New Delhi (TIP)- After outrage over a Lok Sabha secretariat booklet terming the use of certain words ‘unparliamentary’, Speaker Om Birla issued a clarification saying members are free to express their views and no words have been banned in Parliament. “It’s a routine practice continuing since 1959. No words have been banned. Members are free to express their views. No one can snatch that right (away from members) but (expression of views) should be as per decorum of Parliament,” the Speaker said. “Earlier, a book of such unparliamentary words used to be released. To avoid wastage of paper, we have put it on the internet. No words have been banned, we have issued a compilation of the words that have been expunged,” he added.

He further said that the decision to expunge certain words was taken keeping in mind the objections raised by certain members of Parliament.

“Words that have been expunged have been used in the Parliament by the Opposition as well as the party in power. Nothing like selective expunging of words used by only the Opposition,” the Speaker said at a press conference.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha secretariat released a booklet terming the use of words like ‘jumlajeevi’, ‘baal buddhi’, ‘Covid spreader’ and ‘Snoopgate’ and even commonly used words like ‘ashamed’, ‘abused, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’, and ‘incompetent’ as “unparliamentary” in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The diktat came ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, slated to begin on July 18. Words like ‘anarchist’, ‘Shakuni’, ‘dictatorial’, ‘taanashah’, ‘taanashahi’, ‘Jaichand’, ‘vinash purush’, ‘Khalistani’ and ‘khoon se kheti’ would also be expunged if used during debates or otherwise in both the houses.

Words listed as unparliamentary include ‘anarchist’, ‘gaddar’, ‘girgit’ (chameleon), ‘goons’, ‘ghadiyali ansu’ (crocodile tears), ‘apmaan’ (disrespect), ‘asatya’ (untruth), ‘ahankaar’ (vanity), ‘corrupt’, ‘kala din’ (black day), ‘kala bazaari’ (black marketing), and ‘khareed farokht’.

On Thursday, July 14, the Congress, Trinamool Congress slammed the ‘gag order’ and said terms used by the Opposition will now be considered unparliamentary. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi termed the compilation as the “New Dictionary for New India“. He shared the adjective of the word “unparliamentary” and said, “Words used in discussion and debates which correctly describe the PM’s handling of the government, now banned from being spoken.”

TMC’s Derek O’Brien said, “Now, we will not be allowed to use these basic words while delivering a speech in Parliament: Ashamed. Abused. Betrayed. Corrupt. Hypocrisy. Incompetent. I will use all these words. Suspend me. Fighting for democracy.”

Words and expressions are declared unparliamentary from time to time by the Chair of different Legislative bodies in the country. They have been compiled by the Lok Sabha Secretariat for ready reference in the future. However, the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker will have the last word in expunging words and expressions.

Source: India Today