New Delhi, March 11
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has said he was repeatedly prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha during a debate on a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.
Interrupting the discussion on Wednesday, Gandhi told the House that opposition members were often stopped whenever they tried to raise issues.
“Whenever we get up to speak, we are stopped. Lok Sabha does not belong to one party but to the entire country,” he said.
His remarks came after senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised the opposition for bringing the motion against the Speaker.
Prasad said it was “painful” that the House was debating a resolution to remove the Speaker and argued that such motions should not be used to satisfy the “ego” of a political leader.
Quoting parliamentary rules and procedures, he said the Leader of the Opposition should measure his words carefully, particularly on issues related to national security, and avoid partisan politics.
His comments sparked protests from opposition benches, leading to an uproar in the House.
Later, Dilip Saikia, who was chairing the proceedings, allowed Gandhi to respond to the allegations.
The debate over the resolution against Birla has intensified tensions between the government and the opposition in Parliament.
PTI
