'PM Modi afraid to face truth, was scared to come to House over my remarks, not MPs': Rahul Gandhi

LoP Rahul Gandhi with printed copy former Army chief MM Naravane’s memoir

• Rahul Gandhi alleges government blocked him from speaking in Lok Sabha
• Congress MPs claim peaceful protests, reject accusations of targeting PM
• Lok Sabha adjourned after standoff between government and opposition

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A heated confrontation between the government and the opposition stalled proceedings in the Lok Sabha, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi asserting, “There is no question of our members attacking the Prime Minister.”

He maintained that the Prime Minister avoided attending the House because of the issues he was raising.

“The issue began a few days ago when the Naravane book came up. The government did not want me to discuss it and therefore stalled the House,” Gandhi told news agency PTI.

He alleged that he was repeatedly prevented from speaking. “First, they said I could not quote a book. When I said I was quoting a magazine, they said I could not quote a magazine either. Then they did not want me to speak on the issue at all.”

Gandhi also claimed that the Defence Minister had incorrectly stated that the book in question had not been released. “In fact, the book has been published and we have a copy of it,” he said.

According to him, “The fact is very clear, the Prime Minister was afraid to come to the House, not because of the members, but because of what I was saying. He is still afraid because he cannot face the truth.”

The impasse unfolded when the House reconvened at 2 pm after earlier adjournments. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was called upon to begin the discussion on the Union Budget, but he urged that Gandhi be permitted to speak first.

Tharoor later said both his microphone and Gandhi’s were switched off when he yielded the floor.

“The situation is very strange. I don't know whether the Speaker or the government do not want the House to debate the Budget,” Tharoor remarked.

Referring to parliamentary convention, he said there has long been a practice that when two members seek the floor, “it is always given -- first is the LoP and the other is the minister for Parliamentary Affairs.”

He expressed concern over what he described as unequal treatment. “Now we have had two successive presiding officers who refused to let the LoP speak, whereas the minister for Parliamentary Affairs, whenever he raises his hand, is given the floor. That is not correct. You cannot favour the government side like this. The House belongs to all of us,” Tharoor said.

He added that blocking Gandhi from speaking undermines deliberation. “He should be allowed to lay his concerns on the table. When you do not allow him to speak, you actually undermine the purpose of Parliament which is the House for discussion and deliberation.”

Meanwhile, a group of Congress women MPs wrote to Speaker Om Birla, objecting to remarks that suggested a possible attempt to approach the Prime Minister’s seat.

They described the accusations as “false, baseless, and defamatory” and insisted their demonstrations were “unrelentingly peaceful, firm, and entirely within democratic norms.” The standoff eventually led to the House being adjourned for the day.

Speaker Om Birla had on Thursday said he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to come to the House to prevent any unpleasant incident, as he had received information that some Congress MPs could come to the PM's seat in the House and "resort to an unprecedented incident".

The MPs said their protests in the House were peaceful and in line with parliamentary norms, but they faced unprecedented targeting.

The MPs further claimed that when they met the Speaker to demand action against the BJP MP, he acknowledged a "grave mistake" but later indicated he was awaiting the government's response, suggesting he no longer acted independently in such matters.

The next day, the MPs claimed, the Speaker, reportedly under pressure from the ruling party to justify the Prime Minister's absence, issued a statement making "grave allegations" against them.