Unparliamentary language row: 'No word is banned, but…', clarifies Om Birla

Several senior members of Parliament criticised the report of the Lok Sabha secretariat which released a list of words that have been designated as "unparliamentary".

Updated on: Jul 14, 2022, 17:28:58 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid the row over the questioning of the Lok Sabha secretariat by the Opposition over words listed as "unparliamentary", Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday clarified that no word has been banned and the secretariat issued a compilation of the words that have been expunged in the House previously.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, Thursday, (PTI)

Birla said words chosen for expunging have been used by members of the ruling party as well as the opposition.

“Words that have been expunged have been said/used in the Parliament by the Opposition as well as the party in power. Nothing as such selective expunging of words used by only Opposition...no words have been banned, have removed words that were objected to previously,” Birla said at a press conference.

“Earlier a book of such unparliamentary words used to be released... to avoid wastage of papers, we have put it on internet. No words have been banned, we have issued a compilation of the words that have been expunged,” Birla said, adding that it's a routine practice continuing since 1959.

Earlier, several senior members of Parliament criticised the report of the Lok Sabha secretariat which released a list of words that have been designated as "unparliamentary".

Also Read | Unparliamentary words list compilation of those declared so by legislative bodies

Birla added that members are free to express their views; no one can snatch that right but should be as per decorum of Parliament.

“The decision to expunge words taken keeping in mind context and objections raised by other members,” the Speaker added.

The Lok Sabha secretariat published a booklet that listed words such as 'ashamed', 'jumlajeevi', 'taanashah', 'abused', 'betrayed', 'corrupt', 'drama', 'hypocrisy' and 'incompetent' as unparliamentary expressions.

The Opposition targeted the government, accusing it of listing every word used by them to "describe how BJP was destroying India" as unparliamentary.

Birla said people unaware of parliamentary practices were making all kinds of comments and asserted that legislatures were independent of government.

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