PM Modi’s Reply Deferred As Lok Sabha Adjourned

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha did not take place on Wednesday despite indications from official sources, with the House adjourned for the day amid sustained Opposition disruptions.

The Prime Minister was not present in the House when proceedings resumed, and BJP member P.P. Chaudhary was speaking when Opposition members entered the Well of the House and moved towards the Treasury benches. Women MPs from Opposition parties, led by Congress member Varsha Gaikwad, protested and marched towards the Prime Minister’s chair. Sandhya Rai, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House for the day within minutes of reassembly at 5 pm.

The Lok Sabha had earlier been adjourned till 5 pm following uproar over remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey targeting the Gandhi family. The ruling party later claimed that Opposition members ignored repeated appeals by senior ministers to return to their seats.

The Prime Minister is now expected to reply to the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday at 5 pm, during which he is likely to touch upon recently concluded trade agreements with the European Union and the United States.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s absence, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said he was “scared” and alleged that Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dubey “ran away like a bullet train”. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister did not want to face the truth and reiterated the charge in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, the House witnessed repeated adjournments over Dubey’s remarks and references to books critical of the Gandhi family. Presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti cautioned Dubey that such references were not permitted, citing Rule 349, which bars members from reading from books or documents not connected with the business of the House. As protests intensified and Dubey continued, the House was adjourned till 5 pm.

Congress MPs later met Speaker Om Birla, objecting to the Chair allowing Dubey to speak while denying a similar opportunity to the Leader of the Opposition. Sources said the Congress conveyed that it would not allow the Prime Minister to speak unless Dubey was suspended.

The Lok Sabha saw multiple adjournments during the day, at 11 am, noon and 2 pm, amid Opposition protests over references to a former Army chief’s unpublished book and the India-US trade deal. Government sources had earlier indicated that the Prime Minister would reply to the debate at 5 pm, but the House could not function due to continued disruptions.