PM Modi skips Lok Sabha amid ex-Army Chief's unpublished memoir row; BJP, Opposition lock horns

New Delhi [India], February 4 : What was meant to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big moment in Parliament turned into a political flashpoint on Wednesday, as his absence from the Lok Sabha -- amid a fierce row over former Army Chief General MM Naravane's unpublished memoir on the 2020 China standoff -- triggered sharp accusations, and an all-out BJP versus Opposition slugfest inside and outside the House.
PM Modi was expected to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address at 5 pm. Instead, but after repeated disruptions and sloganeering by the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha.
The standoff centres on Rahul Gandhi's attempt to cite Naravane's unpublished memoir on the 2020 China standoff in eastern Ladakh, which BJP leaders said violated House rules and risked demoralising the armed forces.
The BJP accused the Opposition of deliberately creating a ruckus in Parliament to stop PM Modi from speaking.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh said the Opposition was behaving irresponsibly. "This is unfortunate. This is the first time such a ruckus has been created during the President's address. They are behaving like children. Do they think this is the Nehru family's kingdom or the Congress party's office?" he said.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan alleged Congress is silencing even other Opposition voices. "Because of the Congress, no opposition party is able to express its views. Climbing onto the table and insulting the Speaker is unacceptable. This is the beginning of a wrong tradition," he said.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale accused the Opposition of disrespecting democracy and MPs from Dalit community. "Papers were thrown when a Dalit MP (TDP MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti) was in the Chair. This is an attempt to disrespect him," he said.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur charged that Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition only want disruption. "They don't want to talk about India's progress. Their only agenda is to create a ruckus, tear papers, throw them at the Speaker and halt Parliament," he said, adding that the Speaker's rulings were being deliberately ignored.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also alleged misconduct, saying Opposition MPs stood with banners near the Prime Minister's seat. "Protest has a limit. Why do you go where the PM and Home Minister sit? This arrogance of the Congress is dangerous for parliamentary traditions," he said.
BJP leaders maintained that PM Modi wanted to address the House but was deprived of the opportunity due to disruptions by the Congress leaders.
The Congress alleged PM Modi stayed away because he did not want scrutiny on national security.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of being "scared". On X, he wrote, "As I said, PM Modi won't come to Parliament because he is scared and doesn't want to face the truth."
Outside Parliament, Gandhi said he was ready to personally hand over General Naravane's book to the Prime Minister. "I don't think the PM will have the guts to come to the Lok Sabha today because if he comes, I'm going to give him this book. He will know what his truth is, and the country will also know," he said.
Gandhi claimed the memoir shows political leadership abandoned the Army during the Ladakh crisis. "When the Chinese army had entered our border, the Army Chief was made to wait, and the PM said, 'Do whatever you think is appropriate.' In the most serious crisis of the country's security, Modi ji raised his hands from political responsibility," he alleged.
He also claimed the book was published abroad but not allowed in India. "It's available abroad. The government is not allowing it to be published here," Gandhi told reporters.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sharpened the attack. "He got scared, that's why he didn't arrive in the House," she said, accusing the government of silencing the Opposition and disrespecting the Speaker.
Jairam Ramesh said debate cannot function if the LoP is silenced. "PM Modi replies to the debate, but the LoP initiates it. If the LoP cannot speak, there is no reason to have a debate," he said.
TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh added, "We were waiting for PM Modi. The Opposition must be allowed to speak. Democracy must be respected."
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari accused the government of dragging Nehru and Indira Gandhi into debates to distract from the Naravane issue, calling the episode "a dark chapter" for parliamentary culture.
The day's tensions escalated further after Rahul Gandhi called Union MoS for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu a "traitor" outside Parliament. As Bittu walked past protesting Congress MPs, Gandhi said, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Look at the face... Don't worry, you will come back (to Congress)."
Bittu hit back, calling Gandhi "desh ke dushman" and later accusing the Congress of hypocrisy, invoking Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "You were fine when I was with you, but now that I'm in the BJP you use such language," he said.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri condemned Gandhi's remark. "The word 'traitor' implies betrayal of the country. It should never be used lightly. Parliamentary discourse must be decent," he said.
The BJP launched protests in Delhi and Punjab, with workers demanding Gandhi apologise and resign. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva shouted slogans, calling Rahul Gandhi a "gaddaar". He was later detained by the police.
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha was adjourned multiple times amid sloganeering over the suspension of eight Opposition MPs for "throwing papers on the Chair" during protests linked to the Naravane reference. The suspended MPs continued demonstrations outside Parliament with posters alleging the PM was "compromised".
By evening, PM Modi's speech slot had vanished, the House stood paralysed, and the Budget Session faced yet another heating day. Both the Houses will begin at 11 am on Thursday.