What was expected to be a discussion on the LPG shortage turned into a dramatic confrontation in the Lok Sabha after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi targeted Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over alleged links to convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The exchange quickly escalated into chaos during Thursday’s proceedings of the Parliament of India.
Gandhi had sought time to raise concerns about the ongoing LPG crisis in the country. Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, permitted him to speak on the issue. When the session began around 4 pm, several ministers and MPs took their seats in the House, including Puri and senior leaders from both the treasury and opposition benches.
At approximately 4:21 pm, Gandhi, who represents Rae Bareli in Parliament, began addressing the House. Congress benches were packed as he spoke. On the treasury side, ministers and MPs such as Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Nishikant Dubey were present.
For the first few minutes, members across the House listened attentively. The atmosphere changed abruptly when Gandhi referred to Epstein about five minutes into his speech while criticising Puri. The remark immediately triggered loud protests from MPs belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, along with BJP leaders Giriraj Singh, Shekhawat and Dubey, stood up and began shouting in protest. Opposition members quickly rallied behind Gandhi, intensifying the confrontation inside the chamber.
Among those standing in support of Gandhi was Priyanka Gandhi, MP from Wayanad. Other Congress leaders including Karti Chidambaram, K. C. Venugopal and Deepender Singh Hooda moved toward the front benches in a show of solidarity with the Leader of the Opposition, signalling that the party had collectively decided to raise the issue in Parliament.
Throughout the uproar, Puri remained seated calmly for several moments before eventually rising to respond. He urged Gandhi to limit his remarks to the LPG crisis, which was the topic for which he had been granted permission to speak.
However, the situation escalated further when Venugopal called on Congress MPs to gather in the well of the House. Amid slogans such as “Dekho Dekho Kaun Aaya, Epstein Ka Dost Aaya,” opposition members continued protesting and discussing their next steps.
Opposition MPs insisted that the alleged connection between Puri and Epstein should also be discussed in Parliament, even as the Speaker repeatedly reminded members that Gandhi had been permitted to speak only on the LPG shortage issue.
Once it became clear that Gandhi would not be allowed to continue speaking on the broader matter, he left the House at around 4:30 pm. Shortly afterward, Hooda and Priyanka Gandhi also walked out of the chamber.
Following the walkout, Puri proceeded to deliver his statement addressing the LPG crisis. Although the disruption lasted less than half an hour, the episode introduced a new controversy into the ongoing debates during the Budget Session, with Epstein’s name unexpectedly entering India’s parliamentary discourse years after his death in custody in 2019.
