Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Wednesday said she was following the rules of the house and was not ignoring the opposition as was alleged by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi."There is a procedure laid down to run the house and I am following the rules... it is my attempt to give equal opportunities to members of all the parties in the house," Mahajan told media persons outside parliament.Gandhi accused Mahajan of not allowing the opposition to speak in the Lok Sabha after he led a group of Congress parliamentarians to the speaker's podium demanding a debate on communal incidents in the country. The ruckus led to adjournment of the house.
"What can I do if someone makes allegations against me? You (media) are present in the house too, will you go by what someone alleges or what is actually happening in the house?"The media should analyse the proceedings of the house and see whether every party has got equal opportunity to speak or not. I will help you, if needed."Mahajan said Question Hour was important for the government, the opposition as well as the people of the country as it is an opportunity to hold the ministers accountable for their work."Members put in a lot of hard work and prepare hundreds of questions. These help in holding the ministers accountable and also get their assurances on issues that need attention," she said."It is not only my attempt but a request to let Question Hour proceed without any disruptions. Even the rules clearly state that Question Hour cannot be dispensed with," she added.