‘What are they scared of?’: Priyanka Gandhi hits back at JP Nadda’s ‘abodh’ remark on Rahul Gandhi

Union Minister JP Nadda’s use of the term “abodh” to describe Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has triggered a sharp political pushback, with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioning the government’s intent and accusing it of trying to silence uncomfortable questions in Parliament.

Reacting to the remark on Thursday, Priyanka Gandhi said Rahul Gandhi should be allowed to speak freely in the House and asked what the ruling party was “scared of”.

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“Is this a way to talk about anyone? What are they scared of? That he will quote from a book? Or are they scared of the Epstein files? Or that we will question them on this deal (US-India trade agreement)?,” asked Priyanka Gandhi.

#WATCH | Delhi | On Union Minister JP Nadda using the term ‘abodh’ in reference to LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, “He should be allowed to speak. Is this a way to talk about anyone? What are they scared of? That he will quote from a book? Or… pic.twitter.com/HZkXtiLxcP

— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2026

What sparked the clash in the Rajya Sabha

The comments came amid a heated exchange in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session earlier today, where Nadda, the Leader of the House, clashed with Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge while debating the motion of thanks to the President’s address.

Addressing Kharge, Nadda acknowledged his seniority but urged him not to let the Congress be “held hostage” to what he called an “abodh balak (innocent child)”, a remark widely seen as a veiled reference to Rahul Gandhi. He went on to say that a mix of immaturity and arrogance was dangerous and should be avoided, further escalating tensions in the Upper House.

Kharge and other opposition members strongly objected to the remarks, resulting in loud protests and a charged atmosphere in the House.

Government says Rahul Gandhi was allowed to speak

Referring to recent Lok Sabha proceedings, Nadda said Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House, had been allowed to speak for nearly 20 minutes beyond his allotted time and that the treasury benches had not raised any objections.

He accused the opposition of disrupting parliamentary functioning and said repeated interruptions were pushing democracy into a crisis. The Modi government, he insisted, was open to discussions on all issues at any time.

Nadda also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was always ready to respond to questions in the Lok Sabha, but persistent disruptions prevented the House from functioning smoothly.

India–US trade deal and opposition protests

On the India–US trade agreement, which opposition members have repeatedly raised, Nadda said Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had made a suo motu statement in the House. He clarified that no questions were taken after the statement, as the “contours” of the deal were still being finalised and would be shared in the coming days.

The exchange reflected wider tensions in the ongoing Budget Session, with frequent disruptions in both Houses over demands for discussions on several national and political issues. Kharge, earlier in the debate, had flagged what he described as the government’s reluctance to address key concerns, prompting sharp responses from treasury benches.