Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday claimed that Congress MPs misbehaved with Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and abused him, calling it “unprecedented and never seen before” in parliamentary parlance. The explosive ‘disclosures’ by the Union Minister are set to kick up a fresh row, and add more intensity to the already bitter confrontation between the government and the opposition.
Speaking to scribes ahead of Wednesday’s session, Kiren Rijiju said, “Congress parliamentarians, after visiting the Speaker’s chamber, threatened him, misbehaved with him and went to the extent of abusing him.” Stating that he was appalled at such bizarre behaviour, he said that the opposition blatantly disobeys the Speaker’s instructions inside the House and then accuses him of being partisan towards them.
“I haven’t seen such a precedent before,” he added. The Union Minister also lambasted the opposition for repeated breaches of Parliamentary conventions and advised them to follow laid down rules and norms, even when submitting a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
“There is a clear process, and established norms are there for what should and shouldn’t be done in such cases. I don’t have much to say, but I am deeply saddened that the sanctity of the Speaker’s office has been undermined,” he stated. Rijiju also took exception to Rahul Gandhi’s “theatrics” in the House and asked all the members to constantly uphold the dignity of Parliament.
He said that any member of the House -- a Parliamentarian or Prime Minister -- first takes permission from the Speaker and then duly obeys the Chair, but these Parliamentary norms are of no value to the Leader of Opposition. “For Rahul Gandhi, seeking the Chair’s nod is not necessary; rather, he goes on to say that he doesn’t need anyone’s permission to speak in the House.
He says this is my right to speak. Everything is on record,” he told the media. The minister further urged the opposition to maintain the dignity and decorum of the House and asked everyone to abide by the rules to maintain the sanctity of Parliamentary proceedings.