New Delhi, Feb 3 (NationPress) Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday criticized Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he is causing disruptions in House proceedings by bringing up the Ladakh standoff issue while referencing a magazine article associated with an "unpublished book" by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.

On Monday, Speaker Om Birla had ruled that quoting news articles or magazines is against Parliamentary rules, emphasizing that only "authentic sources" are permissible in the House.

Gandhi's remarks and insistence led to a tumultuous atmosphere in the House, escalating into a furious exchange of words outside of Parliament.

Rijiju informed reporters after the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, "Yesterday, a productive debate occurred in the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha discussion also started positively. However, the entire debate was disrupted by Rahul Gandhi."

He noted, "A constructive debate took place in the Rajya Sabha, with MPs engaging actively and offering significant suggestions. Discussions in both Houses began well, but came to a standstill because of Rahul Gandhi."

Repeated interruptions from the treasury benches compelled Gandhi to provide "authentic" sources to back his claims.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also interrupted Gandhi’s address, questioning the credibility of his statements.

Despite the chaos, Gandhi remained resolute in raising the Ladakh standoff issue for reasons of "national security".

Rijiju condemned the behavior, asserting, "Procedures must be adhered to by all. We are elected representatives, and the House operates according to established rules. Disrespecting these is unacceptable, and everyone must comply."

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister further accused Gandhi of "wasting the time" of other MPs, including those from the opposition, during the proceedings.

According to Rijiju, "Even if one has good intentions, they should not obstruct others from expressing their views during debates. Many MPs in Congress and opposition parties engage constructively and have valuable suggestions, but their time is squandered due to Rahul Gandhi."

He added, "The Congress party has a habit of not recognizing anything positive; they cannot achieve anything worthwhile, and even when something beneficial occurs for the country, they cannot tolerate it."

Meanwhile, the disruptions and protests from Congress MPs, along with sloganeering from the opposition benches, persisted on Tuesday.