New Delhi, Feb 12 : On Sunday, the Congress criticised the ruling BJP’s autocratic and authoritarian actions for expunging a portion of party leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha, suspending Congress member Rajani Patil, and designating party leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior spokesperson for the Congress, said during a press conference that expunction is not warranted by any reading of the pertinent rules, such as Rule 380 qua the Lok Sabha and comparable rules in the Rajya Sabha dealing with expunction. None of the tests therein even apply, much less are they fulfilled.
The strategy of this government and the ruling party demonstrates that this is the most command-and-control-obsessed sarkar in our country’s history.
The brazenly undemocratic and unparliamentary expunction of several remarks made by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha, the deletion of comments made by Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha, and the suspension of Ms. Rajani Patil from the Rajya Sabha all displayed the BJP’s autocratic and dictatorial side, according to Singhvi.
He asserted that the BJP government is working to establish an authoritarian dominance in the legislature by terrifying, terrorising, tormenting, and tyrannising the opposition and that the ruling party does not want the legislature to function through consensus, collaboration, and concordance but rather through clash, chaos, and conflict.
No statement made in Kharge and Gandhi’s speeches, Singhvi argued. If it isn’t already in your possession, you can request the text to ensure that there are no unpleasant or abusive words or phrases, no expletives, and no denigration of any institutions used.
There is absolutely nothing which is remotely defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified in those addresses.Rahul Gandhi and Kharge spoke extremely politely and respectfully and based their addresses on factual narratives.
It is amusing and supremely ironical to note that expunged portions even include questions asked! he added
Sinhvi said the Speaker and the Chairperson of the two respective Houses are constitutional office holders and the custodians and defenders of freedom of speech inside the Houses which is a fundamental pillar of Indian democracy.
Without their robust shield, the spirit of healthy parliamentary discussion and debate will perish.
Our Constitution is built on the principle of free expression, and this is especially true in the legislature. On the floors of the two Houses, everyone of us must protect the constitutional right to free expression.
We shall no longer be able to refer to ourselves as a democracy if the two Houses are no longer a forum for free speech.
Democracy is fundamentally and permanently in jeopardy if free, frank, and fearless debate is not permitted between the two Houses of Parliament.
If free speech that encourages fearless discussion is suppressed, Parliament will find it difficult to continue serving as the nation’s grand inquest.