New Delhi, February 6, 2024 — A heated exchange erupted in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, centering around claims made in an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane regarding India’s 2020 standoff with China. The dispute led to the suspension of eight Congress MPs accused of “unruly behaviour” during the parliamentary session.
Political Firestorm Over Alleged Indecision
The controversy stems from an article in Caravan magazine detailing excerpts from Naravane’s forthcoming memoir, which reportedly suggests a lack of decisive leadership from the political side during the border crisis.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi authenticated a copy of the article citing the memoir during a parliamentary session.
- The move sparked a fierce backlash from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who accused Gandhi of misleading the House.
- Eight Congress MPs were suspended following a day of disruptions and protests.
- The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the opposition and the government regarding national security issues.
What exactly constitutes acceptable parliamentary debate? The clash over Naravane’s account has reignited a familiar battle between the Congress party and the BJP, raising questions about transparency and accountability in matters of national defense.
Gandhi authenticated the article during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, referencing Monday’s ruling by the Speaker. “I have authenticated it,” he stated, according to reports.
Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was presiding over the House, requested that the document be formally tabled, stating, “We will examine it and get back.”
“Yaar” Sparks Further Disagreement
The already tense situation escalated when Tenneti reprimanded opposition leaders for addressing the chair as “yaar,” a Hindi term roughly translating to “friend.”
“What did you say just now… what is this yaar… this is Parliament, this is Lok Sabha… you cannot address the Chair with yaar,” Tenneti was heard saying, directing his comments towards Gandhi and Congress leader KC Venugopal.
The proceedings were subsequently adjourned until 3 p.m. local time amid continued disruption, including instances of papers being thrown around the chamber.
Tenneti later explained to reporters that the use of “yaar” was unacceptable in a parliamentary setting. He recounted that when he raised the objection, opposition members questioned what was wrong with the term, leading to further unrest and the throwing of papers. “This is not the behaviour one is expected to exhibit in the House of Parliament,” said Tenneti, a Member of Parliament representing the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The current uproar follows a similar incident on Monday, when Gandhi initially attempted to cite the memoir during a discussion on the 2020 India-China conflict. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other BJP members strongly objected, alleging that Gandhi was attempting to mislead the House.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had initially refused to allow Gandhi to raise the issue, but the Congress leader persisted, receiving support from other opposition members. The House was adjourned twice on Monday before being adjourned for the day due to the ongoing uproar and heated exchanges.
Q&A: What sparked the recent Lok Sabha disruption? The disruption was triggered by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s authentication of an article referencing an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, which reportedly questions the government’s handling of the 2020 India-China border situation.
