New Delhi : Congress, staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Thursday amid loud slogans of “Let the LoP speak” as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the House while replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. As the Prime Minister continued his speech, Opposition MPs, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge, created a sustained uproar, demanding that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, be allowed to speak.
The issue has already led to repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha, which has seen a significant loss of business hours over the past three days. The Speaker had disallowed the Rae Bareli MP from quoting an excerpt published in a magazine that carried portions of General Naravane’s book, Four Stars of Destiny, citing parliamentary rules. The Congress accused the government of undermining the basic spirit of democracy, alleging that the ruling side was preventing Parliament from functioning effectively by denying Rahul Gandhi the opportunity to speak freely.
Rahul Gandhi has maintained that the excerpt he intended to quote was in the national interest, as it pertains to the Army’s standoffs with the Chinese military at Doklam and Galwan. He has alleged that the government failed to take decisive action during these confrontations. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a pointed attack on the government, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the Lok Sabha amid repeated disruptions and Opposition protests.
Priyanka Gandhi said such language was inappropriate and asserted that the Leader of the Opposition must be allowed to speak freely in Parliament. She alleged that the government was fearful of scrutiny, whether over references from a book, alleged revelations in the so-called Epstein files, or questions surrounding the India–US deal and its possible impact on farmers.
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