Sharp exchanges between the opposition and the ruling side are common in the Lok Sabha, but tensions rose further this time when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, while referring to House rules, indirectly hit back at Rahul Gandhi. Rahul had earlier claimed that he was being deliberately stopped from speaking in the House.
Rahul Gandhi’s charge
A day earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker alleging that he was being prevented from speaking at the government’s direction. He described this as a “black mark” on democracy. After the letter became public, the issue sparked strong discussion both inside and outside Parliament.
Uproar during commerce minister’s statement
On Wednesday, after one adjournment, Lok Sabha proceedings resumed at noon. The Speaker then invited Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to make a statement on the India–US trade agreement. During his speech, opposition members raised slogans, moved close to the Speaker’s chair, and some even reached the front benches of the ruling party.
There are other ways to protest’
Reacting firmly, Om Birla advised the opposition to follow parliamentary decorum. He said many opposition members had been in power at different times, yet were now breaking traditions and dignity of the House. Birla said protest can be done in other ways, but crossing limits and moving towards ruling party seats weakens public trust in democracy.
Questions without naming Rahul
Without taking Rahul Gandhi’s name, the Speaker said elected representatives must follow set methods of protest inside and outside the House. He pointed out that senior leaders who have governed for years know that permission to speak follows rules and procedure. He questioned whether breaking decorum and members moving across aisles was appropriate.
Protest needs logic, not slogans
Birla added that protests have happened earlier too, but without crossing limits. He stressed that shouting slogans or showing banners does not make a protest effective. Real opposition, he said, comes through logic, debate, and staying within House rules, which is the true strength of parliamentary democracy.
China issue and deadlock continue
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi tried on Monday and Tuesday to raise the China issue by referring to an article based on unpublished memoirs of former Army Chief M M Naravane. The Speaker did not allow this. Later, Rahul placed the verified article on the House table, but the deadlock over this and other issues continues.
