Rahul Gandhi alleges ‘deliberate attempt’ to silence him on national security, writes to Speaker Om Birla

After two days of ruckus in Parliament over Rahul Gandhi referencing China in the unpublished memoirs of former Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of preventing the Congress leader from “speaking on matters of national security”.

In a strongly worded letter to the Speaker, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “Preventing me from speaking in the Lok Sabha today not only violates this convention, but also gives rise to a serious concern that there is a deliberate attempt to prevent me, in my capacity as the Leader of the Opposition, from speaking on matters of national security. It is worth repeating that national security was a key part of the President’s Address, which requires a discussion in Parliament.”

“Hon’ble Speaker, as the impartial custodian of the House, it is your Constitutional and Parliamentary responsibility to safeguard the rights of every Member, including those of the Opposition. The right of the Leader of the Opposition and of each Member to speak is integral to our democracy,” he said.

“The refusal of these basic democratic rights has led to an unprecedented situation. For the first time in Parliamentary history, on the behest of the government, the Speaker has been forced to prevent the Leader of the Opposition from speaking on the President’s Address. This is a blot on our democracy, against which I record my strongest protest,” he added.