Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Releases Videos of Lok Sabha Ruckus, Criticizes Congress MPs
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday released two videos capturing the chaotic scenes in the Lok Sabha on February 4. He strongly questioned the conduct of Congress MPs during the incident, asserting that the situation could have escalated into an extremely ugly confrontation if BJP MPs had not been restrained and women MPs from the ruling party had been allowed to directly engage with the opposition members.
Rijiju's Social Media Posts Highlight Parliamentary Dignity Concerns
In a post on social media platform X, Rijiju stated, "Congress Party is proud of the most degrading behavior by their MPs !! If we had not stopped all BJP MPs and allowed the Women MPs to confront Cong. MPs, it would have led to very ugly scene. We have very high consideration, to protect the dignity & sanctity of the Parliament." He followed up with another post emphasizing, "Who can justify such behaviors from the Honb'le MPs? The direction from our leadership was very clear that we must maintain the dignity of the house and no BJP MP should get into physical confrontation with the rude opposition MPs."
Background of the February 4 Lok Sabha Incident
The controversy stems from events on February 4, when BJP MPs submitted a written complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. They accused opposition women MPs of having "surrounded the Prime Minister's seat" and later moving aggressively toward the Speaker’s chamber. The BJP MPs urged the Speaker to take "the strongest possible action" against those involved in the alleged breach of parliamentary decorum.
In response, women Congress MPs sent their own letter to Speaker Om Birla, alleging that the ruling party had pressured him to make "false, baseless, and defamatory" allegations against them. This exchange of accusations has heightened tensions in the parliamentary proceedings.
Speaker's Intervention and Parliamentary Adjournments
On Thursday, Speaker Om Birla revealed that he had advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to enter the House to avoid any untoward situation. This decision came after receiving information that some Congress MPs might approach the Prime Minister’s seat and "resort to an unprecedented incident." Birla's precautionary measure underscores the volatile atmosphere in the Lok Sabha during that period.
Rijiju further supported the complaint filed by BJP women MPs to the Speaker, accusing Congress MPs of overstepping parliamentary boundaries. He elaborated, "The BJP MPs, especially the women MPs, have lodged a strong complaint to the Lok Sabha speaker against the behaviour of the Congress MPs. The Congress MPs crossed over to the Treasury side. They crossed the bench where the Prime Minister sits, and they went beyond towards the Treasury side, and they almost laid the siege of the entire area."
Ongoing Disruptions and Budget Debate Implications
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha faced another adjournment on Tuesday, suspended until 2 p.m. after Opposition MPs protested at the Well of the House. The Lower House had initially been adjourned shortly after convening at 11 a.m. until 12 p.m., and then again until 2 p.m., reflecting continued disruptions.
Rijiju alleged that while several opposition parties are willing to engage in debates on the Union Budget 2026-27, the Congress party is actively preventing Parliament from functioning smoothly. This accusation points to broader political tensions affecting legislative productivity and the democratic process.
The release of the videos by Rijiju aims to publicly highlight the alleged misconduct, fueling a heated debate over parliamentary ethics and the responsibilities of elected representatives in maintaining the dignity of India's legislative institutions.
