According to sources, Rahul Gandhi tried to raise the issue of Chinese agression and better equipping the soldiers on the borders with China in Ladakh, but he was not allowed to speak by the committee’s Chairman Jual Oram

NEW DELHI – Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday walked out of a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, accusing the panel of wasting time by discussing uniforms instead of Chinese aggression and national security, sources said.

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi tried to raise the issue of Chinese agression and better equipping the soldiers on the borders with China in Ladakh, but he was not allowed to speak by the committee’s Chairman Jual Oram.

The sources claimed that the committee was discussing the uniforms of the three armed forces in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, when Rahul Gandhi tried to intervene saying that the time of the panel was being wasted by discussing uniforms instead of Chinese agression on the borders and equipping the armed forces personnel in a better way.

The sources said that as he was not allowed to speak, the Congress leader walked out of the meeting. Two other Congress members, Rajiv Satav and Revanth Reddy, also left the meeting along with him.

Another source said that the other members questioned the Congress leader’s approach, saying it was not the Lok Sabha where he should be allowed to give a speech.

“There are few protocols of the panel, where a set of things are discussed. And the panel was discussing the same issue when he tried to intervene,” the source said.

General Bipin Rawat also left the meeting after the departure of the Congress leaders. -IANS