Kiren Rijiju asserted that Rahul Gandhi must follow parliamentary rules, responding to the LoP's complaint about being silenced. The standoff led to the suspension of eight opposition MPs for the remainder of the budget session amid heavy protests.
Rijiju to Gandhi: 'You Need to Speak As Per the Rules'
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi must follow parliamentary rules while speaking in the House. He added that he had replied to Gandhi's letter and that no member can speak arbitrarily in Parliament.
A day earlier, Rahul Gandhi wrote to Speaker Om Birla, raising concerns over being prevented from speaking on matters of national security during the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address. Speaking to the reporters, Rijiju said, "I have responded to it. We, too, are tired of waiting, but he doesn't speak. He says that he will speak out of the rules. We waited two days, but others too should be allowed to speak. He can't speak arbitrarily. This is the Parliament of India, you need to speak as per the rules."
Opposition Accuses Govt of Stifling Voice
Meanwhile, Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh said it is the right of the Leader of Opposition and every MP to speak in Parliament. He accused the BJP-led government of deliberately trying to stop Rahul Gandhi and stifle the voice of the Opposition. "It is true. It is the right of LoP and every MP. I have been seeing that since the day Rahul Gandhi has been trying to speak, the entire BJP Govt is adamant on stopping him...BJP's history was written in this manner. In the past, they ran the House by suspending MPs. If they want to run an Opposition-less House, do it. We can never tolerate if they want to stifle the voice of Opposition," Singh told ANI.
8 Opposition MPs Suspended Amid Uproar in Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha was adjourned on Wednesday amid heavy sloganeering by Opposition members over the suspension of eight opposition MPs a day earlier during the Budget Session. The session will resume at 12 pm.
The suspended opposition MPs were seen protesting outside Parliament, holding posters reading "PM is compromised." LoP Rahul Gandhi had alleged the same while speaking to the media on the India-US trade agreement.
The suspended MPs include Congress members Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Dean Kuriakose, as well as CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to reply today to the motion of thanks to the President's address.
Eight opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the budget session for violating rules and "throwing papers on the chair" following uproar in the House over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's insistence on mentioning a specific reference to the 2020 standoff with China in eastern Ladakh.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)