Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for disrupting House proceedings by bringing up the Ladakh standoff issue and quoting from a magazine article linked to an unpublished book by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Speaker Om Birla had previously ruled that only authentic sources, not news articles or magazines, can be quoted in the House. The situation escalated into a heated exchange of words inside and outside Parliament following Gandhi’s statement and insistence.
Rijiju expressed disappointment over the disruption caused by Rahul Gandhi, mentioning that a productive debate in the Rajya Sabha was derailed due to Gandhi’s actions. Despite a positive start to discussions in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the proceedings were halted because of Gandhi’s intervention. Treasury benches repeatedly interrupted Gandhi, demanding authentic sources to back his claims.
The chaos in the House persisted as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey questioned the authenticity of Gandhi’s statements. Despite the interruptions, Gandhi stood firm on raising the Ladakh standoff issue in the interest of national security. Rijiju emphasized the importance of following parliamentary rules and conduct, urging all members to respect and adhere to the established procedures.
Rijiju criticized Gandhi for wasting the time of fellow MPs, including those from the opposition, during the proceedings. He highlighted the need for constructive debates and respectful behavior in the House, pointing out that while many opposition MPs contribute positively, their opportunities are being squandered due to Gandhi’s actions. The Minister accused the Congress of failing to acknowledge anything positive and disrupting proceedings even when beneficial actions are taken for the country.
