A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament has initiated a formal process to seek the disqualification of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. On Thursday, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a substantive motion alleging that Gandhi has misled the nation and maintained links with foreign organizations and anti-India forces. The move escalates political tensions during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.

The motion demands the cancellation of Gandhi's parliamentary membership and seeks a lifetime ban on his contesting future elections. Dubey clarified that this is not a privilege motion but a substantive one, citing Gandhi's alleged engagements with entities such as the Soros Foundation, Ford Foundation, and USAID. He further referenced Gandhi's international travels to countries including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the United States as part of the grounds for the allegations. Dubey stated that these connections amount to collusion with anti-India elements, justifying the call for severe penalties.

The development follows a heated speech by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, where he criticized the proposed India-US interim trade deal and aspects of the Union Budget. Gandhi raised concerns over potential compromises on India's energy security, rising tariffs, and external influences on national interests. The BJP has described Gandhi's remarks as baseless and misleading, with the motion framed as a response to what it views as irresponsible statements made without factual backing.

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This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi has faced disqualification proceedings from Parliament. In March 2023, he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha following a defamation conviction by a Surat court related to remarks about the Modi surname. That disqualification was later stayed by the Supreme Court, allowing his reinstatement after an appeal process. The current motion, however, relies on different grounds—primarily alleged foreign affiliations and misleading conduct—rather than a criminal conviction.

The substantive motion has sparked immediate political reactions, with the opposition likely to view it as an attempt to suppress critical voices in Parliament. As of now, the Lok Sabha Speaker has not indicated when or if the motion will be taken up for discussion. Parliamentary procedures require careful scrutiny of such notices, and any decision on disqualification would involve established rules under constitutional provisions and precedents. The episode underscores the deepening divide between the ruling BJP and the Congress-led opposition amid the current session's debates on economic and foreign policy matters.

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