Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Speaker Om Birla of not giving him a chance to speak in Parliament. Gandhi said that despite repeated requests to bring up crucial issues, he was ignored, and the proceedings were being done in an “undemocratic manner”.
“I have no idea what’s happening. I asked him (the Speaker) to allow me to speak, but he just bolted and did not allow me to speak. This is not how to run the House,” Gandhi informed journalists outside Parliament.
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He also said that he had wished to speak on issues like the Maha Kumbh Mela to be held next year and increasing unemployment but was continuously thwarted. “I did nothing, I was sitting quietly. But whenever I rise, I am not allowed to speak. There is no room for democracy here,” he said.
Om Birla Appeals Rahul Gandhi to Obey House Rules
Following Gandhi’s remarks, Speaker Om Birla responded by urging members, particularly the Leader of Opposition, to follow the rules of parliamentary procedure to maintain the dignity of the House. “Several instances have come to my notice where the conduct of members does not conform to the high standards,” he stated.
Invoking the rules of parliament, Birla underscored that members should comply with Rule 349, which lays down behaviour expected of a member in the House. “In this House, there have been father and daughter, mother and daughter, husband and wife members. In such a context, I expect the Leader of the Opposition to behave according to Rule 349,” he said.
“Especially, it is expected of the Leader of the Opposition to conduct himself as per the rules,” the Speaker reiterated.
Rahul Gandhi, however, maintained that the Speaker made remarks about him and then adjourned the House without giving him a chance to respond. He claimed that he had not been allowed to speak in the past week.
Congress MPs Protest Gandhi’s ‘Denial’ to Speak
In response to the situation, around 70 Congress MPs, including Deputy Leader of Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, party general secretary KC Venugopal, and party whip Manickam Tagore, met the Speaker to protest what they called a “denial” of Gandhi’s right to speak in the House, according to party sources.
