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair, named the eight Congress members.
Subsequently, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju read out a resolution seeking suspension of the eight members for the remaining period of the Budget session.
The suspended members are Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole and Dean Kuriakose (all Congress) and S Ventakesan (CPI-M).
Moving the resolution seeking their suspension, Rijiju said the members acted in utter disregard to the House and the authority of the Chair.
They also tore papers and them on the Chair and were named by the Chair for their behaviour, the minister added.
The suspended had also tried to climb on to the table of the Secretary General, tore papers and threw them at the Chair.
The House passed the resolution by a voice vote, following which the proceedings were adjourned for the day amid uproar.
Congress members, led by Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament building against the suspension of party members.
Later, Opposition MPs said the suspended members will continue to protest outside the House.
Since Monday afternoon, the House has been witnessing uproar after Gandhi was disallowed to cite the article based on excerpts from Naravane's unpublished book on India-China conflict of 2020.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed Prime Minister Modi succumbed to US pressure in finalising the India-US trade deal, asserting it compromises Indian farmers’ interests and the nation’s hard work.

Rahul Gandhi alleges PM Modi 'sold out' farmers under US trade pressure

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed Prime Minister Modi succumbed to US pressure in finalising the India-US trade deal, asserting it compromises Indian farmers&rsquo; interests and the nation&rsquo;s hard work.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi buckled under US pressure to finalise a trade deal and &ldquo;sold off&rdquo; the hard work of Indian farmers through the agreement.
Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex after he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha as he insisted on quoting from an article that cited former Army chief M M Naravane's unpublished &ldquo;memoir&rdquo;, Gandhi also said that it is for the first time in history that the Leader of Opposition has not been allowed to speak on the president's address.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, &ldquo;PM Modi is Compromised. PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PM Modi is Compromised. PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. <a href="https://t.co/V1J6yxZDM2">pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2</a>
&mdash; Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/2018622253840429323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Hitting back at the Congress and Gandhi, BJP MP Anurag Thakur asked whether the Congress and others in the opposition are with India's interest.
He also slammed Gandhi over his allegation that Prime Minister Modi buckled under US pressure to finalise a trade deal.
Speaking to reporters, Gandhi said the issue is not Naravane's statement, &ldquo;that is a side show&rdquo;, but the main thing is that &ldquo;our prime minister has been compromised&rdquo;.
&ldquo;I want to say three things. They are not allowing me to speak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is rattled. And the trade deal that had been stuck for the last four months, for some reason which Prime Minister Modi and I know, was sealed last evening,&rdquo; he said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi says, "Modi ji is rattled. The (US-India) trade deal, which was stalled for the past few months, was signed by Narendra Modi last night. There is extreme pressure on him. Narendra Modi ji's image can get damaged. The main thing is&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/0z6fLFGV0p">pic.twitter.com/0z6fLFGV0p</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2018611019724279929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Gandhi also claimed that Modi is under "enormous pressure", and his &ldquo;image balloon&rdquo; that had been inflated with thousands of crores could burst.
&ldquo;The issue is not Naravane's statement, that is a side show, he (Modi) and I both know it. The main thing is that our prime minister has been compromised. Who has done it and how it has been done, the people of India have to think about it,&rdquo; Gandhi said.
The Leader of Opposition also said the farmers of India must understand that their hard work, as well as their blood and sweat, has been &ldquo;sold off&rdquo; by Prime Minister Modi through this deal.
&ldquo;He has sold it because he is compromised. He has not just sold you off, but the whole country. That is why they are not allowing me to speak," Gandhi said, claiming that the prime minister is &ldquo;scared&rdquo;.
Asked what kind of pressure he was referring to, Gandhi said there is a case against industrialist Gautam Adani in the US and a lot more is to come in the Epstein files matter.
&ldquo;There is a case on Adani in the US&hellip; That is not targeting Adani but Modi's financial structure. The Epstein files have more matter,&rdquo; Gandhi said.
The Epstein files refer to thousands of pages of documents related to two criminal investigations into sex trafficking by financier Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, including travel logs, recordings, and emails, which have been a topic of conversation since Epstein died in custody in 2019.
Gandhi also called the pressure of the Epstein files and the case against Adani the two &ldquo;pressure points&rdquo; for the government.
India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump said on Monday after a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister said he was delighted that "Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent".
"Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement," Modi said.

