E-Paper
Lok Sabha Speaker Birla says no words banned amid row before monsoon session
On Thursday, a major row broke out over a document titled ‘Unparliamentary Expressions’ issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat. It is a compilation of ‘references to words and expressions’ expunged in Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and state legislatures last year.
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Thursday sought to nix a swirling controversy over a list of “unparliamentary words” in Parliament, saying there was no blanket ban on any word in the House and the context of usage would determine whether a particular word would be expunged from the records.
The controversy broke out over a document titled “Unparliamentary Expressions” issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat. It was a compilation of “references to words and expressions” expunged in Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and state legislatures last year, and also words and expressions disallowed in some Commonwealth parliaments before that. The list has been issued regularly for decades.
Also Read: 'Jumlajeevi’, ‘corrupt’ banned in Parliament; Oppn asks, ‘What next Vishguru?’
But a number of Opposition parties, such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, compared the list to a gag order and alleged that it only contained words that opponents used to describe the central government.
Birla rejected the charges of political bias.
“No word or phrase has been banned in Parliament. Members of Parliament have full freedom to express themselves in the floor of the House. The process of identifying unparliamentary words, based on words expunged in Parliament or assemblies, had started since 1954,” he said.
He pointed out that some words in the list, such as crocodile’s tears or “koyla chor” (coal-thief), were used by ruling party members. “There is no government intervention. The decision to expunge any words or phrases from the proceedings of the House is taken only on the instructions of the Speaker. If some leaders had problem with words getting expunged, why didn’t they object to it earlier?”
The last such list was published in 2019. The 2022 edition contained words such as chamchagiri (expunged in the Karnataka assembly), snoopgate (Lok Sabha), cockroaches (Australia), corrupt (Lok Sabha, Australia) and provided the context in which they were deemed unparliamentary.
Shortly after the list became public, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi termed the compilation as the “New Dictionary for New India”. Tweeting the word “unparliamentary”, Gandhi said, “Words used in discussion and debates which correctly describe the PM’s handling of the government, now banned from being spoken…Example of an unparliamentary sentence: jumlajeevi tanashah shed crocodile tears when his lies and incompetence were exposed,” he said.
Also Read: In Rahul Gandhi's 'New Dictionary' jibe, 'Tanashah shed crocodile tears'
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “All words used by the Opposition to describe the reality of Modi Sarkar now to be considered unparliamentary.”
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien dubbed the list as a gag order and said, “Now, we will not be allowed to use these basic words while delivering a speech in #Parliament : Ashamed. Abused. Betrayed. Corrupt. Hypocrisy. Incompetent. I will use all these words. Suspend me. Fighting for democracy.”
Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also hit out at the government, saying the meme to speak only “Wah Modi ji, Wah” seems to be turning true.
Also Read: List of banned words ‘itself unparliamentary’, says AAP's Raghav Chadha
The compilation of unparliamentary words has been brought out as books in the years 1986, 1992, 1999, 2004 and 2009. After 2018, this compilation has been uploaded on the Lok Sabha intranet and Members’ Portal for the use of Members of Parliament. Birla also clarified that during the course of discussions, the Presiding Officer of the House, if they deem fit, can refer to the records of those words or phrases which have been expunged earlier.
In the preface of the list, the document says the words are meant to “facilitate quick and easy retrieval” of references, and they may not be unparliamentary unless “read in conjunction with the other expressions spoken during the parliamentary proceedings”. It is up to the Speaker or the Chair of the respective House to act on a particular word, which most usually is a decision to expunge it from the record of the proceedings.
