A heated confrontation erupted in the Lok Sabha after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to reference material from an unpublished memoir written by former Army Chief General MM Naravane about the 2020 India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Rahul Gandhi began his address by displaying a magazine article that discussed excerpts from the unreleased book. However, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh immediately objected, arguing that parliamentary rules do not permit quoting from material that has not been officially published.

As Gandhi persisted in citing the book, several senior BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, raised objections, insisting that such references could mislead the House and set an improper precedent.

The dispute centered on General Naravane’s memoir, which reportedly recounts events surrounding the Pangong Lake clash in May 2020 — a flashpoint in the prolonged military standoff between India and China. Although the book itself has not been released, a prominent magazine had published an essay discussing its contents.

Rajnath Singh demanded that Rahul Gandhi present the original book if he intended to quote from it, reiterating that citing an unpublished work was unacceptable. Amit Shah echoed the concern, questioning how lawmakers could debate content that has not been formally verified.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav came to Gandhi’s defense, arguing that the sensitive nature of India-China relations warranted open discussion and that the Opposition leader should be allowed to speak.

Rahul Gandhi pushed back against the criticism, asking why the government appeared uncomfortable with the material. He maintained that the article and excerpts he referenced were authentic and said he was responding to accusations questioning his and the Congress party’s patriotism.

As tempers flared and interruptions mounted, Speaker Om Birla was forced to adjourn the Lok Sabha due to disorder. When proceedings resumed later, similar disruptions occurred as Gandhi attempted once again to raise the issue, leading to another adjournment.

Outside the House, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi defended her brother, stating that he was not attempting to defame the armed forces but merely quoting the words of a former Army Chief. Government sources, however, criticized Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of trivializing parliamentary decorum and spreading unverified claims.

The episode underscored growing political friction over national security discussions and the limits of what lawmakers can cite during parliamentary debates.