No-confidence motion debate: Heated exchange between Rahul Gandhi and Ravi Shankar Prasad in Parliament, Rahul reiterates ‘PM compromised’ jibe

The discussion on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla turned heated when Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi interjected BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, stating he was “stopped multiple times” when he raised issues of “Prime Minister Narendra Modi being compromised” and the book of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane (Retd).

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As Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the authenticity of Mr. Gandhi’s claims, the Lok Sabha LoP rose up and said, “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. I raised the issue of Epstein. I was silenced. Our PM has been compromised, and everyone knows.”

Refuting the claims, Mr. Prasad asserted, “I 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.”

Mr. Prasad then questioned the no-confidence motion against Om Birla, which was brought by the Opposition, accusing the Speaker of “partisan behaviour” and not allowing Mr. Gandhi to speak. “I do not understand this motion. Gaurav Gogoi asked what the issue was in quoting the book. The book, which never got published, circulated. How can anyone authenticate it?”

He urged the Opposition not to use Parliament proceedings to satisfy the “ego of a leader”. “Let the instrument of Opposition against the Speaker not be weaponised to satisfy the ego of a leader,” he said.

On February 2, during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, the Lok Sabha witnessed sharp verbal exchanges after the Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House sought to quote a magazine article containing excerpts from Mr. Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Mr. Gandhi’s reply during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address was interrupted by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who raised concerns that a Congress MP cannot quote from an unpublished book, which he said has not been authenticated.

Moments into his speech, Mr. Gandhi addressed an allegation by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya against the Congress, linking it to questions of patriotism and national culture.

The ruling Benches objected to Mr. Gandhi’s attempt to cite excerpts from the unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Naravane.

Later a motion was moved against Speaker Om Birla by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, with more than 50 MPs standing in support of the resolution. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, granted leave to move the motion and announced that 10 hours had been allotted for debate, and asked MPs to stick to the resolution. He said that the Speaker was generous with the permissions and procedure for the Opposition resolution.

A total of 118 Opposition MPs signed the resolution, alleging “partisan behaviour” by the Speaker.