NEW DELHI – On February 5, 2026, the Indian Parliament remains in a state of paralysis as a fierce confrontation between the government and a united Opposition has blocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi from delivering his scheduled reply to the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha.
The flashpoint of the standoff is an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane, titled Four Stars of Destiny, which the Congress claims exposes government indecision during the 2020 China border crisis.
1. The Core Dispute: “Four Stars of Destiny”
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has alleged “censorship” after being repeatedly blocked from quoting excerpts of the book in the House.
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The Allegation: Excerpts (published in The Caravan magazine) suggest that during the August 31, 2020 face-off at Rechin La, the political leadership was “too scared” to give clear orders, eventually telling Gen Naravane: “Jo uchit samjho woh karo” (Do what you deem appropriate).
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The Claim: Gandhi argues this proves the PM “passed the buck” to the Army during a national security crisis.
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Government Stance: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and the Speaker maintain that an unpublished book cannot be cited under Rule 349, as its authenticity cannot be verified.
2. Parliamentary Showdown & Suspensions
The conflict reached a boiling point on Tuesday, resulting in the suspension of eight Opposition MPs for the remainder of the Budget Session due to “unruly behavior,” including tearing papers and shouting slogans.
Suspended MPs Include:
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Congress: Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Prashant Padole, and Dean Kuriakose.
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CPI(M): S. Venkatesan.
3. The Opposition Strategy: “No Speech for No Speech”
The Congress-led INDIA bloc has issued a clear ultimatum: If Rahul Gandhi is not allowed to speak on the China border issue, they will not allow the Prime Minister to speak. * PM’s Reply Cancelled: The Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha speech was cancelled yesterday due to persistent shouting; he is now expected to attempt a reply in the Rajya Sabha this evening.
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Censorship Charge: Gandhi has written to the Speaker, calling the denial of his right to speak a “blot on democracy.”
Looking Ahead: The Budget Session Gridlock
The atmosphere remains highly charged as the government attempts to push through the Motion of Thanks amid continuous disruptions. The BJP has countered by calling Gandhi a “naive child” (abodh balak) for relying on “unauthenticated magazine snippets” to discuss sensitive national security matters.
