Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju Monday slammed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the latter's statement inside the Parliament.
Following the pandemonium in Lok Sabha which ensued after Rahul's attempt to read the excerpt from an unpublished book by a former army chief, Rijiju told the Congress MP to not “play with national security,” ANI reported.
The excerpts, from Naravane's memoir ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, allegedly pertain to the 2020 Galwan clash during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. The book has been pending with the government for approval for two years now.
Also Read | ‘Sins of 1962’: BJP's China retort to Rahul Gandhi over ex-army chief's unpublished book
“National security is very important. Don't play with national security by speaking the language of anti-India elements. Don't make the national security issue a political weapon, an instrument to make some kind of damaging statement in the parliament,” Rijiju said, adding that people should take “serious note” of all matters related to national interest.
Rahul ‘considers himself above the Parliament’: Rijiju
{{/usCountry}}“National security is very important. Don't play with national security by speaking the language of anti-India elements. Don't make the national security issue a political weapon, an instrument to make some kind of damaging statement in the parliament,” Rijiju said, adding that people should take “serious note” of all matters related to national interest.
Rahul ‘considers himself above the Parliament’: Rijiju
{{/usCountry}}Speaking about the incident inside the Parliament, Rijiju alleged that Rahul had “flouted rules” and had quoted from a book “whose publication and authenticity” was not specified.
“Defence Minister and all of us said that the House will function as per rules and one should speak as per rules...One cannot challenge the Chair,” the union minister told ANI, adding that Rahul “kept repeating the same mistake.”
“He started speaking on China border...Can the Congress party bring back the landmass that was captured by China in 1959 and 1962?” Rijiju questioned, while demanding that the Congress MP “apologise to the nation.”
“India is a democratic nation and function as per rules. Rahul Gandhi doesn't follow any rules. He considers himself above Parliament,” Rijiju alleged.
Rahul, while seeking to counter the BJP's charge of “Congress not being patriotic”, mentioned a phrase regarding “Chinese tanks in Doklam” from the memoir, following which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interjected.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah too interevened, saying, “When the book has not even been published, how can he (Rahul) quote from it?” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla then agreed with the ministers and asked the LoP to continue with his speech without this part.