New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday escalated his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the 2020 Ladakh standoff, openly daring the Prime Minister to face him in the Lok Sabha and accept a book written by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane.
Speaking to the media amid disruptions in Parliament, Gandhi said, “I don’t think PM will have the guts to come to the Lok Sabha today because if he comes, I am going to give him this book. If the PM comes, I will go physically and hand him this book so he can read it and the country can get to know the truth.”
Holding up General Naravane’s book, Gandhi said young Indians must know what is written in it, even though he claims he has been barred from quoting it inside the House.
“…Every youngster in India should see that this book exists. This is Mr Naravane’s book. He has given an entire account of Ladakh in this book; I have been told that I cannot quote this book,” Gandhi said.
He then narrated what he described as a critical moment during the Ladakh crisis, referring to the former Army Chief’s account.
“The main line is what the PM said – ‘jo uchit samjho wo karo’. When the (former) Chief of Army Staff General Naravane called up Rajnath Singh ji and said that Chinese tanks have reached the Kailash Ridge, so what should we do? First, Rajnath Singh did not respond to him. He asked Jaishankar ji, NSA and Rajnath Singh but received no reply,” Gandhi said.
According to Gandhi, the Army Chief was left without political direction at a decisive moment.
“He then called up Rajnath Singh once again. Rajnath Singh told him that he would ask the ‘top’. The standing order of the ‘top’ was that if Chinese forces come in, we should not fire on them without permission,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Army was prepared to respond but was constrained by unclear leadership.
“Naravane ji and our Army wanted to fire on those tanks because they had entered our territory. Narendra Modi ji gave a message that ‘jo uchit samjho wo karo’. It means that Narendra Modi did not fulfil his duties; he told the Army chief to do whatever he wants as ‘mere bas ki nahi hai,’” Gandhi said.
Quoting the former Army Chief’s emotional response, Gandhi concluded, “Naravane ji writes, ‘I felt really alone, I was abandoned by the entire establishment.’”
