Over 200 signatories seek Rahul Gandhi’s apology for conduct within Parliament complex

More than 200 retired armed forces officers, former civil servants, including diplomats, and lawyers on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) demanded that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, apologise to the nation, alleging that his conduct inside the Parliament complex was in “violation of decorum and institutional dignity”.

The signatories, in an open letter, said Mr. Gandhi’s actions on March 12 were in “deliberate defiance of the Chair”, and showed disregard for parliamentary authority. They said the Opposition led by Mr. Gandhi disregarded the Speaker’s explicit instructions.

“Such deliberate defiance of the Chair does not merely violate procedures; it reflects a conscious disregard for parliamentary authority and a willingness to place personal political theatrics above the dignity of a Constitutional institution,” the letter said, demanding an apology from Mr. Gandhi.

The signatories alleged that Mr. Gandhi and other MPs organised a protest on the steps of Parliament despite the Speaker’s direction against any such demonstration within the premises.

“Mr. Gandhi, along with several MPs, was seen sitting on the steps of Parliament, having tea and biscuits in a manner that was wholly unbecoming of members of the nation’s highest legislative body. The steps of Parliament are not a venue for spectacle or political theatre,” they said.

The letter was coordinated by former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S.P. Vaid and signed by 204 individuals, including 116 retired armed forces officers and 84 former bureaucrats, among them four former Ambassadors and four senior advocates. Expressing concern over the loss of valuable public time, the signatories said disruptions and protests within Parliament weakened its functioning.

(With inputs from the PTI)