Quoting allowed if relevant, expert says on Rahul citing Naravane memoir on China

New Delhi (PTI): Amid a controversy over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoting from an unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief M M Naravane in Parliament, an expert on Parliamentary procedures on Tuesday said Rule 349 bars members from reading from any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the House.

However, the Rule does not elaborate about published or unpublished.

The Lok Sabha on Monday saw a stand off between Speaker Om Birla and Gandhi when the Speaker disallowed the Leader of the Opposition to quote from the unpublished memoir of the former army chief on the 2020 India-China conflict citing a House rule.

Speaker Birla cited Rule 349 to disallow Gandhi from quoting from the retired general's unpublished memoir.

"Rules to be observed by members in House" falls under Rule 349. The rule has 23 sub clauses dealing with a variety of issues.

Sub clause one deals with members quoting from documents. "Whilst the House is sitting, a member (i) shall not read any book, newspaper or letter except in connection with the business of the House," it reads.

"It also means that a member can refer to any of these if it is in connection with the business of the House," former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achary told PTI. He said while the rule is "negatively framed", it has a "positive meaning" also which allows members to quote from document if they are relevant to the business of the House.

On Monday, the business before the House was Motion of Thanks on the President's address which may have referred to foreign policy or relations, he said.

He underlined that though it is not in the rule, speakers have ruled in the past that members who want to quote something in the House should authenticate it.

"He or she has to mention that they stand by it and also verify the content of the document being quoted," the constitution expert said.

Acccording to Achary, once the document is authenticated, the speaker allows the member to quote it. Then it become the responsibility of the government to respond and the role of the speaker ends.

He cautioned that the House should only be told the truth and a member who quotes from an incorrect or fake document is held responsible.

"A privilege motion can be moved against the member," he underlined.

When Gandhi started quoting the from unpublished book, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh questioned as to how material which is not published can be cited in the House.

The House saw repeated adjournments as the Congress leader sought to quote from a news report which carried the excerpts from the unpublished memoir despite Speaker disallowing him.

While Gandhi said the government is "afraid" of a line that he wants to quote from the book and asserted that he would state that line in the Lower House, the BJP alleged that the Congress leader undermined the dignity of Parliament and hurt the morale of the Indian soldiers with his false accusations, in defiance of Speaker Birla's ruling.

The ruling party's leaders, including ministers, asked Gandhi to stop "speaking the language of anti-India elements".