The Congress accused the Modi government of surrendering to US pressure over the India-US trade deal and demanded that details of both the US and EU agreements be placed before Parliament for discussion.

PM completely surrendered to appease Trump': Congress slams govt on trade deals

The Congress accused the Modi government of surrendering to US pressure over the India-US trade deal and demanded that details of both the US and EU agreements be placed before Parliament for discussion.

The Congress on Tuesday demanded that the Modi government should take Parliament into confidence on the details of both the EU and US trade deals, while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "completely surrendered" to appease US President Donald Trump at the cost of India's farmers.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh hit out at the government over the announcement of the India-US trade deal, saying "India stands diminished by this unfortunate sequence of events."&nbsp;
He said that from the information President Trump has provided, it is abundantly clear that Prime Minister Modi has "completely surrendered".
Ramesh said that almost exactly a year ago, Prime Minister Modi landed at the White House to greet President Trump on his re-election. "His trademark huglomacy was on full display. India-US relations never appeared brighter. Negotiations for a trade deal started immediately thereafter. But ever since President Trump made the first announcement of the halt to Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10, 2025 things began to go downhill," Ramesh said on X.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Almost exactly a year ago, Prime Minister Modi landed up at the White House to greet President Trump on his re-election. His trademark huglomacy was on full display. India-US relations never appeared brighter. Negotiations for a trade deal started immediately thereafter. But&hellip;
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/2018538773538038202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Subsequently, President Trump embraced Pakistan and Field Marshal Asim Munir enthusiastically, "exposing the hollowness of Mr. Modi's huglomacy", he said.
Ramesh pointed out that President Trump announced the trade deal very late last night Indian time. "From the information President Trump has provided, it is abundantly clear that Prime Minister Modi has - like he did on May 10, 2025 -- completely surrendered. He has most definitely appeased President Trump. India stands diminished by this unfortunate sequence of events," he claimed.
Pointing out that Parliament is in session, Ramesh said the text of both the EU and US trade deals must be laid on the table of both Houses and debated, "especially since the US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a statement claiming that India has liberalised agricultural imports from the US".
Members of several opposition parties also staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha while raising the issue of the Indo-US trade deal and demanding a discussion on it.
Several Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha, including Ramesh, Digvijaya Singh and Randeep Surjewal, AAP's Sanjay Singh, RJD's Manoj Jha, among others, protested in Parliament premises and alleged that the interests of farmers in India had been compromised by the government.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "We very strongly feel there is a need for clarity" as all there is so far is President Trump&rsquo;s tweets and press statements, with no details.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | On India-US trade agreement, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says," I want to know what it contains. The Opposition is only asking for clarity. We don't know what the deal contains. We have Mr Trump's tweet and Mr Modi's tweet; is that enough in a parliamentary&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/2XJMnnIUZu">pic.twitter.com/2XJMnnIUZu</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2018584610888937726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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"President Trump talks about India purchasing USD 500 billion worth of US goods, our entire import bill is USD 700 billion, how can we spend USD 500 billion on the US... he mentions we will purchase American agricultural goods, apparently the American secretary of agriculture is saying that Indian market will be open to American farmers, we need to understand the terms of all of this because there are very significant political implications for India's farmers," he said.
The government must take Parliament into confidence and clearly explain what has been agreed to, he added.
"Obviously a trade deal is good for India, we need the vast American market, 18 per cent is better than 50 per cent we all know that but we need to understand all the details before we can celebrate. At the moment we have a situation where the Congress is asking questions, the BJP is not providing any answers," Tharoor told reporters.
Senior Congress leader and former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma hoped that the trade deal reached is as sovereign equals and safeguards India's core interests in sensitive agriculture, dairy and pharma sectors.
"India and US share a strategic and important partnership. Hope the trade deal reached is as sovereign equals and safeguards India's core interests in sensitive agriculture, dairy and pharma sectors," he said.
"Also there is no dilution of policy that relationship with one partner is not at the cost of another strategic partner and the freedom to trade is respected. Government must take parliament and nation in confidence," he said on X.
In a post on X from its official handle, the Congress hit out at the government and said India has the right to know details of the trade deal.
"Just like the ceasefire, the announcement of the trade deal was also made by US President Trump. It has been stated that the trade deal is being done 'on Modi's request'," the party said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Just like the ceasefire, the announcement of the trade deal was also made by US President Trump. It has been stated that the trade deal is being done 'on Modi's request'. &bull; Trump says that India will move to reduce tariff and non tariff barriers against the United States to&hellip;
&mdash; Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/2018513580820435228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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There is talk of opening the agriculture sector for America in the statement as well, the Congress said and asked what exactly is the deal.
How has the security and interests of our farmers been ensured, the party further asked.
It has also been said that the Modi government will not buy oil from Russia, but will buy from America and Venezuela instead, the Congress pointed out and asked whether the Modi government agreed to this condition.
"The Modi government must take the Parliament and the entire country into confidence and share all the details," the party added.
Trump on Monday said India and the US agreed to a trade deal.
On his part, PM Modi said he was delighted that "made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent".
This came after India and the European Union, on January 27, sealed a landmark free trade agreement -- billed as the "mother of all deals" -- to create a market of two billion people.

