Lok Sabha chaos over Rahul Gandhi's ex-Army chief memoir mention, 8 MPs suspended
The Lok Sabha witnessed chaos as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was stopped from continuing his speech on the President's address, sparking protests and heated exchanges. The incident highlighted tensions over parliamentary rules and India-China relations amid a sharp political confrontation.
The Lok Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Tuesday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi insisted on referring to an article citing former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, triggering strong objections from BJP MPs, protests by Congress members, and the eventual suspension of eight MPs for disorderly conduct, including tearing papers and throwing them towards the Chair.
The confrontation began when Gandhi sought to raise a matter on which the Chair had already given a ruling on Monday. As tensions escalated, Congress MPs climbed onto tables, tore papers, and hurled them towards the Chair, forcing repeated adjournments and stalling legislative business. The proceedings were being chaired by Krishna Prasad Tenneti when the serious disruption occurred.
DISPUTE OVER ARTICLE AND ‘AUTHENTICATION’
Raising the issue at the start of his address, Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to refer to an article that he claimed had been authenticated and was linked to national security. “I have authenticated it,” Gandhi told the House, referring to the article citing the former Army chief’s unpublished memoir.
Under parliamentary rules, a member authenticates a document by submitting a signed copy affirming its correctness to the best of his knowledge.
Tenneti asked Gandhi to table the document. “Please table it. We will examine it and get back,” he said. As Gandhi continued to insist on referring to the article, the Chair adjourned the House till 3 pm.
‘PERMISSION’ ROW IN THE HOUSE
Objecting to the Chair’s repeated interventions, Gandhi questioned the manner in which he was being restrained. “I am objecting to the word permission. I’m not given permission by anyone; I am the Leader of the Opposition,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded sharply, saying, “Everyone speaks with permission, whoever he is. Nobody speaks without permission from the Speaker.”
Gandhi argued that his remarks were directly linked to the President’s address. “A very important matter in the President’s speech is national security. Our relationship between the Pakistanis, the Chinese, and us. There is a very important point in this article that I have authenticated. It speaks about the Prime Minister’s reaction,” he said.
BJP members objected strongly, leading to repeated interruptions.
CHAIR CITES PREVIOUS RULING
As Gandhi continued to insist on referring to the article, Tenneti reminded him of the ruling given the previous day and asked him to confine his remarks to the President’s address.
Rijiju intervened, saying, “Yesterday, the Chair gave a ruling. When a ruling has already been given, he cannot refer to the same matter.”
Gandhi responded, “In the President’s speech, the matter is national security, the relationship between us, the Chinese and Pakistanis. This is quoted in this article. I have authenticated it.”
The Chair reiterated, “I am requesting the Leader of the Opposition to speak on the President’s address.”
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal accused minister Rijiju of misleading the House during the exchange.
At this point, the Chair intervened and objected to the manner in which he was being addressed, saying, “What you just said, what is this ‘yaar’? You cannot say this to the Chair.”
‘WHY AM I BEING STOPPED?’
Rahul Gandhi continued to protest, insisting he was not straying from the subject. “Speaker, sir, this is not the permission I have been given. I am the Leader of the Opposition of this country. You are not permitting me to speak,” he said.
Linking the issue to global developments, he said, “Our President’s address is about the path India has to start, the direction in which India has to move. Today, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the United States. This is central to our President’s address and our Budget. If I want to make a statement about what happened between India and China, why am I being stopped?”
Referring to Eastern Ladakh, he added, “There was a conflict. Our soldiers were killed.”
As disruptions continued, the Chair called the next member to speak, saying he had made repeated requests to Gandhi to stick to the President’s address.
PAPERS TORN, MPS CLIMB TABLES
As the Chair moved on, Congress MPs protested loudly, climbed onto tables, tore papers, and threw them towards the Chair, escalating the disorder in the House.
The actions prompted sharp condemnation from Tenneti and led to the suspension of eight MPs. Later, Tenneti said, “One of the members addressed me as ‘yaar’ and I objected to that.” He said the situation deteriorated after that exchange.
“After this, they came on the table, tore papers and threw them at the Chair, which is very, very objectionable,” he said.
Explaining the gravity of the act, Tenneti added, “Coming on the table means coming closer to the Chair, which is highly objectionable.”
When asked whether the suspended MPs had the intention of attacking the Chair, Tenneti said, “These MPs have crossed all the limits.”
RAHUL GANDHI’S ATTACK OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT
After the adjournment, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of deliberately preventing him from speaking. “For the first time in history, the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak on the President’s address,” he said.
He linked the controversy to a trade deal between India and the United States that concluded the previous night. “We need to understand why the trade deal, which was stuck for four months, was suddenly finalised last evening. There is huge pressure on Prime Minister Modi,” Gandhi said.
He alleged that farmers would suffer due to the agreement. “Indian farmers must understand that Prime Minister Modi has sold out their hard work through this trade deal,” he said.
RIJIJU DEFENDS CHAIR
Defending the Chair’s action, Kiren Rijiju said Rahul Gandhi had attempted to quote from an unpublished memoir of a former Army chief, which was not permitted under parliamentary rules.
