PM ‘hiding behind’ Speaker; claims of threat an ‘absolute lie,’ says Congress

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “hiding behind” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday (February 5, 2026) dismissed as an “absolute lie” the claim that Opposition members were planning to hurt Mr. Modi.

“If you are going to allow your members to quote books, talk nonsense, the Opposition benches are going to protest. I am sorry, the Prime Minister is hiding behind the Speaker… because three women were standing before his bench, what nonsense is this,” Ms. Vadra told reporters outside the House.

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Her remarks came after Mr. Birla said in the Lok Sabha that he had asked the Prime Minister not to come to the House to deliver his address, following “concrete information” that some Congress MPs could carry out an “unexpected act” near his seat.

Ms. Gandhi said the government was making the Speaker “say all this” because the Prime Minister “did not have the guts to come to the House”.

“It is an absolute lie. There is no question of anybody raising hands on the Prime Minister, trying to hurt him or any such thing… there was no such plan,” she added.

Ms. Vadra urged the media to ask the government why the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak and whether there was any basis to prevent him from quoting a public source.

Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the BJP of insulting Dalit MP Varsha Gaikwad by casting aspersions on her conduct.

“Were the Modi government and their compliant journalists uncomfortable with a Dalit woman MP standing up? Do they consider them untouchable?” Mr. Khera asked in a post on X.

Targeting the Prime Minister as a weak person in a post on X, suspended Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, “Instead of facing Parliament, he hides. Instead of debating, he silences. Instead of courage, he offers excuses. And to cover his fear, he is ready to blame even the women MPs”.