'Govt is scared': Priyanka claims Naravane book reveals govt's character in crisis

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday, January 4, alleged that the government is not allowing Rahul Gandhi to speak in Parliament as it is scared that the unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief M M Naravane reveals what the reaction of the country's top leadership was when China was at our borders.

The Congress general secretary said even when the BJP leaders speak they also quote from books, magazines and reports, and Gandhi had even authenticated the article he wanted to quote from.

Speaking with reporters in Parliament House complex, Priyanka Gandhi said it is not as if there has never been debate on China, foreign affairs or Pakistan.

"Be it the government or the opposition, both sides in the past have expressed their point of view. So what is the issue in putting forward one point of view," she asked.

The government-opposition faceoff in the Lok Sabha intensified on Tuesday as eight protesting MPs were suspended for "unruly behaviour" after Rahul Gandhi was disallowed for the second day from quoting an article that cited an unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief Naravane on the 2020 India-China conflict.

The seven MPs from the Congress and one from the CPI (M) were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session, which ends on April 2, for trying to climb on the table of the secretary general, tearing papers and hurling them at the Chair.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, lodging his strong protest over being disallowed from speaking in the House on a matter of national security and terming it a "blot on our democracy". He also said that it was for the first time in history that LoP was not allowed to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

Asked about the suspension of MPs, Priyanka Gandhi said, "What is new in this? It is being witnessed in every session. They are now doing it even more." On Gandhi writing to Speaker Om Birla and stating that he is not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi said, "I agree with him completely. What is he doing? He is quoting from a public source. Yesterday, he even authenticated it so what is the issue in quoting from it." "When they speak they also quote from books. The prime minister (Narendra Modi) quoted from Sanjay Baru's book. Sometimes they quote from magazines, articles, books or reports. As long as it is a public source, it is ok," she said.

This is not just a case of the leader of the opposition being allowed to speak, this is a fundamental issue of democracy and the way Parliament works, she said.

"This Parliament is a temple of democracy and it has the people's faith. Every citizen has faith in it, faith in democracy.What does democracy mean that everyone has the right to expression, everything must be debated," Priyanka Gandhi said.

"That has been the tradition. It is not as if there has never been debate on China, foreign affairs or Pakistan. Be it the government or opposition, both sides have expressed their point of view in the past. So what is the issue in putting forward one's point of view," she said.

They are scared as to what things will be revealed, Priyanka Gandhi alleged..

She claimed that the government did not allow that book to be published.

"There are things in the book which show what was the reaction of our top leadership -- our prime minister, home minister and defence minister in times of crisis when China was at our border. What did they say and do," the Congress leader said.

"So it shows clearly what is their and their government's character when the country is being attacked, what was their reaction when Chinese troops were at the border," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi further said the Epstein files are out which has many things showing how the government allegedly contacted a convicted sex trafficker and child sex offender.

"What was he being used for, what was it that the government wanted to talk with the US government through him," she said.

These are also authenticated documents of the US department of justice, she pointed out.

If there will not be a discussion on these issues in Parliament then what else would be discussed, she asked.

The suspended members are Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole and Dean Kuriakose (all Congress) and S Ventakesan (CPI-M).

On Monday, the House was adjourned amid uproar after Gandhi's attempts to cite the article based on excerpts from Naravane's unpublished book on India-China conflict of 2020 were opposed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and others, and were also disallowed by the Speaker.

As soon as Gandhi was asked to speak on the Motion of Thanks on Tuesday, he cited the Speaker's ruling of Monday and authenticated the copy of the article. "I have authenticated it," he said.

To authenticate a document, a member has to submit a signed copy of it, affirming that it is correct to the best of his knowledge.

Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the Chair, asked him to table it and said, "We will examine it and get back".

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Speaker passed a ruling on the matter and after that Gandhi should not raise the issue repeatedly.

However, with Gandhi insisting on raising the matter, Tenneti moved on to other Speakers and asked Harish Balayogi of the TDP, an NDA constituent, to give his speech on the President's address after three opposition MPs refused to speak, showing solidarity with Gandhi.