Congress, DMK Walk Out of Lok Sabha Over Withdrawal of Gandhis’ SPG Cover

India वोट Kar | November 20, 2019

The Lok Sabha saw protests and a walkout on Tuesday, initially from Congress and DMK members angered by the Centre’s withdrawal of Special Protection Group (SPG) security for the Gandhi family, and later by several Opposition parties over police action against protesting Jawaharlal Nehru University students in Delhi.

The SPG protest

Congress and DMK members moved into the Well when Speaker Om Birla refused their adjournment motion on the SPG issue. When the Chair later let the matter be raised briefly before Zero Hour, Congress floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “Sonia Gandhiji and Rahul Gandhiji are not normal protectees.” He said Atal Bihari Vajpayee had let SPG protection for the family continue, and that between 1991 and 2019 the NDA had been in power several times without removing it.

DMK member T R Balu also objected to the decision. The Congress and DMK members then walked out, while other Opposition parties stayed in the House.

Sonia Gandhi’s entry to Parliament

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who used Parliament’s main entrance on Monday after her SPG cover was withdrawn, has reportedly been permitted to use gate number nine, the entrance also used by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Originally published on 20 November 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.