Eight Congress MPs were suspended in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after outright chaos in the House over the unpublished memoirs of former army chief MM Naravane’s account of the India-China conflict, which Rahul Gandhi cited.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi with Congress MPs, including in the suspended Parliament on Tuesday (HT)Congress members, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament House against the expulsion of party members from the Lok Sabha.
The unpublished memoir in question relates to the subject of an article Caravan magazine on the account of former army chief Manoj Mukund Naravaan From which it appears that the political leadership is indecisive when it comes to the face-off between India and China in 2020.
The Lok Sabha saw a two-day showdown between opposition MPs led by LOP Rahul Gandhi over the unpublished memoirs, part of Naravane’s book which was scheduled to be published in January 2024. After an extract was published in December 2023, its publication was delayed because it did not receive clearance from the military.
In October last year, Naravane said the book was still being reviewed by the Army.
More Read
Uproar in Lok Sabha over Narvaan commemorationOn Monday, the Lok Sabha witnessed an unusual stand-off with more than 40 minutes of dissent and Speaker Om Birla citing rules 349 and 353 to order that no random material can be quoted in the House. The Lok Sabha Speaker also said that if a lawmaker wants to level a complaint against another MP, prior notice is required.
Gandhi refused, refused Birler tried to mention the judgment and the matter. Whenever Gandhi spoke about China or the former army chief, the Speaker and senior ministers stopped him on technicalities. In parliamentary practice, the speaker’s judgment is considered as the judgment of the dispute.
It was also pointed out to Gandhi that the matter –– was not related to the subject of the President’s speech.
The issue resurfaced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday when Rahul Gandhi authenticated a copy of an article in the House that quoted the unpublished ‘memoir’ of former army chief MM Naravane.
To authenticate a document, a member must submit a signed copy of it confirming that it is correct to the best of his knowledge.
As the deadlock continued, Krishna Prasad Teneti was also seen lashing out at opposition leaders Mention the chair As in “year”.
“What did you say just now… what is this ear… it’s Parliament it’s Lok Sabha… you can’t address the chair with ear,” Tenet was heard pointing at Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader KC Venugopal.
