Eight opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, after facing accusations of "unruly behavior". The suspensions followed two days of disruptions in the House, which stemmed from a debate over an unpublished memoir written by former Army Chief General MM Naravane.
The suspended MPs include Manickam Tagore, Kiran Reddy, Prashant Padole, Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Aujla, S Venkat Raman, and Dean Kuriakose. All are members of the Congress party, with the exception of S. Venkatesan, who is from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The controversy began when Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, attempted to reference excerpts from General Naravane's unpublished memoir during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address. The memoir, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', reportedly contains details about sensitive military operations and government policies, including accounts of the 2020 India-China border standoff. An extract from the memoir appeared in The Caravan magazine, suggesting the political leadership was indecisive during the conflict.
Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, disallowed Gandhi from quoting the unpublished book, citing parliamentary rules. Birla stated that any material quoted in the House must be authenticated or formally presented. Senior ministers, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah, also objected to Gandhi's use of the unpublished material, emphasizing the need for credible, published sources. Kiren Rijiju, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, cited rules 349 and 353, asserting that Gandhi was not adhering to the Chair's rulings.
Following the disallowance, opposition members protested, with some allegedly throwing papers in the House. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a resolution against the MPs, leading to the suspension of the eight members for the remainder of the Budget Session. The Lok Sabha was subsequently adjourned until Wednesday at 11 am.
In response to the suspensions, Rahul Gandhi led a protest outside the Parliament building, denouncing the action against the MPs. Gandhi argued that he was being prevented from speaking on issues of national security and questioned why the government was "scared" of the contents of the memoir. Hibi Eden, one of the suspended MPs, stated that the opposition would continue their protest both inside and outside the House.
The controversy surrounding General Naravane's memoir has been ongoing. After an extract appeared in December 2023, its publication was delayed because it had not received clearance from the army. As of October 2025, the book was still under review by the army. The memoir has drawn scrutiny for potentially breaching norms on disclosures by retired officers.