New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) Union ministers and ruling dispensation MPs on Thursday strongly criticised the alleged conduct of Congress members with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, terming it “inappropriate” and “against constitutional norms”, while the opposition party leaders defended their actions, saying they had only sought to raise procedural concerns with the Speaker.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said that behaving in an improper manner with the Speaker was unacceptable and unprecedented.
“I believe that behaving in such a manner with the Speaker is completely inappropriate. In the history of Parliament, such an incident has rarely, if ever, occurred. MPs can certainly meet the Speaker and put forward their views, but threatening him is not right. It is against the Constitution,” he said.
Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas MP Shambhavi Choudhary also expressed concern over what she described as the conduct of Congress members.
“Over the past few days, we have been observing certain developments very closely. Even during the Winter Session, the conduct of Congress MPs was not appropriate. However, the manner in which they are now using words against our Speaker, Om Birla, is deeply concerning,” she said.
Referring to the reported incident near the Prime Minister’s seat, Choudhary added: “The manner in which they went up to the Prime Minister’s seat and behaved was completely inappropriate. Their conduct shows that the Congress party and its MPs have forgotten parliamentary decorum and traditions. Criticism is a part of democracy, but it should be expressed within the bounds of dignity and propriety.”
Union Minister of State B.L. Verma termed the episode “extremely unfortunate”.
“Such an incident taking place in Parliament, especially involving the Speaker, is deeply shameful. There can be nothing more disgraceful than this. MPs from the Congress party should apologise before the nation. If they do not do so, the people of this country will not forgive them,” Verma said.
Reacting to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement on the matter, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury questioned the basis of the allegations.
“If it was made properly and you have proof, then present it. But how did it reach you? If a Congress MP made it, how did it come into your possession? Please explain that. And now you are showing it publicly,” she said.
Congress MP Amar Singh said that party MPs had only gone to meet the Speaker to raise specific concerns.
“All the Congress MPs had gone to meet the Speaker. The grievance of the Congress members was that Rahul Gandhi was not being allowed to speak even a single word during the President’s address and that his microphone was being switched off. You had said that no book or magazine should be quoted in the House. Then how did Nishikant Dubey quote five to ten books, and how was his microphone kept on? That was the issue being raised with the Speaker,” he said.
Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla alleged that the government was attempting to shift focus from substantive issues.
“The government may try to do anything, but the situation appears deeply concerning. It seems that the Speaker is under immense pressure. This may be presented as a privilege of motion, but the real question is: why did you sign the US deal? Why does the Prime Minister appear so weak on this issue? Whatever terms were sent, you signed and approved them. Tell the country clearly: is an 18 per cent tariff higher or is a 0 per cent tariff higher? Claiming that 0 per cent is higher and 18 per cent is lower is misleading people,” he said.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the ruling alliance and the Opposition in Parliament, with both sides accusing each other of undermining parliamentary norms and procedure.
–IANS
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