A heated confrontation over books and citations erupted in Parliament on Wednesday, sharply escalating tensions between the government and the Opposition. The flashpoint came after Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been “compromised” during the India–China standoff, while attempting to quote from an unpublished memoir. The claim prompted an aggressive counterattack from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who responded by publicly displaying a stack of controversial books in the Lok Sabha, asserting that they exposed decades of deception, betrayal and corruption involving the Nehru–Gandhi family.
The confrontation quickly spiralled into repeated disruptions, as the Opposition accused the Modi government of enforcing parliamentary rules selectively. Congress leaders argued that while Rahul Gandhi was prevented from citing even a published work, Dubey was allowed to brandish multiple books and read out passages attacking past and present members of the Congress leadership.
Reacting sharply, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised what she described as a Parliament functioning overwhelmingly in favour of the ruling party. Speaking outside the House, she said the government was attempting to project that it alone controlled parliamentary proceedings, calling this an affront to the authority of the Speaker, the dignity of Parliament, democratic norms and the mandate of the people.
As soon as the Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 pm, Dubey rose to speak and declared that since Rahul Gandhi had attempted to quote from an unpublished book, he would now expose the Gandhi family’s record. Holding up several books, he read out passages that accused the family — including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi — of sustained corruption since Independence.
The Speaker intervened mid-speech, invoking Rule 349, which prohibits members from reading out from books, newspapers or letters unless directly connected to the business of the House. The Speaker pointed out that the same rule had already been applied earlier when Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from former Army chief General M.M. Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Despite the ruling, Dubey continued, prompting loud protests from Opposition benches.
As the uproar intensified and Dubey showed no sign of stopping, the Speaker adjourned the House until 5 pm. The adjournment further inflamed tempers, with Priyanka Gandhi accusing the government of repeatedly deploying Dubey to derail proceedings whenever it suited its political interests.
She alleged blatant double standards, saying that while the Leader of the Opposition was prevented from quoting from a book, Dubey was allowed to sit with six books, display them openly and read out allegations without having his microphone switched off. According to her, this was a deliberate attempt to silence not just Rahul Gandhi, but also the millions of voters represented by Opposition MPs.
Priyanka Gandhi further claimed that the government was trying to divert attention from what General Naravane had reportedly written about the China crisis. She alleged that the leadership in power had been unable to take decisive action when Chinese troops were present along the border, and that preventing discussion of the memoir was part of a broader effort to suppress uncomfortable questions.
The turmoil ultimately forced another adjournment, delaying Prime Minister Modi’s scheduled reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. When the House reconvened briefly at 5 pm, it was adjourned again for the day.
By evening, it was clear that the confrontation had hardened political positions. With Rahul Gandhi’s allegations and Nishikant Dubey’s book-wielding counterattack, the conflict over who can speak, what can be quoted, and how parliamentary rules are applied has drawn clear battle lines between the government and the Opposition.
