No words banned, list is a compilation: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

“It has been a routine practice since 1959. No words have been banned. Members are free to express their views; no one can snatch that right of members, but the expression of their words should be as per decorum of Parliament,” Birla told the media.

“Earlier, a book of such unparliamentary words used to be released. To avoid wastage of paper, we have put it on the internet,” he said. “No words have been banned; we have issued a compilation of the words that have been expunged.”

According to Birla, words used by members of both ruling and Opposition benches have been expunged in the recent past.

Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh, however, said the “clarification” from Birla “doesn’t mean much”. He tweeted, “In all discussions, media seems to have overlooked that they can’t report on these comments in their dispatches. Also, print media will have to think twice before using these words in their articles.”

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Birla’s clarification came amid a sharp attack by Opposition MPs over what they called is an addition of new words in the list “unparliamentary words”. According to the list, words such as “jumlajeevi”, “baal buddhi”, “Covid-spreader”, “Snoopgate”, “anarchist”, “Shakuni”, “dictatorial”, “taanashah”, “taanashahi”, “vinash purush” and “Khalistani”, among others, would be expunged if used during debates or otherwise in both Houses.

The Opposition slammed the list as a “gag order”. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tweeted that “words used in discussions and debates which correctly describe PM’s handling of the government, now banned from being spoken”.

Trinamool Congress member Derek O’Brien tweeted, “Now, we will not be allowed to use these basic words…Ashamed. Abused. Betrayed. Corrupt. Hypocrisy. Incompetent. I will use all these words. Suspend me. Fighting for democracy.” TMC MP Mahua Moitra asked why the list did not include the word “Sanghi”. She slammed the NDA for selecting words used by the Opposition “to describe how BJP destroyed India and banned them”.