Rahul reiterates charge he is 'never allowed to speak' in Parl, INDIA leaders meet Speaker
New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed he is "never allowed" to speak in Parliament, as a host of INDIA bloc leaders met Speaker Om Birla to raise the issue of the Congress leader being denied the opportunity to speak in the House the previous day.
"I am never allowed to speak brother...I don't know what they are scared of," Gandhi told reporters on the Parliament complex on Thursday when asked about his allegations the House was being run "non-democratically".
His latest charge come on a day several opposition leaders met Speaker Birla over Gandhi being denied the opportunity to speak in the House on Wednesday. They also flagged an alleged "politicisation" of the institution of Speaker.
Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said an INDIA bloc delegation comprising leaders from the Congress, SP, TMC, DMK, Kerala Congress, RJD, IUML, RLP and the MDMK, met the Speaker during Zero Hour.
"We have given a letter, which was signed by many parties including the RSP and Shiv Sena (UBT). We conveyed our collective concern and collective disappointment before the Speaker on how the ruling side is violating the traditions, rules and culture of the House," Gogoi told reporters after the meeting Thursday.
He said the main matter was the context and issue over which the Speaker made a statement on the LoP on Wednesday.
"He made a reference to Rule 349 and said members and the LoP must follow this. What specific incident he was referring to was not clear. There was politicisation and propaganda over the Speaker's remarks. We apprised the Speaker of how his remarks had been politicised outside," Gogoi said.
"When the LoP stood up, the House was adjourned. He was not allowed to speak despite his name being taken in the House. The whole country saw it. The LoP is a Constitutional post, remarks were made about him but he was not allowed to speak. There was no clarity on what incident the Speaker was referring to but the BJP IT cell was politicising the issue," he said, terming the incident saddening.
Sources said Gogoi, DMK's A Raja, SP's Dharmendra Yadav, TMC's Kaylan Banerjee, and NCP (SP) Supriya Sule were among the MPs who met the Speaker.
"By convention, whenever the LoP stands up, they are usually allowed to speak. This has been documented in Shakdher and Kaul's parliamentary practices. However, the present government repeatedly denies the LoP an opportunity to speak, even when formally requested," sources quoted opposition leaders as saying in the letter.
This is a departure from past practices, when even in confrontational situations, the LoP was heard, they said.
The opposition parties also raised the issue of "non-appointment" of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha.
Birla on Wednesday asked Rahul Gandhi to conduct himself in line with the rules of procedure that members are expected to observe to uphold the dignity of the House, prompting the Leader of Opposition to claim that the remarks against him were "unsubstantiated".
