Opposition Uproar in Lok Sabha as Rahul Gandhi Presses Ladakh Standoff Issue

New Delhi, Feb 2026 : For the second consecutive day, proceedings in the Lok Sabha were disrupted on Tuesday as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi repeatedly raised the issue of the India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh, drawing strong objections from the Chair over the use of what it described as “unauthentic sources.”

The House witnessed heated exchanges and sustained protests from opposition members, who accused the Centre of misleading Parliament on the ground situation along the Line of Actual Control. The confrontation intensified when Gandhi persisted in referring to a magazine article linked to an “unpublished book” attributed to former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, despite a clear ruling from the Chair that parliamentary rules prohibit quoting from news reports or magazine articles.

Even after the ruling was reiterated, Gandhi remained firm, arguing that the issue was of national importance and directly related to the President’s Address and India’s broader foreign policy challenges. He also objected to the language used by the Chair, stating that he was not seeking “permission” to speak.

“I object to the term permission; it is not the correct word. I am not given permission by anyone to speak. I am the Leader of Opposition,” Gandhi said, asserting his right to raise matters of public and national interest in the House.

Opposition MPs backed Gandhi, continuing their protest and demanding that he be allowed to speak freely on the Ladakh issue. Addressing the Chair amid interruptions, Gandhi argued that the President’s Address spoke about India’s future direction at a time when global geopolitics, particularly tensions between China and the United States, dominate international affairs.

“The President’s address was about the path India has to chart. Today, the central issue on the world stage is the China-US conflict. This is directly linked to our budget and our foreign policy. I want to state what happened between India and China and how the Prime Minister reacted to it. Why am I being stopped?” he asked.

As Gandhi attempted to elaborate, he referred to the clash in eastern Ladakh, stating that Indian soldiers had lost their lives during the conflict. This remark once again triggered sharp protests from the treasury benches, leading to further disorder.

In response, the Chair said that repeated requests had been made to the Leader of Opposition to confine his remarks to the President’s Address and then called Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Uttam Patel to speak. Patel, however, declined. Other opposition speakers were subsequently called but also refused to participate.

Amid continuous sloganeering, TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi stood up to speak on the Motion of Thanks, but the uproar persisted. With no sign of order being restored, the Chair adjourned the House till 3:00 p.m.