The Lok Sabha was thrown into turmoil on Monday, February 2, 2026, as Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, attempted to quote from an article citing the unpublished memoirs of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane regarding the India-China border standoff. The government strongly objected, leading to heated exchanges and adjournments.
Gandhi referenced an article in The Caravan magazine titled "Naravane's Moment of Truth," which contained excerpts from Naravane's yet-to-be-released autobiography, Four Stars of Destiny. The article focused on the events of August 31, 2020, when Chinese troops allegedly moved tanks and soldiers to the Rechin La mountain pass. According to the unpublished memoir, Naravane sought clear directives from the political and military leadership, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, then Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, on how to respond to the Chinese provocation.
Gandhi's attempt to quote the article during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address was met with immediate objections from the treasury benches. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh questioned the authenticity and admissibility of quoting from unpublished material, asking if the book had been officially released and demanding that Gandhi table a copy of it in the House. Home Minister Amit Shah supported the objection, emphasizing the need for credibility and arguing that magazines can publish anything.
Speaker Om Birla upheld the objection, citing parliamentary rules that prohibit members from quoting from magazines or newspapers on matters unrelated to House proceedings. He referred to Rule 349, which outlines the standards of conduct for Members of Parliament during debates, specifically clause (i), which restricts the reading of books, newspapers, or letters unless directly connected to the business of the House.
Despite the Speaker's ruling, Gandhi persisted in referencing the memoir, arguing that the excerpts were authentic and available in a published magazine article. He questioned why the government was preventing him from quoting the book, suggesting they were afraid of the truth being revealed. Gandhi stated that the excerpts exposed the alleged failure of Prime Minister Modi and the Defence Minister during the 2020 conflict with China. He further accused the ruling BJP of stifling his right to speak on national security matters.
Government sources accused Gandhi of reading "concocted" material and trivializing the floor of Parliament by turning it into a "fake news factory". They suggested that Gandhi could have cited published works on India-China relations instead of relying on unverified claims.
The uproar led to repeated interruptions and heated arguments between the opposition and treasury benches, ultimately forcing the adjournment of the Lok Sabha. Outside Parliament, Gandhi told reporters that the Prime Minister should provide direction and not shy away from making decisions. He also said that the book spoke about "the character of the defence minister and the Prime Minister". Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav supported Gandhi, stating that the China issue was sensitive and the Leader of the Opposition should be allowed to raise it in the national interest.