A massive ruckus erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Rahul Gandhi quoted an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane while speaking on the 2020 India-China confrontation. The Leader of Opposition was scheduled to speak on the President’s address, but instead cited excerpts from the unreleased book. The memoir, cited by the Congress leader, allegedly claims that four Chinese tanks were moving rapidly towards the Indian side and that the then Army chief had informed top government officials about it.
The ruling party strongly objected, arguing that Rahul Gandhi was quoting a book that has not yet been published. This led to repeated disruptions, and after two earlier adjournments over the issue, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the entire day.
What actually happened
The PLA never entered Indian territory, nor did it acquire any land belonging to India during the 2020 confrontation, as it faced strong retaliation from Indian forces. This has been categorically stated on several occasions by General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
The four tanks referred to by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha did move towards the Indian side, but they were forced to retreat after a decisive and firm response from Indian troops. Indian forces were proactively deployed in all areas of confrontation, including Pangong Tso and Galwan, ensuring preparedness at every critical point.
Following India’s strong response, the Chinese side clearly realised that India held a tactical edge. As a result, DGMO-level talks and Corps Commander-level talks were initiated, during which it was decided that disengagement would take place, as the PLA was on the back foot.
India TV released exclusive videos showing Chinese tanks making a U-turn after sensing India’s strong position.
Notably, India had established an observation post at an altitude of around 20,000 feet, enabling surveillance of Chinese activities up to 15–20 kilometers inside their territory, which played a significant role during the confrontation.
