New Delhi [India], February 3 : Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday reinvoked the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane regarding border tensions with China, stating that he has authenticated the magazine article.
Amid a heated exchange between the INDIA bloc MPs and the Treasury Bench MPs over Rahul Gandhi's address, Chair Krishna Prasad Tenneti adjourned the House till 3 pm.
Addressing the House, Rahul Gandhi said, "I have authenticated the article. A very important matter in the President's speech is national security and the relationship between us and the Chinese and Pakistanis. A very important matter in the article, which I have authenticated. This speaks about the Prime Minister..."
"Our President's address was about the path India has to take. Today. On the world stage, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the US. This is central to our President's address. All I am saying is let me make a statement about what happened between China and India and how our PM reacted to it. Why am I being stopped?" he further questioned.
Chair Krishna Prasad Tenneti who was chairing the House asked the LoP, "Restrict yourself to the speech of the President."
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju opposed Rahul Gandhi's address and asked him not to quote the memoir, as Speaker Om Birla gave a ruling against it on Monday.
"I requested Venugopal ji that we are patiently waiting to listen to LoP. Yesterday, the chair gave a ruling on the paper he had authenticated that was tabled in the House. But, when a ruling was given yesterday, he can't quote the same matter again. Please continue your speech, but avoid referring to the matter that has been settled," Rijiju said.
Congress MP KC Venugopal objected to Kiren Rijiju, alleging, "He is misleading the House, he called me and Gaurav Gogoi."
On Monday, Lok Sabha witnessed repeated interruptions and was adjourned for the day amid a prolonged stalemate over Rahul Gandhi's insistence on speaking about a specific matter pertaining to the standoff with China during border tensions in 2020 while referring to a report citing an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane. BJP members strongly objected to Rahul Gandhi's remarks and said he was speaking against the rules of the House.
Speaker Om Birla ruled that Rahul Gandhi should not make references to the unpublished book and the article.
Kiren Rijiju, on Monday, accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to demoralise the armed forces.