Ex-Army chief's memoir and Rule 349: Why Rahul Gandhi was stopped by Speaker

A massive uproar erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General MM Naravane, drawing attention to Rule 349, 352 and 353 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House.

Amid sharp political exchanges, the controversy focused on whether Gandhi was allowed to cite material from an unpublished memoir mentioning the India-China border clashes at Doklam and Galwan or not.

The issue arose during the debate on the President’s Address, when Gandhi began his speech by quoting a magazine article that cited passages from Four Stars of Destiny, an unpublished memoir attributed to General Naravane.

The magazine Rahul Gandhi was quoting from was deemed outside the business of the House and unrelated to the ongoing discussion. Speaker Om Birla pointed this out to him, a position later confirmed by former Secretary General of Lok Sabha PDT Achary to India Today.

Gandhi managed to read just few words, “Chinese tanks in Doklam” before the treasury benches interrupted, halting his speech and triggering chaos in Parliament.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi present but quietly watching, three Union ministers, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, led the opposition, contending that references to an unpublished book violated parliamentary rules.

Later, Rijiju also cited Rule 349, alleging that Gandhi was not adhering to the Chair’s ruling and the rules of the House. Speaker Om Birla intervened, invoking the same rule and directed Gandhi not to read from such material unless it was authenticated or formally placed before the House.

WHAT IS RULE 349?

Rule 349 prescribes the standards of conduct and procedure that Members of Parliament are expected to follow during debates. Clause (i) of the rule states that “a member shall not read any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the House.”

However, Rule 349 makes no mention of published or unpublished material. Some of the other rules that apply in this case are 352 and 353.

Rule 352 bars MPs from using offensive language while speaking in the House. Members are not allowed to make disrespectful remarks about the conduct or proceedings of Parliament or any State Legislature, ensuring debates remain civil and focused on issues rather than personal attacks or derogatory comments.

“A member while speaking shall not— use offensive expressions about the conduct or proceedings of Parliament or any State Legislature,” the rule states.

On the other hand, rule 353 governs allegations of a defamatory or incriminatory nature. It mandates that any such allegation must first be submitted to the Speaker and the concerned Minister, allowing the Minister to investigate and respond appropriately.

Under this rule, the Speaker also has the authority to prohibit a member from making any allegation if it is deemed derogatory to the dignity of the House or if no public interest is served.

WHY WAS THIS RULE INVOKED IN THIS CASE?

The treasury benches objected on the grounds that Gandhi had referred not only to a magazine article but also to an unpublished memoir of a former Army Chief, which they argued could have implications for national security and parliamentary propriety.

Speaker Om Birla ruled that magazine or newspaper articles unrelated to the immediate business of the House could not be quoted, reiterating that debates must be conducted strictly in accordance with established rules. The ruling triggered repeated interruptions and adjournments.

Gandhi, however, defended his reference, asserting that his sources were authentic. Questioning the objections, he asked what in the material was causing concern and argued that if there was nothing to hide, he should be allowed to continue.

When barred from directly quoting the article or the memoir, he sought permission to describe its contents without attribution, but this request was also disallowed.

After the Lok Sabha was adjourned following repeated disruptions, the Congress leader accused the ruling BJP of stopping him from quoting the unpublished memoir as it exposed the alleged failure of PM Modi and Defence Minister during the 2020 China conflict.

"Naravane has written about the Prime Minister and Rajnath Singh clearly in his book, which has appeared in an article and I am quoting from that article. They are scared because if it comes out, the reality of Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh will be revealed. What happened to the 56-inch chest when China was before us and advancing?" Rahul told reporters in Parliament House.

Meanwhile, government sources accused Rahul Gandhi of reading “concocted” material on China in the Lok Sabha, warning it set a dangerous precedent for spreading unverified claims.

They said he could have cited published works like My Years with Nehru: The Chinese Betrayal, Himalayan Blunder, or Crosswinds to discuss India-China relations, and added that by reading unverified material, he had “trivialised the floor of Parliament” and turned it into a “fake news factory.”

OPPOSITION LEADERS SUPPORT RAHUL GANDHI

Congress leaders rallied behind Rahul Gandhi, arguing he was citing material already in the public domain. Shashi Tharoor said, “What Rahul ji wished to raise was already public. He was quoting a published article in The Caravan magazine, which in turn cited General Naravane’s unpublished memoir. The government should have allowed him to speak instead of objecting.”

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram slammed the government for blocking Rahul Gandhi from speaking, alleging it was “hell-bent on suppressing his voice” to hide uncomfortable truths.

He said, “I have never seen a government so vehemently opposing a quote from a former army chief, a respected soldier who spent his life defending us. There are deep truths in his memoir that embarrass the leadership, and the government is using parliamentary rules as a cover to silence the Leader of the Opposition.”

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra added, “This is from a published source—an excerpt from a book that has appeared in a magazine. There is no unauthenticated material here. So what is the problem? Why are they scared?”

Furthermore, KC Venugopal accused the government of “distorting parliamentary rules” to block Rahul Gandhi, saying he was merely quoting a magazine article highlighting government inefficiency on border issues.

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said the government had “exposed itself” by objecting, adding that in a healthy democracy, the focus should be on addressing the truth, not suppressing it. He noted that if Gandhi had been allowed to speak, the row would not have blown up.

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav backed Gandhi, saying the matter went beyond procedural technicalities. “Issues relating to China are very sensitive. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha should be allowed to speak,” he said, recalling that past leaders had repeatedly warned about Beijing’s intentions.