Monsoon RaGa: What Message Did Rahul Gandhi Send By Skipping Key Events In This Parliament Session?

Last Updated:August 21, 2025, 17:00 IST

Basic data shows Rahul Gandhi attended the 30-day session for only about 15 days

Rahul Gandhi's speech on Operation Sindoor was brief but impactful, hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government for allegedly selling out to Pakistanis under US pressure. (File image: Sansad TV)

Parliament’s monsoon session is over, and Rahul Gandhi will resume his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar. But how has his journey been inside Parliament? It ended this time with Rahul Gandhi skipping the customary tea with the Speaker at the end of the session. The Prime Minister attended, as did many senior ministers, but Rahul decided to skip it. His message is clear—if the Speaker and government do not accommodate his demands, there is no point in joining the tea party. A source in the Speaker’s office asked Rahul Gandhi to “check his conscience to see whether he had done the right thing by skipping it".

Basic data shows Rahul Gandhi attended the 30-day session for only about 15 days. He missed key days like paying tribute to spacefarer Shubhanshu Shukla, earning the tag of not respecting someone who has brought fame to the nation. On most other days, he preferred to hold meetings and plan his yatra. He began his yatra right in the middle of the session on August 17, leaving many of his party colleagues to protest inside the house. Rahul Gandhi was also criticised for not participating in the August 15 Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. Instead, he was seen drenched in the rain at the new Congress headquarters, unfurling the national flag. His message was again clear: “We won’t take part in government events but will respect the flag and the nation."

Rahul Gandhi’s speech on Operation Sindoor was brief but impactful, hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government for allegedly selling out to Pakistanis under US pressure. The Prime Minister countered it, but Congress feels that the leader of the opposition, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has turned the heat on the government.

So why did Rahul Gandhi deliberately stay out? He felt that if the government could be stubborn about not allowing a discussion on the special intensive review (SIR) of electoral rolls, he could be equally stubborn by rejecting any participation. He believed that his point would be diluted if he, as the leader of the opposition, took part, as it would give legitimacy to the “government’s decision not to allow a discussion on SIR".

The occasions when he was seen in Parliament were to motivate his party and plan events and protests like the march to the Election Commission. However, he earned criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party for his absences. For instance, he did not participate in the Manipur bill discussion, leading the BJP to question why someone who constantly attacks the Prime Minister was himself not present.

During the monsoon session, Rahul Gandhi once again accused the government of not allowing him to speak, prompting the BJP to counter with, “Who stopped you? You come to the house first." For Rahul Gandhi, skipping Parliament is part of his no-confidence motion against the government.

Pallavi Ghosh

Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als...Read More

Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als...

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August 21, 2025, 17:00 IST

News politics Monsoon RaGa: What Message Did Rahul Gandhi Send By Skipping Key Events In This Parliament Session?

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