Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi delivered a sharp and confrontational speech in the Lok Sabha on February 11–12, 2026, during the Union Budget debate, strongly criticising the interim trade agreement between India and the United States and invoking the controversial Epstein files to question the Centre’s priorities and decision-making. His remarks triggered intense protests from treasury bench members, leading to heated exchanges and significant disruption in Parliament, underscoring the deep political divide over foreign policy, economic sovereignty and government accountability.
