Rahul Gandhi and Ravishankar Prasad
NEW DELHI: A heated exchange broke out in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday between BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi as the House resumed debate on the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla.Click here for Parliament live updates The clash began when Gandhi interjected during Prasad’s speech, claiming he had been repeatedly stopped from raising issues about Prime Minister Narendra Modi being “compromised”—a reference to the India-US trade deal—and excerpts from a book by former Army chief General MM Naravane (retired). “I was stopped multiple times from speaking in the Lok Sabha. Last time I raised the issue of PM being compromised. I raised the issue of Mr Naravane.
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I raised the issue of Epstein. I was silenced. Our PM has been compromised, and everyone knows,” Gandhi said. Prasad refuted the claims, asserting, “I would like to remind the LoP that PM Narendra Modi can never be compromised. I will add one more thing: Is the debate allowed in point of order? It is not.” He also questioned the no-confidence motion itself, accusing the opposition of using parliamentary proceedings to satisfy the “ego of a leader” – a veiled reference to Gandhi. The former Union minister further challenged the authenticity of Gandhi’s claims. “I do not understand this motion. Gaurav Gogoi asked what the issue was in quoting the book. The book, which was never published, circulated. How can anyone authenticate it?” he asked, urging MPs not to “weaponise” proceedings against the Lok Sabha speaker for “personal or political agendas.” The motion against Birla was moved by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, following Gandhi’s attempt during the motion of thanks on the President’s Address to quote from Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which includes a chapter on the 2020 Ladakh skirmishes with China. The ruling benches objected, with defence minister Rajnath Singh noting that the book had not been published and authenticated.Upset over Gandhi not being allowed to speak, the opposition tabled the no-confidence motion, though the numbers are not in their favour. 118 opposition MPs have signed the resolution.BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, presiding over the House in place of Birla, who stepped aside due to the no-confidence motion against him, granted leave to move the motion and allocated 10 hours for debate, urging members to stick to the resolution.(With ANI inputs)
