Parliament witnessed unprecedented chaos on Tuesday as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attempted, for the second consecutive day, to read excerpts from ex-Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished book, which detailed the 2020 India-China military standoff in Ladakh.
Denied permission by the Speaker, Gandhi’s move sparked protests from opposition MPs, some of whom refused to speak in solidarity with him. The situation escalated, with reports of papers being thrown at Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, ultimately leading to the House adjourning for the day.
Eight Congress MPs, including Hibi Eden, Amarinder Raja Warring, and Manickam Tagore, were suspended for the remainder of the session. Warring told NDTV, “Rahul Gandhi had authenticated the document and submitted it to the House. We protested against being silenced, and now we are suspended for it. Is that a crime?”
BJP MPs sharply criticized Gandhi, accusing him of disrespecting Parliament and insulting Indian soldiers. BJP MP Anurag Thakur said, “After presenting a solid budget, the opposition has nothing left but to tear papers and create chaos.”
Rahul Gandhi, outside Parliament, accused the ruling BJP of trying to silence him over the India-China border issue. He questioned why he was not allowed to speak despite authenticating the content. Two opposition MPs from the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress refused to speak in a gesture of solidarity, calling it a ‘Spartacus moment’.
Meanwhile, Gandhi also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US trade deal, claiming farmers’ interests were compromised. Government sources clarified that sensitive sectors, including agriculture and dairy, will remain protected, and the deal does not undermine Indian farmers.
The controversy highlights growing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition, with procedural rules, national security, and trade policies all sparking heated debate inside Parliament.