“We have just told the Congress leaders that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi ji can continue his speech, but the things that the former Army Chief did not say, or for which there is no permission under the rules, should not be stubbornly forced,” Rijiju said.
The Lok Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Tuesday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi insisted on referring to an article citing former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, triggering strong objections from BJP MPs, protests by Congress members, and the eventual suspension of eight MPs for disorderly conduct, including tearing papers and throwing them towards the Chair.
The confrontation began when Gandhi sought to raise a matter on which the Chair had already given a ruling on Monday. As tensions escalated, Congress MPs climbed onto tables, tore papers, and hurled them towards the Chair, forcing repeated adjournments and stalling legislative business. The proceedings were being chaired by Krishna Prasad Tenneti when the serious disruption occurred.
DISPUTE OVER ARTICLE AND ‘AUTHENTICATION’
Raising the issue at the start of his address, Rahul Gandhi said he wanted to refer to an article that he claimed had been authenticated and was linked to national security. “I have authenticated it,” Gandhi told the House, referring to the article citing the former Army chief’s unpublished memoir.
Under parliamentary rules, a member authenticates a document by submitting a signed copy affirming its correctness to the best of his knowledge.
Tenneti asked Gandhi to table the document. “Please table it. We will examine it and get back,” he said. As Gandhi continued to insist on referring to the article, the Chair adjourned the House till 3 pm.
‘PERMISSION’ ROW IN THE HOUSE
Objecting to the Chair’s repeated interventions, Gandhi questioned the manner in which he was being restrained. “I am objecting to the word permission. I’m not given permission by anyone; I am the Leader of the Opposition,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded sharply, saying, “Everyone speaks with permission, whoever he is. Nobody speaks without permission from the Speaker.”
Gandhi argued that his remarks were directly linked to the President’s address. “A very important matter in the President’s speech is national security. Our relationship between the Pakistanis, the Chinese, and us. There is a very important point in this article that I have authenticated. It speaks about the Prime Minister’s reaction,” he said.
BJP members objected strongly, leading to repeated interruptions.
CHAIR CITES PREVIOUS RULING
As Gandhi continued to insist on referring to the article, Tenneti reminded him of the ruling given the previous day and asked him to confine his remarks to the President’s address.
Rijiju intervened, saying, “Yesterday, the Chair gave a ruling. When a ruling has already been given, he cannot refer to the same matter.”
Gandhi responded, “In the President’s speech, the matter is national security, the relationship between us, the Chinese and Pakistanis. This is quoted in this article. I have authenticated it.”
The Chair reiterated, “I am requesting the Leader of the Opposition to speak on the President’s address.”
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal accused minister Rijiju of misleading the House during the exchange.
At this point, the Chair intervened and objected to the manner in which he was being addressed, saying, “What you just said, what is this ‘yaar’? You cannot say this to the Chair.”
‘WHY AM I BEING STOPPED?’
Rahul Gandhi continued to protest, insisting he was not straying from the subject. “Speaker, sir, this is not the permission I have been given. I am the Leader of the Opposition of this country. You are not permitting me to speak,” he said.
Linking the issue to global developments, he said, “Our President’s address is about the path India has to start, the direction in which India has to move. Today, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the United States. This is central to our President’s address and our Budget. If I want to make a statement about what happened between India and China, why am I being stopped?”
Referring to Eastern Ladakh, he added, “There was a conflict. Our soldiers were killed.”
As disruptions continued, the Chair called the next member to speak, saying he had made repeated requests to Gandhi to stick to the President’s address.
PAPERS TORN, MPS CLIMB TABLES
As the Chair moved on, Congress MPs protested loudly, climbed onto tables, tore papers, and threw them towards the Chair, escalating the disorder in the House.
The actions prompted sharp condemnation from Tenneti and led to the suspension of eight MPs. Later, Tenneti said, “One of the members addressed me as ‘yaar’ and I objected to that.” He said the situation deteriorated after that exchange.
“After this, they came on the table, tore papers and threw them at the Chair, which is very, very objectionable,” he said.
Explaining the gravity of the act, Tenneti added, “Coming on the table means coming closer to the Chair, which is highly objectionable.”
When asked whether the suspended MPs had the intention of attacking the Chair, Tenneti said, “These MPs have crossed all the limits.”
RAHUL GANDHI’S ATTACK OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT
After the adjournment, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of deliberately preventing him from speaking. “For the first time in history, the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak on the President’s address,” he said.
He linked the controversy to a trade deal between India and the United States that concluded the previous night. “We need to understand why the trade deal, which was stuck for four months, was suddenly finalised last evening. There is huge pressure on Prime Minister Modi,” Gandhi said.
He alleged that farmers would suffer due to the agreement. “Indian farmers must understand that Prime Minister Modi has sold out their hard work through this trade deal,” he said.
RIJIJU DEFENDS CHAIR
Defending the Chair’s action, Kiren Rijiju said Rahul Gandhi had attempted to quote from an unpublished memoir of a former Army chief, which was not permitted under parliamentary rules.
“We have just told the Congress leaders that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi ji can continue his speech, but the things that the former Army Chief did not say, or for which there is no permission under the rules, should not be stubbornly forced,” Rijiju said.