Congress Walks Out of Rajya Sabha Over Quoting Former Army Chief's Memoir

In a dramatic turn of events, the Congress party staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was barred from quoting a memoir by former Army Chief M M Naravane regarding the 2020 India-China conflict. The incident escalated tensions between the Treasury and Opposition benches, highlighting ongoing issues within parliamentary proceedings. Kharge's attempts to address the Lok Sabha's dysfunction and the ruling party's obstruction of democratic processes were met with fierce opposition, leading to a collective exit by several opposition parties. This incident underscores the growing friction in Indian politics.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 5, 2026, 13:05 IST

Opposition's Protest in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: On Thursday, the Congress party led an exit from the Rajya Sabha after their Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, was denied the opportunity to reference a memoir by former Army Chief M M Naravane regarding the 2020 conflict with China.

Following the presentation of documents in the Upper House, the Chair called on a member to address their Zero Hour mention. Concurrently, Congress members insisted that Kharge should be permitted to speak first.

Tensions escalated between the Treasury and Opposition benches when Kharge pointed out that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was being silenced in the Lok Sabha.

Kharge emphasized the importance of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha as essential components of democracy, accusing the ruling party of obstructing democratic processes.

His assertions faced strong opposition from members of the ruling party.

When Kharge attempted to quote from Naravane's unpublished memoir, it was met with resistance from Treasury bench members.

In the midst of the chaos, members from various opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, AAP, CPI, and CPI-M, walked out.