Lok Sabha Speaker Birla Rebukes Rahul Gandhi in House
Exchange erupts after LoP seeks guidance while attempting to cite former Army chief’s unpublished memoir
NEW DELHI, Feb 2: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday told Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi that he was “not your advisor” while stressing that his role was to ensure proceedings were conducted in accordance with parliamentary rules and conventions.
The remark came during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, when Gandhi sought clarity on what he was permitted to say in the House.
The exchange followed Gandhi’s attempt to refer to an unpublished memoir by former Army chief General M M Naravane while speaking on the 2020 India–China border standoff. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah objected strongly, arguing that references to unpublished material were not permissible.
Responding to the objections, Gandhi asked the Speaker to indicate what he should speak on. “Do one thing, you tell me what I should speak,” he said.
Birla replied that it was not his role to guide members on the content of their speeches. “I am not your advisor. As the Speaker, it is my responsibility to ensure that the House functions as per the rules and conventions,” he said.
The Speaker underlined that no member was being prevented from participating in the debate, but emphasised that parliamentary norms must be followed during discussions.