The Congress accused the Modi government of heckling Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha to stop him from quoting from former Army chief Manoj Naravane’s unpublished memoir on the India-China conflict.

Govt heckling Gandhi, misusing rules to silence him: Congress on row over LoP quoting Naravane's 'memoir'

The Congress accused the Modi government of heckling Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha to stop him from quoting from former Army chief Manoj Naravane&rsquo;s unpublished memoir on the India-China conflict.

The Congress on Monday alleged that the Modi government "heckled" Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to stop him from speaking in the Lok Sabha on the India-China border conflict of 2020 from former Army chief Manoj Naravane's "memoir" as it was afraid that the "truth of its incompetence" would be exposed.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that the government had deployed senior-most Cabinet ministers and "misused" rules to "silence" Gandhi in the House.
"This faux nationalist government is so afraid of the truth of their incompetence coming out that they have deployed a bunch of seniormost Cabinet Ministers to prevent LOP Sh. Rahul Gandhi ji from speaking.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This faux nationalist government is so afraid of the truth of their incompetence coming out that they have deployed a bunch of seniormost Cabinet Ministers to prevent LOP Sh. <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> ji from speaking. They moved heaven and earth to stall the publishing of Ex Army Chief&hellip;
&mdash; K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/2018256487043510539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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"They moved heaven and earth to stall the publishing of Ex Army Chief Gen. Manoj Naravane ji&rsquo;s book - and now when excerpts are coming out which expose their so-called nationalist commitments, they are heckling and silencing the Leader of Opposition," the Congress leader said in a post on X.
He alleged that by "blatantly misinterpreting the rules of procedure, the Government is depriving the House and the people of India from knowing about their Himalayan blunders in the conflict against China".
"It is a textbook case of 21st-century fascism, where first you stifle dissent in public, and then misuse rules to further silence your opponents," Venugopal alleged.
A row erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday when Rahul Gandhi sought to quote from the unpublished "memoir" of Naravane but Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other BJP members, strongly opposed it and accused the Congress leader of "misleading" the House.
The House was adjourned twice due to the uproar over the issue.
As Gandhi rose to speak on the Motion of Thanks to the president's address, he said he would first like to respond to the charges made by the previous speaker, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, against the Congress on nationalism and began quoting from what he stated was the "memoir" of Naravane talking about the India-China conflict of 2020.
However, Singh strongly protested this and asked Gandhi to clarify whether the book had been published or not.

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