No PM Speech And A Congress Message Behind Parliament Showdown

A new flashpoint has emerged between the government and the opposition in parliament. Proceedings have been disrupted since Monday, but central to the standoff appears to be a charge from the Congress and a message to the dispensation--that if Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is not allowed to speak, they will continue to stall the Prime Minister's speech.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the Motion of Thanks for the President's address was cancelled yesterday after massive protests by the Congress led to multiple adjournments in the Lok Sabha.

The Lower House eventually passed the Motion of Thanks this afternoon.

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The prime minister is expected to deliver a speech in Rajya Sabha this evening, but the Congress plans to block that as well, in what could be a display of resistance after Gandhi's allegation of censorship.

Why Is Congress Protesting?

An unpublished memoir of former Indian Army chief General MM Naravane (retired) is at the centre of the latest showdown during the Budget Session. The book, Gandhi claimed, exposes how the army was deserted by India's political leadership to handle the 2020 China border crisis.

The House erupted in vociferous protests over the past few days, with the Congress demanding that Gandhi be allowed to speak on the President's address. Meanwhile, Gandhi claimed that the government did not let him quote from Gen Naravane's memoir as it is scared.

Read: Women MPs Surrounded PM's Seat: Inside Story Of Lok Sabha Chaos

If Gandhi is not allowed to speak, a united Opposition vowed not to allow any member of the ruling party to speak in the House either. The prime minister was "too scared to enter parliament," charged Congress member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, sister of Rahul Gandhi.

The protests intensified as BJP's Nishikant Dubey sought to discuss books critical of the Gandhi family, and the Chair allowed this. This led to another adjournment episode. Eight opposition MPs were also suspended for the remainder of the session.

A Fresh Showdown

A fresh showdown erupted in Rajya Sabha this morning despite Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's appeal to Opposition parties to respect the traditions and decorum of parliament.

At one point, Rijiju urged Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to ensure that Gandhi adheres to parliamentary rules and advise him to follow the established procedures.

Hitting back, Kharge raised that Gandhi was not allowed to speak in the other House. He asserted that the Opposition wasn't disturbing the House, and Gandhi only wanted to "highlight the mistakes of the government". But, he charged, this troubled the treasury benches.

Meanwhile, an irate Union Minister JP Nadda used the term "abodh balak (naive child)" in a veiled remark at Gandhi.

The Political Messaging

The atmosphere in Rajya Sabha remains charged ahead of the prime minister's speech this evening.

Read: "Blot On Democracy": Rahul Gandhi Writes To Speaker After Parliament Chaos

Between the jabs and allegations has emerged a broader friction between the two sides, with the Congress alleging curbs on free speech. The focus has been on Gen Naravane's memoir, which the Congress links to national security and accuses the government of censoring such a sensitive topic.

BJP members claimed Gandhi's references breached House guidelines that restrict materials believed to be unauthentic.

A defiant Congress suggests that stopping Gandhi's speech undermines meaningful debate and democratic norms, with indications that protests over this may continue even during the PM's speech this evening.