Rajya Sabha Erupts Over CPI(M) Office Incident as Nadda Defends Police Action

New Delhi, July 2026 : The Rajya Sabha witnessed stormy scenes on Wednesday after Opposition members accused the Delhi Police of overstepping its authority by entering the national headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to arrest student leader and former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh. The controversy triggered sharp exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches, eventually forcing the House to be adjourned till noon.

The issue was raised by CPI(M) MP John Brittas soon after official papers were laid on the Table of the House. With the permission of Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, Brittas alleged that Delhi Police personnel had entered the CPI(M) office on Tuesday in an attempt to arrest Aishe Ghosh, claiming her only alleged offence was participation in a student protest held at Jantar Mantar.

According to Brittas, when questioned about the reason for the action, the police cited pending cases registered against Ghosh during 2020-21. He said that while he did not object to the police carrying out lawful investigations, entering the office of a recognised national political party without prior information was deeply disturbing.

“I have no objection if the Delhi Police is acting according to the law. However, barging into the office of a national political party sends a dangerous message. What is the intention? Is it to create fear?” Brittas asked, urging the Union Home Minister to clarify the circumstances under which the police action was carried out.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge strongly backed the CPI(M) member and described the incident as “very shameful.” He argued that police entering a recognised political party office to arrest one of its members or supporters without due process was unacceptable in a democracy. Kharge demanded action against the police officers involved and called upon the government to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

As Opposition members continued raising slogans and demanding an explanation from the government, Leader of the House J.P. Nadda defended the police action, stating that law enforcement agencies were merely performing their duties.

Recalling his own experiences as a student activist during the Emergency, Nadda said he had also been arrested on several occasions and asserted that student activism naturally comes with legal consequences if protests violate the law.

“I was also a student leader and was arrested many times during the Emergency. It is normal law-and-order activity which the police have to undertake. Any student who wants to do activism should face police action. Even I faced it during the Emergency,” Nadda remarked.

His comments drew loud protests from Opposition benches, with members accusing the government of attempting to justify what they termed political intimidation. The slogan shouting intensified, making it difficult for proceedings to continue.

The disruption continued even when BJP MP Rajib Bhattacharjee attempted to address the House. Amid persistent protests, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan adjourned the proceedings till noon.

Earlier in the day, the House had conducted its scheduled business. Ministers Jayant Chaudhary, Nityanand Rai, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, B.L. Verma and Savitri Thakur laid official papers relating to their respective ministries.

Members Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and M. Nagaraja also presented the Twenty-Seventh Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel on infrastructure development for augmenting washed coal production.

In addition, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved a motion seeking the Rajya Sabha’s concurrence with the Lok Sabha’s recommendation to elect two members to the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit to fill vacancies created following the retirement of members N.R. Elango and Deepak Prakash. The House agreed to elect the members in accordance with the Chairman’s directions before the proceedings were disrupted over the controversy.