Lok Sabha proceedings came to a grinding halt Monday after Speaker Om Birla threw the rule book at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for seeking to quote observations related to the India-China confrontations at Doklam and Galwan in former Indian Army chief (retired) Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoirs.
While the Raebareli MP, who said he had taken exception to BJP MP Tejasvi Surya allegedly “questioning the patriotism” of the Congress, sought to quote observations related to the clash from a magazine article on General Naravane’s memoirs, the Treasury Benches opposed this, saying that the rules did not allow him to do so.
“A young colleague over there (Surya) made an allegation against the Congress party; I was not going to raise this issue. But, because he has raised the issue about our patriotism, our understanding of Indian culture, I would like to start by reading something,” the LoP said, referring to Surya’s allegation that during its tenure, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had not even conceived the matter of Viksit Bharat as evidenced by the Presidential addresses of its time.
“This is from the memoirs of Army Chief Naravane… I’d like you to listen nicely; you will understand exactly who is patriotic, who is not…this is about when four Chinese tanks were entering Indian territory; they were taking a ridge in Doklam… I quote from an article that is quoting his book…” he added, leading to an intervention from the Defence Minister.
‘Has it been published?’
Singh demanded that the LoP declare whether this particular book had been published. “Has that book where all these things have been written been published? If it has been published, quote them, if it has not been published it is not appropriate to refer to them,” the Defence Minister submitted to the Speaker.
In response, Speaker Birla underscored that the senior Congress leader was the LoP and experienced in such matters. Citing the example of a similar submission by his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Speaker added that she had also made a similar submission but on the basis of a published book.
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“The topic raised by the Defence Minister is that what we say we should be able to authenticate in the interest of the propriety of the House,” he said, triggering protests from the Opposition Congress benches.
Responding, the LoP said that what he was submitting was “100% authentic” and that the Defence Minister was “getting exercised” since he knew that his name was about to be quoted. Singh stuck to his guns, repeatedly asking whether or not the book in question had been published.
The Defence Minister’s question was reiterated by the Speaker, but the senior Congress leader did not yield either. Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal stood up in Gandhi’s defence, submitting that what he was seeking to quote was a magazine report and there were precedents for this in Parliament and alleging that the LoP was deliberately being disturbed.
“Let him say (on record) that it is a magazine report and not written by General Naravane…all the Defence Minister is saying is that you are referring to Naravane-ji’s book, has it been published or not. He should clarify…a magazine can write anything,” Shah said.
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Even as he still refused to yield, both Singh and Shah intervened again to underline that the LoP had accepted that the book had not been published, making it ineligible to be mentioned in the House. The Speaker added that even if it had been published, it could not be discussed.
‘Trying to mislead House’
“He is trying to mislead the House,” the Defence Minister alleged. “Irrelevant things should not be mentioned here, Rahul-ji,” he added.
“A question was raised on our party by a Member of Parliament; I was not about to raise this, but I have decided to do that to answer him,” the LOP said.
Speaker Birla then quoted the relevant Rules, adding that the House needed to function as per established norms. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav came to the LOP’s defence, adding that if it was a matter concerning national interest, he should be allowed to speak on it.
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This led to an intervention from Rijiju. “We are here to listen, including the Honourable Prime Minister… the Chair has already given a ruling on this topic…after that too, he is repeatedly trying to read it again; how will the House function like this?” he asked.
Shah then questioned the authenticity of Gandhi’s allegation against Surya, adding that he had only referred to Presidential addresses during the UPA rule between 2004 and 2014.
The LOP attempted once more to refer to Naravane’s memoirs but to no avail. “I am unable to understand; they say they fight terrorism, and they are afraid of one quote? What is there that they are so nervous about that I am not allowed to read it?…Why are they scared?” he asked. The House was subsequently adjourned till 3 pm.
Neither side refused to back down following the resumption of House proceedings at 3 pm, with the LOP choosing to refer to the topic once again as one of “national security” and Rijiju accusing him of seeking to demoralise the nation’s armed forces.
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Gandhi retaliated by alleging that what happened between India and China was known by “every soldier” of the country. In response, Rijiju cited Chinese incursions related in the occupation of Indian territory under then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s dispensation; the House was adjourned once again till 4 pm.
