Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that he wasn’t allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, saying the Speaker just ran away when he attempted to raise the issue of unemployment. Rahul on several occasions alleged that his microphone switched off in the Lok Sabha when he attempted to raise pressing issues.
Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament complex that there is a convention that the Leader of the Opposition is allowed to speak. I requested him to let me speak but he just ran away. This is no way to run the House. The Speaker just left, and he did not let me speak… he said something unsubstantiated about me…he adjourned the House.
The Raebareli MP accused Speaker Om Birla of running the House proceedings in an undemocratic manner and claimed that his repeated requests to raise key issues were ignored. I have not been allowed to speak in the last 7-8 days. There is no place for the Opposition… there is only place for the government. The Prime Minister spoke about Kumbh Mela. I also wanted to speak about unemployment, but I wasn’t allowed.
During the proceedings, Speaker Om Birla asked Gandhi to follow the rules to uphold the dignity of the House when he attempted to raise an issue. Speaker said in this House, father and daughter, mother and daughter, husband and wife have been members. In this context, I expect the Leader of the Opposition to conduct himself in accordance with Rule 349 that deals with rules to be observed by members
After the incident, 70 Congress MPs, including Gaurav Gogoi and KC Venugopal, met the Lok Sabha Speaker and expressed their anguish at Rahul Gandhi not being allowed to speak in the House. Last year, in June, Rahul Gandhi alleged that his microphone was turned off in Lok Sabha as he raised the NEET paper leak issue.
The Speaker then said he does not switch off the microphones of MPs and has no such control. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said it was disgraceful that the Speaker had to remind the Leader of the Opposition about basic parliamentary decorum.