New Delhi – Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the Lok Sabha today, February 4, 2026, amidst an anticipated uproar following the suspension of eight opposition Members of Parliament. The suspensions, which occurred on Tuesday, have ignited a firestorm of controversy and threaten to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
The eight suspended MPs include seven from the Congress party – Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Prasant Padole, Kiren Kumar Reddy, and Manickam Tagore – and one from the CPI(M), S Venkatesan. Their suspension came after they allegedly engaged in "unruly behavior," which included shouting slogans and throwing papers towards the Chair. The catalyst for the uproar was the Speaker's refusal to allow Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to quote from an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane regarding India-China relations.
The opposition has vehemently protested the suspensions, characterizing them as an attack on democracy and an attempt to stifle dissent. Rahul Gandhi himself has asserted that he was prevented from speaking on matters of national security. Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee stated that stifling the voice of the Leader of the Opposition would destroy democracy. DMK MP Kanimozhi questioned the point of parliamentary debates if the opposition is not allowed to speak freely. Congress members, led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged protests outside Parliament against the suspensions and the India-US trade agreement.
The government, however, maintains that the suspensions were necessary to maintain order and decorum in the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the resolution for the suspension, citing the MPs' "misconduct" and "utter disregard to the House and authority of the chair". Union Minister Giriraj Singh condemned the opposition's "indiscipline," asserting that Parliament cannot function amidst chaos.
The events leading up to the suspensions involved a series of adjournments and heated exchanges. Rahul Gandhi's attempt to raise the issue of India-China relations, referencing General Naravane's unpublished memoir, was met with strong objections from the ruling BJP. Speaker Om Birla ruled that Gandhi could not cite the book and should instead speak on the motion of thanks. Despite this, Gandhi persisted, leading to further disruptions and the eventual suspension of the eight MPs.
Prime Minister Modi's address is scheduled for 5 PM today, during which he is expected to respond to the motion of thanks on the President's address. It remains to be seen how he will address the issue of the suspended MPs and the broader concerns raised by the opposition. Government sources have indicated that the Prime Minister's reply will proceed as planned. The Budget Session is scheduled to conclude on April 2nd, with a recess from February 13th to March 9th.