A day after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to follow the rules, a delegation of INDIA bloc leaders met him on Thursday and submitted a memorandum on what they alleged was ‘disregard of Parliamentary procedures by the Union government’.
The delegation included Congress Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Samajwadi Party’s Dharmendra Yadav, DMK’s A Raja, TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee, and NCP’s Supriya Sule.
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Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gogoi said, ”…We gave a letter to the Speaker that has the signatures of the people of INDIA Alliance, including RSP and Shiv Sena (UBT)… We wrote in the letter how the ruling party is violating the traditions, rules, and culture of the House…”
“Yesterday, the Speaker said that the LoP should follow Rule 349, but he did not clarify which incident he was referring to… In the evening, this incident was politicised outside the House… Yesterday, when LoP stood up to speak, the House was immediately adjourned…,” he added
Yesterday, the Speaker asked LoP Gandhi to follow the rules of procedure that members are expected to observe to uphold the dignity of the House.
The Speaker, on Wednesday, expressed displeasure over the conduct of LoP Gandhi during a parliamentary session. His remarks came after the Rae Bareli MP was seen approaching his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, and affectionately pinching her cheek while the session was in progress.
The incident, captured on video, has since circulated widely on social media, drawing public attention and sparking discussion about appropriate conduct within the Lok Sabha.
“Several instances have come to my notice where the conduct of members does not conform to the high standards,” the Speaker said. “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 Rule 349 that deals with rules to be observed by members in the House,” the Speaker said. “Especially, it is expected of the leader of the Opposition to conduct himself as per the rules,” Birla noted.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Thursday, on being asked if he will speak in Parliament today, said, “Won’t be allowed to speak… I don’t know what they are scared of.”
Yesterday, Mr Gandhi alleged that Parliament is being run in a completely undemocratic manner. ”There is a rule that the leader of the Opposition is allowed to speak in the House, but whenever I want to speak, I am not allowed to speak. In a democracy, there is a place for the government and the Opposition, but there is no place for the Opposition in this House,” he lamented.
Gandhi said that the Speaker made remarks about him and then adjourned the House without giving him an opportunity to speak. ”The Speaker ‘just ran away’ when he attempted to speak,” he regretted.
Today, Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said, “Rahul Gandhi should not be questioned in such a manner. He has addressed everything. No one knows why the Speaker made such a remark about him. This is not understandable, and it is very wrong.”
