The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday after two earlier adjournments, following continued disruptions as treasury benches repeatedly interrupted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s speech over his reference to an unpublished memoir of former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
The disruption began during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address when Gandhi began quoting from the former Army chief’s memoirs, prompting objections from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Earlier, the proceedings were first adjourned till 3 pm and later till 4 pm amid continued disruptions.
'Every inch of Indian territory is secure'
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that despite a ruling by the Speaker today, Rahul Gandhi defied the order of the Chair - something unprecedented in parliamentary history. Every Member of Parliament is bound to obey the rulings of the Chair.
“By defying the order of the Chair, he has demeaned his own position,” Rijiju said.
He added that Rahul Gandhi has no moral authority to speak on the China–India border issue, asserting that every inch of Indian territory is secure today. Rijiju pointed out that large portions of Indian territory were lost during the Congress regime. The Congress party must apologize to the nation for surrendering vast tracts of Indian territory in the past.
He further stated that all border areas are now well connected with roads, mobile networks, and electricity.
'Govt is afraid'
Congress MP Manickam Tagore claimed that the "government is afraid to let the Leader of the Opposition, Shri Rahul Gandhi, speak because it knows the truth has been exposed."
On the night of August 31, 2020, Chinese tanks with infantry support advanced to within a few hundred meters of Indian positions at Rechin La, Ladakh. Army Chief General Naravane urgently sought instructions from the political leadership but was told that no shots should be fired “until final clearance.”
For over two hours, as the threat escalated, the Defence Minister received repeated calls but no clear political direction was given. Only at 10:30 PM, after speaking with the Prime Minister, was Naravane told: “Do what you deem appropriate.”
In an active military confrontation, such delay reflects dangerous indecision. This was not military autonomy but abdication of political responsibility. At a moment requiring decisive leadership, the Prime Minister avoided taking a call.
The image of a strong leader stands exposed. When responsibility is evaded at the gravest strategic moment, claims of toughness ring hollow, Manickam Tagore noted.
'Unpublished material could not be quoted'
Earlier, Rajnath Singh objected to Rahul Gandhi's citation, stating that unpublished material could not be quoted on the floor of the House and was against parliamentary convention.
Home Minister Amit Shah supported the objection, urging Gandhi to rely only on officially published sources. “Magazines can publish anything,” Shah said, arguing that references lacking formal publication should not form part of parliamentary records.
The objections triggered brief disorder in the House, with Opposition members protesting the interruption and accusing the Treasury benches of stifling debate.
Rahul Gandhi defended his remarks, asserting that the source he cited was authentic and based on the unpublished memoirs of General Naravane.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav also backed Rahul Gandhi, urging the Chair to allow him to continue speaking on issues related to China during the debate.
Yadav said the subject of China was highly sensitive and deserved serious discussion in the House. He argued that the LoP should not be interrupted while raising concerns linked to national security and foreign policy.
The exchange escalated into prolonged disorder in the House, with repeated interruptions and sloganeering from both sides. Despite the uproar, Gandhi continued his speech while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the Lok Sabha.