The Lok Sabha descended into chaos as opposition and treasury benches clashed over references to an unpublished book by ex-Army Chief Mukund Naravane. Despite Speaker Om Birla’s efforts, the Congress persisted in demanding quotes from Naravane’s memoirs, leading to a standoff with the government terming it as theatrics. The uproar began when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi raised the issue during a debate on the President’s address.
The Congress MP criticized the government over an article based on Naravane’s memoirs, triggering a swift response from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah. Gandhi accused the BJP of blocking a book authored by a senior Armed Forces officer, drawing loud protests from the ruling party. Singh objected to Gandhi quoting from the unpublished book, calling the claims vague and questioning the government’s apprehensions.
Despite the Speaker’s warnings against citing unverified sources, the opposition continued to press the issue, leading to further disruptions. Amid slogan-shouting and counter-accusations, the debate veered towards allegations of Chinese incursions, with the opposition adamant on pursuing the matter. The chaos persisted as both sides stood their ground, with even the parliamentary rulebook being invoked to little avail.
Amidst the turmoil, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav supported Gandhi’s right to speak on sensitive matters like the China border issue. Congress MPs criticized the ruling party for alleged false claims in the past, highlighting a perceived bias in the House proceedings.
