February 4 Parliament Disruption Involves Women Congress MPs

On 10 February, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju released footage from a Lok Sabha session held on February 4, capturing a tense moment when women Members of Parliament from the Congress Party gathered close to the chair of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly before he was due to speak. The session was abruptly adjourned due to the escalating tensions.

Before the session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reportedly advised Prime Minister Modi to forgo his address, citing concerns over planned protests by Opposition MPs. Rijiju took to social media, expressing disapproval of the Congress MPs' actions, stating, "Congress Party is proud of the most degrading behaviour by their MPs! If we had not stopped all BJP MPs and allowed the women MPs to confront Congress MPs, it would have led to a very ugly scene. We have very high consideration, to protect the dignity & sanctity of the Parliament."

In the video shared by Rijiju, the women MPs could be seen standing firm in their positions, holding a large banner that read, "Jo uchit samjho, wahin caro (Do what you think is best)." The slogan was a reference to an article excerpt from General (Retired) MM Naravane's unpublished memoir, 'Four Stars of Destiny', which had been mentioned by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi during a previous speech in Parliament, igniting significant controversy.

Despite Rijiju’s release of the video, the exact intentions of the Congress MPs during that session remain unclear. Observations from the day indicated that several Opposition women MPs moved towards the Prime Minister's chair in a manner that intensified the situation, preventing Modi from entering the House.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari commented on the rowdy atmosphere, stating that the actions of the Opposition MPs escalated tensions to a level where the Prime Minister could not be present in the chamber. In response to the events, BJP women MPs have submitted a letter to Om Birla, urging him to implement the strongest measures against the Opposition, citing what they described as "heinous acts" that undermined the integrity of the democratic process.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore responded to the controversy by criticising Rijiju, questioning the veracity of Speaker Birla's claims that there was a plot against the Prime Minister. He remarked, "Where is Prime Minister? Kiren Rijiju proved Om Birla wrong," challenging the assertions made about the Congress MPs' intentions. Furthermore, Tagore questioned, "Why is Kiren Rijiju so mad at the Speaker? What does he want?" This growing rift among members of Parliament highlights ongoing tensions between the ruling government and the opposition amidst an increasingly fractious political climate.