New Delhi, Feb 10 (NationPress) Union Minister Giriraj Singh urged on Tuesday for a privilege motion to be initiated against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, due to his claims that the BJP is trying to misrepresent the book by former Army chief General M.M. Naravane as "unpublished". According to Gandhi, the memoir is already in the public domain.

This political clash escalated amid the ongoing impasse in Parliament regarding the yet-to-be-released memoir of the former Army chief.

Gandhi has ramped up his criticism of both the government and Penguin, the book's publisher, insisting that the memoir is publicly accessible and accusing the BJP of attempting to hide what he refers to as "inconvenient truths".

After a House adjournment on Tuesday, Gandhi told reporters that the book is available on the e-commerce site Amazon, a claim that Penguin has firmly disputed.

In response, Giriraj Singh stated, "Rahul Gandhi should face a privilege motion, as the publisher has confirmed that the book has not yet been publicly released. Thus, the authenticity of his claim is compromised. A privilege motion against Rahul Gandhi is necessary."

He further condemned the opposition for their ongoing disturbances in parliamentary sessions and their disrespect towards the Prime Minister.

"The way they (opposition) are interrupting House proceedings and disparaging the Prime Minister warrants strict action against them," Singh remarked.

Meanwhile, Gandhi presented to journalists a 2023 X post from the former Army chief, encouraging readers to explore the memoir detailing the 2020 India-China clash.

Pointing to the post, Gandhi remarked, "Naravane tweeted in 2023. Just follow the link -- happy reading, Jai Hind. Either Penguin or the former Army chief is lying; both cannot be correct."

The Lok Sabha has faced repeated adjournments for over a week amid protests and disruptions over General Naravane's book. The opposition insists on discussing the supposed "revelations" from the memoir, while the government has resisted any dialogue on the matter in the House.

The controversy intensified on Monday when Gandhi showcased what he claimed to be a copy of the book outside the House, igniting fresh tensions and heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition.

Further escalating his criticism, the Leader of Opposition reiterated his support for the former Army chief, questioning the government's and publisher's stances.

"I trust Naravane ji over Penguin. Would you choose to believe Naravane instead of Penguin?" Gandhi asked during a press interaction.

He also asserted that the memoir contains numerous sensitive details that could put the government in a precarious position, alleging that this is the reason for attempts to prevent the opposition from discussing the 2020 India-China military standoff in Parliament.