'Will share unrecorded version with public': Kharge on 'expunged' portions of his speech during Motion of Thanks

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said if he did not receive justice, he would share unrecorded version with the public

• Kharge alleges key parts of his speech were unjustly expunged
• He urges Rajya Sabha chairman to restore the removed sections
• Chairman says expunged portions cannot be restored

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Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday alleged that a significant portion of his speech made during the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address on February 4 was removed from the official record without justification.

Kharge said the expunged sections included his critique of government policies, which he said was his duty to highlight as an Opposition member.

Stating that the move was 'against democracy' and violated freedom of expression guaranteed to Members of Parliament under Article 105(1) of the Constitution, the Congress president urged Rajya Sabha chairman to restore the expunged portions.

"On February 4, 2026, during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, I had presented my views on facts ranging from social justice to the parliamentary system...However, upon reviewing the verbatim transcript of the speech uploaded on the Rajya Sabha website, I found that a large portion of my speech has been either expunged or removed without any proper justification or rationale," wrote Kharge in a post on X, asserting that he had not made any unparliamentary remarks that merited expunction, and the remarks fell within the scope of the Motion of Thanks.

"Upon reviewing, I found that the unrecorded portion included my observations on the current government's functioning in Parliament, along with factual references. I also critiqued certain policies of the Prime Minister, which I believe is my responsibility as a member of the Opposition to do, especially when these policies appear to have an adverse effect on the people," said Kharge.

Kharge said that, as a legislator and MP whose parliamentary life spanned over five decades, he was fully aware of and sensitive to the dignity of the House, its rules and traditions, and the duties of the Presiding Officer, while maintaining decorum in language.

“I wish to respectfully request that you review the portions of my speech that have been removed and that contain nothing unparliamentary or defamatory, nor have I violated Rule 261 anywhere in them,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, warning that if he did not receive justice, he would be compelled to share the unrecorded version with the public.

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan objected to Kharge’s remarks about sharing the unrecorded version in public. Radhakrishna told Kharge that the removed portions "cannot be restored" and asserted that directing the Chair on the matter is "not right" and "not democratic."

Later, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Kharge "stood up to question the Chairman's decision-making." In response to Kharge, Sitharaman quoted Rule 261 on proceedings of the council, and said the Chairman has the discretion to expunge remarks and works deemed defamatory, indecent, unparliamentary or undignified.