New Delhi, March 26 Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Speaker Om Birla of running the House in an “undemocratic manner” and denying him the opportunity to speak.
He claimed that his repeated requests to address key issues like unemployment and the Maha Kumbh Mela in the House were ignored.
“I requested him (the Speaker) to let me speak, but he just ran away. This is no way to run the House,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside the House.
Gandhi stated that despite sitting quietly, he was consistently prevented from speaking, which he described as a tactic to muzzle the Opposition.
The Speaker, Om Birla, defended the proceedings, emphasising the importance of maintaining decorum in the House. He referenced Rule 349, which outlines the expected conduct of members, and urged Gandhi to adhere to these standards.
Birla also invoked Rule 372, which allows the Prime Minister or any minister to make statements without taking questions during a session, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Before he adjourned the House in the day, the Speaker said members are expected to maintain decorum on the floor. "Several instances have come to my notice in which the conduct of members is not up to the high standards of this House. This House has seen father-daughter, mother-daughter and husband-wife as members. In this context, I expect that the Leader of the Opposition behaves in the House in line with Rule 349," the Speaker said.
Rule 349 lays down the rules of conduct for members to observe in the House.
A week earlier, the House witnessed an uproar during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address on Maha Kumbh. PM Modi highlighted the event's cultural significance and its role in showcasing India's capabilities, but Opposition members protested, raising concerns about the stampede deaths at the gathering. Amid the din, Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 372. Speaking to the media later, Gandhi had said, "I wanted to support what the Prime Minister (Modi) said. Kumbh is our tradition, history and culture. Our only complaint is that the Prime Minister did not pay tribute to those who died in Kumbh." Gandhi reiterated his dissatisfaction with the Speaker's approach, stating that the Opposition was being systematically excluded from parliamentary discussions.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions between the ruling party and the Opposition, with Gandhi accusing the government of stifling democratic debate. The Speaker's emphasis on decorum and rules, juxtaposed with Gandhi's allegations of unfair treatment, highlights the challenges of maintaining balance and inclusivity in parliamentary proceedings.
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