Tensions in India’s Parliament reached boiling point as BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi tore into Rahul Gandhi over his contentious claims about former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane’s memoir on the 2020 Galwan clash. Trivedi categorically demanded Gandhi apologize to the nation for peddling unverified information that stalled legislative business.
Gandhi’s assertions crumbled under scrutiny. Penguin, the purported publisher, issued a firm denial: no book exists, published or otherwise. General Naravane corroborated, cautioning against copyright breaches from any circulated drafts.
‘Misleading the House on national security is criminal,’ Trivedi charged, accusing Gandhi of evolving from naive to nefarious in his political playbook. The BJP leader highlighted how Gandhi’s bid to recite book excerpts ignited bedlam, resulting in opposition expulsions and a paralyzed lower house for days.
At the controversy’s heart lies the India-China border skirmish that claimed Indian soldiers’ lives. The government positions any manuscript under official review, rebutting charges of hiding border truths. An FIR by Delhi Police on leaked copies has intensified the probe.
Trivedi portrayed this as Congress’s pattern of trivializing sacrifices for electoral points. With irrefutable clarifications from author and publisher, he insisted, ‘Gandhi’s fabricated tale for small-time politics has been laid bare. The nation deserves his apology.’
As dust settles on this parliamentary storm, it spotlights the perils of unchecked rhetoric in matters of defense and democracy.