Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla denied him the opportunity to speak in Parliament. As the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi criticized the way proceedings were being conducted, calling them “undemocratic” and claiming that his repeated requests to address key issues were ignored.
“I have no idea what is happening… I requested the Speaker to allow me to speak, but he simply walked away and refused to let me talk. This is not how the House should function,” Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament.
He further stated that he wanted to raise concerns about the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela and the rising unemployment crisis but was consistently prevented from speaking. “I was just sitting quietly, yet every time I stood up, I was stopped. There is no space for democracy here,” he remarked.
Speaker Om Birla Calls for Adherence to House Rules
Gandhi’s comments came after Speaker Om Birla emphasized the need for all members to follow procedural rules and maintain the dignity of the House. The Speaker noted that he had observed several instances where members failed to uphold these standards.
“In this House, we have seen fathers and daughters, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives as members. In that spirit, I expect the Leader of the Opposition to conduct himself in accordance with Rule 349, which outlines the code of conduct for members,” Birla stated.
The Speaker further stressed that it was especially important for the Leader of the Opposition to adhere to these rules.
Gandhi, however, accused the Speaker of making remarks about him and then adjourning the House without giving him a chance to respond. He also claimed that he had been denied the opportunity to speak throughout the past week.
In protest, around 70 Congress Lok Sabha MPs, including Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi, party General Secretary KC Venugopal, and party whip Manickam Tagore, met the Speaker to raise concerns over what they called the “denial” of Gandhi’s right to speak, according to party sources.
