Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday clarified that “no word has been banned” amid an Opposition furore over a list of “unparliamentary” words issued ahead of the Monsoon session beginning July 18. Birla said no such words have been expunged that had been used in the Parliament only by the Opposition.
“Earlier a book of such unparliamentary words used to be released… to avoid wastage of papers, we have put it on the Internet. No word has been banned, we have issued a compilation of the words that have been expunged (previously too)…,” Birla said.
“Have they (Opposition) read this 1,100-page dictionary (comprising unparliamentary words)? If they had…(they) would not have spread misconception…It’s been released in 1954…1986, 1992, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2010…began releasing on a yearly basis in 2010,” the Lok Sabha speaker added.
Birla’s clarification comes amid a controversy over the new booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, according to which, use of terms like ‘jumlajeevi’, ‘baal buddhi’, ‘Covid spreader’ and ‘Snoopgate’ and even commonly used words like ‘ashamed’, ‘abused, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘incompetent’ will henceforth be considered unparliamentary in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Birla also said that no words have been expunged that were used in the Parliament only by the Opposition. “Words that have been expunged have been said/used in the Parliament by the Opposition as well as the party in power. Nothing as such selective expunging of words used by only Opposition…have removed words that were objected to previously,” he said.
The booklet listing out “unparliamentary” expressions was issued ahead of the Monsoon session, during which the use of 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.
Birla said that members of the Parliament can freely express their views, and that no one can take that right away from them, but it should be as per the decorum of the House. “The decision to expunge words taken keeping in mind context and objections raised by other members,” the Speaker added.
Opposition hits out
As soon as the booklet was released, the opposition slammed the government, with Rahul Gandhi tweeting ‘New dictionary for New India’.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien said it’s a “gag order issued on MPs”. “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,” he tweeted.
Before Birla’s clarification, government sources told PTI that “it is not a suggestion or order”, as the terms have already expunged by presiding officers of Parliament and state legislatures. They said the words were considered as unparliamentary even during the UPA regime.
Sources in Parliament said 62 new words have been added to the list during the last year and some of these may be under review. They also said the list is not a new suggestion, but merely a compilation of words already expunged in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha or state legislatures. It also contains words considered unparliamentary in parliaments of Commonwealth countries, they added.
They said the opposition has created a hue and cry about the compilation of unparliamentary words in Parliament. But what is “amusing” is that they have tried to create a storm without knowing the facts, an official said, adding that this list is brought out every year. “Most of these words were considered unparliamentary even during the UPA government. The booklet is mere compilation of the words not suggestions or order,” the official said.
(With PTI inputs)
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