As the PM addresses the Rajya Sabha, the opposition leaves under the shouts “Let LoP speak.”

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the House in response to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address on Thursday, opposition parties, led by the Congress, staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha amid loud cries of “Let the LoP speak.”

Opposition MPs, led by Upper House Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, produced a prolonged commotion while the Prime Minister began his speech, demanding that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, be given the opportunity to speak.Gandhi’s attempt to cite from an unpublished book by former Army Chief General MM Naravane was blocked by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, which sparked the commotion.

Over the last three days, the Lok Sabha has experienced a considerable loss of business hours due to the problem, which has already caused numerous inconveniences. Citing parliamentary regulations, the Speaker had prevented the Rae Bareli MP from reciting a passage from a magazine that featured parts of General Naravane’s book, Four Stars of Destiny.

The Congress also accused the government of undermining democracy in the Rajya Sabha, claiming that the governing party was impeding Parliament’s ability to function by denying Rahul Gandhi the right to free speech. Regarding the Army’s standoffs with the Chinese military at Doklam and Galwan, Rahul Gandhi has insisted that the passage he meant to reference was in the country’s best interests. Any member who wishes to quote a document must authenticate it by providing a signed copy attesting to its accuracy to the best of their knowledge, per parliamentary rules.