In an unprecedented turn of events, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address was cancelled on 4 February 2026, following a serious “security alarm” within the Lok Sabha.
Speaker Om Birla officially stated on 5 February that he had received concrete information about a planned “physical attack” or “inappropriate incident” involving several Congress MPs targeting the Prime Minister’s seat.
The House reassembled on Thursday to pass the Motion of Thanks via a voice vote without the PM’s customary reply, a move the Opposition slammed as a “death of democracy.”
While the BJP maintains the PM was shielded from a pre-planned assault by women MPs, the Congress has dismissed these claims as “fabricated stories” planted to help a “scared” Prime Minister avoid debating the controversial unpublished memoir of former Army chief General M.M. Naravane.
PM’s Speech Cancelled
The disruption peaked when the Lok Sabha reassembled on Wednesday evening for the Prime Minister’s scheduled address. According to Speaker Om Birla, the atmosphere turned volatile as Opposition members, particularly women MPs, reportedly moved towards the treasury benches with banners.
“When the Leader of the House (Modi) had to reply to the Honourable President’s address, I received solid information that several members of the Congress party could reach the seat of the Hon’ble Prime Minister might try something unexpected. I even saw this scene in the House,” NDTV quoted speaker Birla.
The Speaker revealed that his decision to advise the PM to skip the session was based on intelligence that members intended to carry out “something unexpected” near the PM’s chair. Union Minister Giriraj Singh further alleged that the Congress had used women MPs as a “cover measure” for a physical confrontation.
This security-led cancellation of a Prime Ministerial address marks one of the most contentious moments in Indian parliamentary history, leading to an immediate adjournment to prevent a physical clash between members.
Memoir at Heart of the Standoff
The underlying cause of this legislative deadlock is the ongoing dispute over Four Stars to Destiny, the yet-to-be-published memoir of former Army chief General M.M. Naravane. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has consistently demanded to cite the book to allege that the Prime Minister “abdicated responsibility” during the 2020 China standoff.
The standoff intensified when BJP MP Nishikant Dubey retaliated by flashing several formerly banned books to make “uncharitable references” to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore asserted that until the Leader of Opposition is allowed to present his views on national security, the Prime Minister will not be permitted to speak in the Lower House. This tit-for-tat exchange has resulted in the suspension of eight Opposition MPs for the remainder of the Budget session.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that Parliament must remain a sanctuary for civilised debate, where the power of the argument takes precedence over the volume of the protest.
The allegation that a physical attack was being planned on the Prime Minister inside the House is a grave matter that, if true, represents a “black spot” on our democratic traditions.
Conversely, if these security concerns are being used to bypass parliamentary accountability, it undermines the very essence of the House. We advocate for a return to empathy and dialogue, where the government addresses difficult questions on national security and the Opposition respects the sanctity of the Speaker’s chair.
