New Delhi [India], Fenruary 4 : Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the government was not allowing the former Army Chief General MM Naravane's "memoir" to be published in India.
The Congress leader reinvoked General Naravane's unpublished memoir on border tensions with China, stating that it was published "abroad."
Speaking to reporters on the Parliament premises, Gandhi said, "It's available abroad, I think. It's published abroad. Govt is not allowing it to be published here. That's what I believe. The book is available. You can imagine where the book (that he is carrying today) has come from. You think about where it came from."
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of the Ladakh standoff with China, Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister failed to take responsibility during a critical moment and left the Army leadership "abandoned," saying "jo uchit samjho wo karo."
Speaking to reporters, Gandhi held what purportedly was a copy of General Naravane's unpublished memoirs and said he was prepared to personally hand over the book to the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha, asserting that the contents of the book reveal the "truth" about the government's response during the Ladakh crisis.
"I don't think the Prime Minister will have the guts to come to the Lok Sabha today because if he comes, I am going to give him this book. If the PM comes, I will go physically and hand him this book so he can read it and the country can get to know the truth," Gandhi said.
Referring to the former Army Chief's account, the Congress leader stressed that the book provides a detailed narration of events in Ladakh and should be read widely, especially by India's youth. "Every youngster in India should see that this book exists. This is Mr Naravane's book. He has given an entire account of Ladakh in this book. I have been told that I cannot quote this book," he added.
Meanwhile, Union MoS for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu hit back at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his "traitor" remark, saying the Congress leader is using such language because he had quit the Congress and switched to the BJP.
Ravneet Bittu recalled Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to criticise the Congress. He said, "They think they are the biggest patriots. Even my grandfather Sardar Beant Singh... Congress and the Gandhi family started a fire. Bullets were fired at the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple. They committed targeted killings of thousands of Sikhs. If former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is referred to as 'Shaheed', then I also come from the family of Shahid-e-Azam Beant Singh."
"You were fine when I was with you, but now that I am in the BJP, you are using such language. After such remarks, he is offering his hand as if he were a king," the Union MoS added.