Rahul Gandhi raises Ladakh standoff for 2nd day, Lok Sabha erupts in uproar

For the second day in a row, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday pressed the government on the India–China standoff in eastern Ladakh, triggering sharp exchanges with the Chair and prolonged disruption in the House.

Rahul Gandhi persisted with the issue despite repeated rulings from the Chair that only “authentic sources” could be cited in parliamentary proceedings. The Congress leader has been referring to a magazine article linked to an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane — a move the Chair disallowed, citing parliamentary rules that prohibit quoting from news reports and magazines.

As tensions escalated, Rahul Gandhi objected strongly to the Chair’s use of the word “permission” while denying him the floor. Emphasising his constitutional position, he said no one could grant or deny him permission to speak.

“I am objecting to the term ‘permission’. It is not the correct word. I am not given permission by anyone to speak. I am the leader of the Opposition,” Rahul Gandhi said, drawing protests from the treasury benches.

Opposition MPs backed Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Centre of misleading Parliament on the India–China issue and demanding that he be allowed to place his views on record. Rahul Gandhi argued that the Ladakh standoff was central to India’s strategic direction and directly relevant to the President’s address and the Union Budget.

“The President’s address talks about India’s path and direction. Today, the defining global issue is the China–US conflict. In that context, what happened between India and China — and how the Prime Minister responded — is crucial. Why am I being stopped?” he asked.

When Rahul Gandhi attempted to refer to the loss of Indian soldiers in eastern Ladakh, interruptions from the treasury benches intensified. The Chair reiterated that Rahul Gandhi should confine his remarks to the President’s address and then moved on to call the next speaker, Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Uttam Patel.

Patel, however, declined to speak in protest. Other opposition members followed suit, refusing to take the floor as sloganeering continued across the House.

Amid the din, TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi attempted to speak on the Motion of Thanks, but the continued uproar forced the Chair to adjourn the Lok Sabha till 3 pm.

The impasse underscored the deepening confrontation between the government and the opposition over the Ladakh issue, with parliamentary business once again paralysed by protests and procedural deadlock.

With IANS inputs