Rahul Gandhi Slams Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Calls House Proceedings “Undemocratic”

New Delhi: A fresh political storm erupted in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Congress leader and Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, accused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of deliberately denying him the opportunity to speak. Gandhi, visibly frustrated, claimed that the House was being run in an “undemocratic manner,” leaving him unable to raise crucial issues.

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Gandhi said, “I don’t know what is going on… I requested him (the Speaker) to let me speak, but he just ran away and did not let me. This is no way to run the House.” He alleged that despite multiple attempts to voice concerns—including discussions on the recently concluded Maha Kumbh and the rising unemployment crisis—he was repeatedly ignored.

Speaker’s Rebuttal & Parliamentary Etiquette

The controversy escalated when Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 349, which pertains to the conduct of members within the House. Without directly specifying the reason for his remark, Birla reminded members that they must uphold the dignity of Parliament.

“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,” Birla stated. He further emphasized that Rahul Gandhi, as the Leader of Opposition, is expected to set an example by adhering to parliamentary decorum.

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Gandhi, however, remained undeterred, stating that the Speaker made remarks about him and adjourned the House without allowing him a chance to respond. “There is no place for democracy here,” he added, underlining his frustration with what he termed as a biased approach in handling opposition voices.

Congress Rallies Behind Rahul Gandhi

Following the incident, around 70 Congress MPs, including Deputy Leader of Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, and party whip Manickam Tagore, approached the Speaker’s office to formally protest against the alleged denial of Gandhi’s right to speak.

Party sources revealed that they raised concerns over the “selective” silencing of opposition voices in the House. “If the Leader of Opposition is not allowed to speak, what message does this send about our democracy?” a senior Congress leader questioned.

Political Ripples & Growing Tension

This latest standoff between the Opposition and the ruling establishment is expected to deepen tensions in the ongoing parliamentary session. Congress leaders argue that such incidents reflect a broader pattern of suppressing dissent, while BJP leaders maintain that rules must be followed to ensure orderly proceedings in Parliament.

As the battle between parliamentary decorum and political assertion continues, all eyes remain on how this tug-of-war unfolds in the coming days. Will the Speaker address the concerns raised by the Opposition, or will this episode widen the divide between the ruling party and its critics? Only time will tell.