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‘Am I allowed to speak?’ Rahul Gandhi’s big question in LS; claims Speaker had permitted him to raise points

Deepak Nagpal

Rahul Gandhi speaks in the Lok Sabha


The showdown in Parliament between the government and the opposition escalated on Monday with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleging that the Lok Sabha Speaker had gone back on his commitment to allow him to speak on the floor of the House.

When the Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 pm after repeated adjournments, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi rose to speak, but he was denied permission by the presiding chair. Gandhi then claimed that Speaker Om Birla had, about an hour ago, in a meeting with Congress MP KC Venugopal, agreed to let the LoP speak in the Lok Sabha.

“An hour ago, a Member of the House went to the Speaker. The Speaker committed to us that I will be allowed to speak here and raise some points before the Budget discussion. Now, you are going back on your word. So I’d like to know, am I allowed to speak those points or not?” Gandhi asked Sandhya Rai, who was presiding over the house at the time.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju then confirmed in the House about the meeting between the Lok Sabha Speaker and Congress leader Venugopal, adding that he was also present during the talks. But the minister denied that any commitment was given to let the LoP speak.

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“Rahul Gandhi ji said that Venugopal ji was in the Speaker’s chamber. I also joined, and we had a discussion. I want to confirm this, that the Speaker initiated the idea that if everyone agrees, the House should function, and Venugopal ji also said that we want to have something said by our Leader of the Opposition. But before that, we decide what topic you would speak on, the Speaker said this. What Rahul Gandhi ji said just now is not 100 per cent correct. The Speaker has not made a commitment. The Speaker said that if an agreement is reached, then we will allow you to speak, and we will also allow the leaders of other parties to speak. He did not say that we will only give the floor to the Congress,” Rijiju shared his understanding and version of the conversation.

Rahul was eventually not allowed to speak on any issue other than the Budget and the House was then adjourned till 11 am tomorrow.

Strange situation: Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, later speaking to reporters outside Parliament, asked whether the government really wanted to debate the Budget, calling the entire situation very strange. He added that the LoP, whenever he wishes to raise any issue, is allowed to speak as per the traditions of Parliament.

“There is a long-standing tradition of this House for more than 70 years that when two people ask for the floor, it is always given. One is the Leader of the Opposition, the other is the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. Now we have had two successive Presiding Officers who refused to let the Leader of the Opposition speak, whereas the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, whenever he raises his hand, he’s given the floor. That is not correct. You cannot favour the government side like this. The House belongs to all of us. Whatever LoP wanted to say, I’m sure the government can have the right to reply in due course. No one is going to prevent them from replying. But he should be allowed to lay his concerns and credentials. But when you don’t allow him to speak at all, you’re actually undermining the very purpose of Parliament, which is a House for discussion, it’s a House for deliberation,” the Congress MP said.

Tharoor expressed doubts about whether the presiding officers had received any instructions not to let the LoP speak in the Lok Sabha.

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“I don’t understand what instructions these presiding officers came with, but they simply wouldn’t let Rahul Gandhi speak. Conversely, whenever the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs raised his hand, he was allowed to have a full say with the mic on. So when I was given the mic on the Budget, I said I yield to the LoP, let him speak. Then they again cut off my mic and the LoP’s mic. I don’t understand what the government and the Speaker want,” he added.

Rahul’s sister and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also demanded that the LoP should be allowed to speak in the House.

“It is very sad that we go to the House (Lok Sabha) and just come out. The Leader of the Opposition is not allowed to speak for one minute. It is ridiculous. This is not democracy. What are we coming here for? They should allow him to speak,” she told the media.

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