Targeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said he was not being allowed to speak in the House and that this was not the correct way to run the proceedings. “I don’t know what is going on. I requested him to let me speak but he (Speaker) just ran away. This is no way to run the House. The Speaker just left and he did not let me speak. He said something unsubstantiated about me. He adjourned the House, there was no need,” Mr Gandhi told the media.
The Rae Bareli MP said the convention is that the Leader of the Opposition is given a chance to address the House. “Whenever I stand up, I am not allowed to speak. What we want to say we are not allowed to. I did nothing. I was sitting quietly. I did not say a word. I have not been allowed to speak for 7-8 days. This is a new tactic. There is no place for Opposition. That day, the Prime Minister spoke about Kumbh Mela, I wanted to add something, speak about unemployment, but I was not allowed to. I don’t know what the Speaker’s approach is, but we are not being allowed to speak. This is a non-democratic way of functioning,” Mr Gandhi said.
Before he adjourned the House today, the Speaker said members of the House 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,” he said.
Rule 349 lays down the rules of conduct for members must observe in the House.
This comes a week after the uproar in the House during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on Maha Kumbh. The Prime Minister said the religious gathering in Prayagraj showcased India’s capabilities to the world and congratulated everyone associated with organising the mega event. As the Prime Minister spoke, Opposition members started protesting and questioned the government about the deaths in the stampede at Prayagraj.
Amid the din, Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 372. “Rule 372 clearly states that the Prime Minister or any minister can make statements in the House, without taking any questions,” he said.
Speaking to the media later, Mr 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.”
The Congress leader said youngsters expected work opportunities at the Kumbh. “So, the Prime Minister must have spoken about it,” he said. When the media asked him about not getting a chance to speak, Mr Gandhi replied, “According to democratic structure, the Leader of the Opposition should get an opportunity to speak, but they won’t let us. This is new India.”
