Lok Sabha Adjourned Amid Heated Exchanges Over BJP MP's Remarks on Nehru and Indira Gandhi
In a dramatic turn of events, the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Wednesday until 5 pm following a series of sharp remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey targeting the Congress party and members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. The incident occurred during the ongoing debate on the President's Address, leading to repeated interventions from the Chair and escalating tensions in the House.
Dubey's Controversial Speech and Chair's Objections
Participating in the debate around 2 pm, Nishikant Dubey accused the Congress and the Gandhi family of "aiyyashi, makkari and bhrashtachar" (debauchery, trickery, and corruption). He sought to reference several published books that he claimed contained damaging accounts about them, contrasting this with the recent controversy over an unpublished book cited by the Opposition.
During his speech, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was presiding over the session, repeatedly urged Dubey to refrain from using certain expressions and to adhere strictly to the scope of the debate on the President's Address. Tenneti reminded the House of Speaker Om Birla's ruling that members should not deviate from issues mentioned in the Address. Despite these objections, Dubey continued, prompting Tenneti to adjourn the proceedings until the evening.
Specific Allegations and Historical References
Dubey made several specific allegations, including references to:
- Lady Edwina Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru, claiming a book described Nehru's activities during Independence and Partition.
- A book by M O Mathai, Nehru's former personal assistant, alleging a personal relationship with Indira Gandhi.
- Dhirendra Brahmachari in connection with Indira Gandhi.
- The Red Sari, a book on Sonia Gandhi, which he said details corruption in Congress-led governments.
He also mentioned other works related to the Emergency period, Sanjaya Baru's The Accidental Prime Minister, the Bofors scandal, and the Mitrokhin Archive, arguing that these published materials should be permissible for discussion in the House.
Background of the Confrontation Over Book References
Dubey's remarks came against the backdrop of an ongoing confrontation between the Treasury and Opposition benches. Earlier in the week, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from an unpublished book by former Indian Army chief M M Naravane, which discusses the Modi government's approach to Chinese aggression. On Monday, Gandhi was not allowed to proceed by the Speaker when he tried to read an excerpt, portions of which had appeared in The Caravan magazine.
In response, the Congress party protested this decision within Parliament, leading to the suspension of eight of its MPs on Tuesday due to disruptions. The tensions spilled over into Wednesday's session, with Congress MPs raising slogans in the Well of the House, causing repeated adjournments in both the morning and afternoon sittings.
Impact on Parliamentary Proceedings
The exchange has further charged the atmosphere in the Lok Sabha, where the debate on the President's Address has been overshadowed by procedural disputes, Opposition protests, and sharp disagreements over the admissibility of materials cited during discussions. This incident highlights the deepening political rift and the challenges in maintaining decorum during parliamentary debates.
The adjournment reflects the ongoing struggle between ruling and opposition parties over the boundaries of parliamentary discourse, with both sides leveraging historical and contemporary references to advance their political narratives.
