India's Lok Sabha Erupts in Chaos as Rahul Gandhi Cites Army Chief's Memoir, Igniting Fresh BJP-Congress Row

Image Source: Internet

A heated exchange erupted in India's Lok Sabha on Tuesday between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members over an unpublished memoir by former army chief MM Naravane. The controversy began when Gandhi attempted to quote from the memoir in the House, citing an article in Caravan magazine that suggested the government's leadership was indecisive during the 2020 India-China conflict. The move sparked a massive ruckus, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other BJP members accusing Gandhi of misleading the House. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla refused to allow Gandhi to raise the issue, but the Congress leader persisted, rallying behind him several other opposition leaders. As the impasse continued, the Speaker, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, reprimanded the opposition leaders for referring to him as 'yaar', a term considered informal in Indian culture. The exchange escalated, with papers being thrown around the House and the proceedings eventually adjourned till 3 pm. Tenneti later defended his decision to reprimand the opposition leaders, stating that using the term 'yaar' to address the chair was unacceptable in a House of Parliament. The ruckus is the latest in a series of confrontations between Gandhi and the BJP, and has raised questions about the conduct of opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha. Eight Congress MPs were eventually suspended on Tuesday over 'unruly behavior' during the chaos. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the Congress and BJP in the Lok Sabha, and the challenges of maintaining decorum in the House.