Parliament Proceedings Disrupted as Opposition Protests Force Adjournment
In a dramatic turn of events in Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unable to deliver his customary speech during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address. The scheduled address was cancelled following the adjournment of Lok Sabha, forced by opposition members who charged towards the treasury benches raising slogans and displaying banners.
Escalating Tensions Lead to House Adjournment
The parliamentary proceedings took a contentious turn when presiding officer Sandhya Rai, standing in for Speaker Om Birla, adjourned the House for the day to prevent what appeared to be an imminent clash. This decision came as Prime Minister Modi was scheduled to reach Lok Sabha, with the governing side having mobilized its own members, particularly women parliamentarians, in a counter-response to opposition protests.
The adjournment marked a significant escalation in the ongoing stand-off between the ruling and opposition benches. The confrontation intensified following Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's insistence on citing references from the unpublished book of former Army chief General M M Naravane during parliamentary discussions.
Tit-for-Tat Exchanges Intensify Parliamentary Conflict
The parliamentary conflict deepened when BJP member Nishikant Dubey responded with what was perceived as a tit-for-tat move, seeking to quote from books containing unflattering references to members of the Gandhi-Nehru political dynasty. This exchange further polarized the House atmosphere, leading to multiple adjournments throughout the day.
Despite the chair's decision to adjourn the House for the day, several opposition MPs raised questions about why Dubey was permitted to speak. Congress members subsequently met with Speaker Om Birla, demanding Dubey's suspension from parliamentary proceedings.
Earlier Protests Set Stage for Parliamentary Confrontation
The House had already witnessed similar protests during the question hour earlier in the day. Amid growing din and disruptions, Speaker Om Birla had initially adjourned proceedings until 12 noon. When the House reassembled, opposition MPs were on their feet, raising slogans against the government concerning the 2020 stand-off with China and referencing matters related to General Naravane's unpublished memoir.
Congress members had brought banners and posters featuring images of General Naravane and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while Rahul Gandhi was seen prominently displaying a book in the House. The Speaker strongly urged members to maintain the dignity of parliamentary proceedings and criticized the opposition for displaying banners and posters within the House.
Opposition Leaders Accuse PM of Avoiding Parliamentary Confrontation
Following the Prime Minister's absence from Lok Sabha, opposition leaders launched sharp criticism against the government. Rahul Gandhi claimed that Narendra Modi feared being presented with General Naravane's memoirs, which reportedly contain the former Army chief's account of events during the 2020 Chinese aggression.
"As I had said, PM will not come to LS because he does not want to face the truth," remarked Gandhi, who had earlier dramatically posed in the Parliament complex with Naravane's book "Four Stars to Destiny." The Congress leader had told reporters, "I don't think the PM will have the guts to come to LS today. If he comes, I will give him this book so that... he knows his reality."
Widespread Criticism from Opposition Camp
The anti-BJP camp expressed excitement that after three days of parliamentary logjam, the Prime Minister had to back down from his scheduled speech due to fear of disruptions. Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee stated, "He ran away for fear of the opposition," following the abrupt end to evening proceedings.
Congress MP K C Venugopal accused the government of making a mockery of Parliament and demanded an explanation for why the Prime Minister did not appear for his scheduled speech. Congress MP Manickam Tagore noted that since the Leader of Opposition was not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister's address too had to be cancelled, calling it "the first time in parliamentary history."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the criticism, stating that Modi was too scared to come to the House and mockingly adding, "The rail minister and Nishikant Dubey ran away like a bullet train."
Allegations Regarding Ladakh Crisis
Rahul Gandhi further escalated his criticism by quoting from General Naravane's book to reporters, alleging that Prime Minister Modi had abdicated responsibility during the Ladakh crisis. The Congress leader claimed that Naravane's account suggests the former Army chief felt abandoned during critical moments, while accusing the government of attempting to deny the book's existence despite it being in the public domain.
Gandhi emphasized that every young Indian should read the retired General's detailed first-hand account of events in Ladakh, framing it as essential reading for understanding national security challenges. The Prime Minister is now expected to deliver his speech in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, as parliamentary tensions continue to simmer following Wednesday's dramatic developments.
