New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said that for the first time in Parliament’s history, he was not allowed to speak (during the debate on President’s speech) earlier in the budget session, and alleged that the government has been compromised.
Even as Gandhi didn’t give a full speech, he exercised his right to reply after his name was repeatedly mentioned by BJP speakers during the debate on no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla.
“Multiple times, my name is being raised, while things are being said about me… this house is the expression of the people of India, this house does not represent one party, this house represents the whole country. Every time we get up to speak, we are stopped from speaking, multiple times,” Gandhi said.
But as soon as he alleged that the government is compromised, the BJP bench erupted in protests. Gandhi referred to his effort to raise the issue of former army chief Manoj Naravane’s unpublished book and Epstein files, and said, “I was silenced. These issues are fundamental to the people of India.”
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, in his defence of Gandhi, said, “When the Chair, the custodian of the rights of every Member of this House, stopped being an impartial umpire the Opposition was left with no choice but to take such a step.”
{{/usCountry}}Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, in his defence of Gandhi, said, “When the Chair, the custodian of the rights of every Member of this House, stopped being an impartial umpire the Opposition was left with no choice but to take such a step.”
{{/usCountry}}Venugopal also alleged “surrender” by the government. “Why did the Indian government surrender completely to the US? The American Government officials are declaring that India is allowed for 30 days to take oil from Russia. Who is telling?
Participating in the debate, Bihar MP Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress of turning the Lok Sabha into anarchy and warned against weaponising the no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla.
“The Opposition, particularly the Congress, wants to turn the House into anarchy, which will not be accepted. The whole country looks at the Parliament and they have made it into a joke,” Prasad said during the debate over the no-confidence motion.