Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi defied Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s directive to cite only “authentic” sources in the House. He persisted in addressing the Ladakh issue, reportedly mentioned in the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Narvane (Retd.). Chaos ensued in the House as Gandhi brought up the India-China standoff, leading to objections from the treasury benches citing violation of House rules.
During his speech on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi asserted the authenticity of his source, citing quotes from the unpublished memoirs of former Army chief M.M. Naravane. He claimed that Naravane stated the government was hindering the publication of his book. Referring to a magazine that quoted the former Army chief, Gandhi mentioned Rajnath Singh.
Amidst opposition uproar against restricting the LoP’s speech, Gandhi insisted on the credibility of his source, a magazine, and vowed to raise the issue by citing the publication. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interjected, questioning why Naravane did not seek a court order if the book’s contents were accurate and its publication was obstructed.
Despite the Speaker’s ruling, Gandhi agreed to refrain from quoting the magazine. He continued discussing the border situation, mentioning foreign forces entering the border and tanks advancing into the Kailash range. The Lok Sabha witnessed ongoing chaos as Gandhi sought guidance from the Speaker on his speech content.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized the need for peaceful discussions following Gandhi’s persistence on the China-India issue. Speaker Birla advised Gandhi to adhere to his role as the LoP and focus on relevant topics in the House proceedings. When Gandhi persisted, the Speaker called upon Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav to speak.
