Eight Opposition MPs Suspended as Parliament Erupts Over Trade Deal and Hydrogen Mission
Updated (3 articles)
Eight Congress MPs Suspended After Lok Sabha Ruckus On February 3, 2026, eight Congress members—Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurdeep Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Prashant Padole, Kiran Kumar Reddy, S Venkatesan and Manickam Tagore—were named by Chair Dilip Saikia for raising slogans and throwing torn paper during a session, prompting Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to move for their suspension for the remainder of the session; the motion passed by voice vote, resulting in their removal from the House [1].
Rahul Gandhi Claims Denial of Speaking Rights The Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi wrote to Speaker Om Birla alleging that he was barred from speaking on the President’s address and on national‑security matters, labeling the incident “a blot on our democracy” and protesting the refusal to let him cite former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir [1].
Government Defends India‑US Trade Deal Amid Opposition Former ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla defended the India‑US trade pact, calling it “the father of all deals,” and argued that its 18 % export‑access figure is lower than those of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan or Bangladesh, urging the opposition to welcome the anticipated surge in U.S. exports [1].
National Green Hydrogen Mission Targets 5 Million Tonnes Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik announced the National Green Hydrogen Mission’s goal of producing 5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, noting that 15 companies have received ₹4,440 crore in incentives to install 3,000 MW of electrolyser capacity under the scheme [1].
Opposition Raises Additional Grievances on Pharma, Education, Tariffs Congress MP K.C. Venugopal filed an Adjournment Motion demanding full disclosure of the EU and U.S. trade agreements, while AAP’s Swati Maliwal questioned pharmaceutical‑incentive practices, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha highlighted 40 student suicides over 1.5 years, and TDP MP Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha praised tariff reductions for shrimp exports and called for removal of punitive duties on oil trade [1].
Timeline
Dec 18, 2025 – Eight opposition MPs protest the Rural Job Guarantee Bill (a proposed replacement for MNREGA) by rushing to the Well of the House, tearing copies of the bill and standing on tables, prompting BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to file a breach‑of‑privilege notice alleging obstruction of House proceedings [3].
Dec 19, 2025 – Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla begins examining the breach‑of‑privilege notice against the eight Congress MPs, reviewing allegations of disorderly conduct during the MNREGA‑bill debate [3].
Dec 19, 2025 – Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accuses the opposition of stalling the air‑pollution debate in the National Capital Region, saying members “climbed onto desks, threw papers and stood atop desks,” and declares such tactics “won’t win votes” [2].
Dec 19, 2025 – The Winter Session concludes with eight bills passed after debates in both Houses, which the minister describes as “very productive” and says will uplift lives and accelerate development [2].
Feb 3, 2026 – The Lok Sabha suspends eight Congress MPs for the remainder of the session after they raise slogans and throw torn paper, following a motion moved by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and passed by voice vote [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Rahul Gandhi writes to Speaker Om Birla alleging he was barred from speaking on the President’s address and national‑security matters, calling the denial “a blot on our democracy” and protesting the refusal to let him cite former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Former ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla defends the India‑US trade pact, calling it “the father of all deals,” noting the 18 % export‑access figure is lower than that of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan or Bangladesh, and urges the opposition to welcome the expected surge in U.S. exports [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik announces the National Green Hydrogen Mission target of 5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030, and reveals ₹4,440 crore incentives to 15 companies for installing 3,000 MW of electrolyser capacity [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Congress MP K.C. Venugopal files an Adjournment Motion demanding that the full texts of the EU and U.S. trade agreements be laid before both Houses, arguing the public has a right to know the economic, agricultural and strategic implications [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Opposition members air broader grievances: AAP’s Swati Maliwal questions pharma‑incentive practices, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha highlights 40 student suicides in 1.5 years, and TDP MP Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha praises shrimp‑export tariff reductions while urging removal of punitive oil duties [1].
2026 onward – The India‑US trade deal is projected to generate a surge in U.S. exports to India, a development former ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla urges the opposition to welcome [1].
2030 (target) – The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to achieve 5 million metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production, supported by ₹4,440 crore incentives to 15 firms for 3,000 MW electrolyser capacity, marking a major push for renewable energy in India [1].