The Lok Sabha turned into a battleground on Monday as sharp exchanges erupted between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and senior Union ministers, triggering chaos in the House during the Budget Session. The flashpoint came moments after Gandhi began his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.

As the Congress leader started citing content linked to former Army Chief General (Retd) Manoj Mukund Naravane, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh immediately intervened, objecting to any reference drawn from material that has not officially entered the public domain. Singh insisted that parliamentary conventions do not permit quoting from unpublished books or documents.

Rahul Gandhi pushed back strongly, asserting that the reference he was making was authenticated and relevant. He claimed he was compelled to raise the issue after BJP MP Tejasvi Surya questioned the Congress party’s nationalism. “I had no intention of speaking on this subject, but when our patriotism is challenged, silence is not an option,” Gandhi argued.

Speaker Om Birla stepped in, reminding members that House rules bar citations from unpublished material or content not directly connected to the business before Parliament. Gandhi then clarified that he was drawing from a magazine article to present his argument, a move that further escalated tensions.

Rajnath Singh accused the Congress leader of misleading the House, while Home Minister Amit Shah backed the objection, stressing the importance of verified and official sources. “Magazines can print anything,” Shah remarked, urging adherence to parliamentary discipline and credibility.

As tempers flared, Opposition MPs protested what they saw as repeated interruptions, while Treasury bench members demanded strict rule enforcement. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sided with Gandhi, urging the Speaker to allow the Opposition leader to complete his speech, especially on sensitive national issues.