The Lok Sabha witnessed a fresh political storm on Wednesday after the BJP served a notice seeking the termination of Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s Parliament membership. In a strategic shift, the ruling party clarified it will not move a privilege motion against him, opting instead for a substantive demand for disqualification.
The Notice vs. The Privilege Motion
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey confirmed that he has submitted a substantive motion demanding the cancellation of Gandhi’s membership and a lifetime ban on contesting elections. “There is no privilege motion. I have submitted a substantive motion wherein I have mentioned how he allegedly engages with the Soros Foundation, Ford Foundation, USAID, and travels to places like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the US, and how he is linked with anti-India forces,” Dubey told reporters .
The clarification regarding the absence of a privilege motion is significant, as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier in the day stated that the BJP would file a privilege notice against Gandhi for “misleading the House and making baseless statements” . This discrepancy suggests a dual-track parliamentary strategy: while the government seeks to censure Gandhi through privilege proceedings, a separate and more severe demand for disqualification has now been formally tabled.
The Speech that Triggered the Action
The action follows Gandhi’s aggressive address in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Union Budget, where he launched a blistering attack on the India-US interim trade agreement. Accusing the government of “selling Bharat Mata,” Gandhi alleged that the deal compromises India’s energy security, farmers’ interests, and digital sovereignty .
Using a martial arts analogy, Gandhi claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi was acting under a “chokehold” from the United States. “You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, Bharat Mata,” he charged . He further alleged that references to Union Minister Hardeep Puri and industrialists Anil Ambani and Gautam Adani in US Department of Justice files—including the Epstein documents—have placed the Prime Minister under “direct pressure” .
The Congress leader asserted that the deal effectively surrenders Indian data, removes data localisation requirements, limits digital taxes, and offers 20-year tax holidays to American tech giants. “For the first time in Indian history, our farmers are facing a storm. You have opened the door to mechanised American farms,” he said .
Government’s Counter
Rijiju countered vehemently, stating that Gandhi’s speech was “full of lies and allegations” made without notice or evidence. “When a member intends to make serious charges against another member, then you have to give notice and also substantiate the allegation,” he said . Rijiju confirmed that unparliamentary words used by Gandhi will be expunged.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad asserted that under PM Modi’s leadership, “India will not bow down before anyone,” while party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Gandhi of “spreading venomous lies” and displaying “lethargic” behaviour unbecoming of parliamentary conduct .
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