No way to run the House: Rahul Gandhi hits out at LS Speaker, says not allowed to speak
NEW DELHI, MAR 26 : Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the government of stifling the voice of the Opposition, claiming that he has not been allowed to speak in the House for the past several days. His remarks come amid ongoing disruptions and heated exchanges in Parliament.
“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. Speaker just left and he did not let me speak…he said something unsubstantiated about me…he adjourned the House, there was no need,” he said.
“There is a convention that the Leader of Opposition is allowed to speak. However, whenever I stand to speak, I am not allowed. I don’t know how the House is functioning. We are not being allowed to say what we want,” Gandhi said. He further added, “The whole spirit of democracy is being compromised. I have been sitting silently, yet I was not given the opportunity to speak. There is no place for the Opposition… only for the government. The Prime Minister spoke about the Kumbh Mela, I wanted to speak too but was denied the chance.”
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday spoke about the importance of maintaining decorum and following procedural rules.
It was not immediately clear what was the reason for the Speaker to make the observation, reported PTI.
“Several instances have come to my notice where the conduct of members does not conform to the high standards expected in the House,” the Speaker said. He specifically cited Rule 349, which outlines the rules to be observed by members, adding, “In this House, father and daughter, mother and daughter, husband and wife have been members. In this context, I expect the Leader of the Opposition to conduct himself in accordance with the rules.”
-PTI
