New Delhi: BJP MPs are preparing to move a breach of privilege motion against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in Parliament, claiming that Chinese troops are present on Indian soil, sources said. His statement sparked uproar in the Lok Sabha yesterday, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing him of lying.
During his response to the President’s address in the Budget Session, Mr. Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the government, alleging that the Modi administration had failed to strengthen the manufacturing sector through the ‘Make in India’ initiative. This, he claimed, had led to the presence of Chinese troops on Indian soil.
Mr. Rijiju intervened, accusing the Congress leader of spreading false narratives. “We remind him that such frivolous remarks and language should not be repeatedly used, as they undermine parliamentary standards,” he said.
Later, Mr. Rijiju met Speaker Om Birla, demanding that Rahul Gandhi provide proof for his claims, sources told NDTV.
According to sources, BJP MPs are considering filing a privilege notice against Mr. Gandhi if he fails to substantiate his allegations.
A breach of privilege notice is a parliamentary mechanism used against members who misuse their rights or provide misleading information in the House.
Mr. Gandhi also addressed the issue of unemployment in his speech, alleging that India has outsourced production jobs to China. He claimed that Beijing was “occupying 4,000 sq km of our land” and asserted that the Army’s statements contradicted the government’s claim that no territory had been ceded to China.
“The reason China has entered our territory is because ‘Make in India’ has failed. India is reluctant to produce, and I fear we are once again surrendering this industrial revolution to the Chinese,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Mr. Rijiju dismissed the allegation, stating that such an “unsubstantiated statement” about the “relations between two countries” could not be made.
Mr. Gandhi also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to the U.S. multiple times to “secure an invitation for the Prime Minister” to attend Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.
Responding to the claim, Mr. Jaishankar, a Rajya Sabha member, refuted it, accusing the Congress leader of “deliberately spreading falsehoods.” “At no point was an invitation for the Prime Minister discussed. It is well known that our PM does not attend such events. In fact, India is usually represented by Special Envoys,” he said.
