Amid the ongoing government-Opposition clash regarding Rahul Gandhi’s mention of the Ladakh stand-off in August 2020, a new controversy erupted in the Lok Sabha over a ‘yaar’ (slang for friend) remark allegedly made by someone from the Opposition. The acting House Chairman, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, strongly objected to the term, labeling it as unparliamentary and objectionable. Despite this, the Congress members took it lightly, defending the usage.
The House Chairman emphasized that addressing the Chair as ‘yaar’ was inappropriate, delivering a stern message to the Opposition leaders. Earlier, chaos ensued in the Lok Sabha as Rahul Gandhi, a Congress MP, attempted to discuss content from an article based on the unpublished book of former Army Chief Manoj Naravane, which was denied permission by the House Chairman. Gandhi expressed frustration at not being allowed to speak despite verifying the source.
Citing Rule 239, the Chair reminded members that referring to unverified or vague facts was prohibited, as per a ruling by the Speaker. Undeterred, LoP Rahul Gandhi persisted in raising the Ladakh issue and the response of Prime Minister Modi. He argued that the President’s Address focused on crucial global conflicts like that between the United States and China, which are vital to India’s strategic interests. Gandhi protested the denial of permission to address these matters of national significance.
Despite objections from the Chair, Rahul Gandhi continued his stance, leading to a noisy uproar in the House. Opposition members protested vehemently against the Chair’s decision to prevent the Leader of Opposition from speaking on important national issues.
