Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi interview: ‘Why didn’t Speaker let Rahul Gandhi speak?… LoP being constantly undermined’

A delegation of Congress MPs, including Deputy Lok Sabha leader Gaurav Gogoi, met the Speaker in his chamber to raise the issue. Gogoi told The Indian Express that the Speaker’s response was “inconclusive” and “unclear”. Excerpts:

IE: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla spoke about maintaining dignity in the House. What prompted him to make these remarks?

Gaurav Gogoi: It is absolutely unclear to me… During the Zero Hour, when MPs were raising issues from states, the Speaker took the Chair and made his observation. Without having any discussion — that could have helped us understand why he said what he said — the House got adjourned.

IE: After the adjournment, several MPs, including you, met the Speaker. What was the agenda of that meeting?

Gaurav Gogoi: The Leader of Opposition (Rahul Gandhi) was referred (to) and he stood up to make an intervention… Why was he not allowed to speak? The Speaker made the observations. It is his prerogative to remind us of the rules. But parliamentary convention also states that we should listen to the LoP when he wants to make a point on an issue. We are seeing the position of LoP, which is a Constitutional post, being constantly undermined by the Modi government.

IE: What was discussed with the Speaker during the meeting today?

Gaurav Gogoi: We wanted to know why the Speaker chose to adjourn the House instead of listening to what the LoP had to say. We cannot presume the issue that the LoP wanted to speak on… But surely, there was no important Bill, and it was the Zero Hour.

The list of Zero Hour speakers (who were to speak) was exhausted… We could uphold Indian parliamentary traditions and let the LoP speak. It is all fine that Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes on a podcast and says that dissent is the soul of democracy. But every day, we are exposed to this doublespeak.

Inside Parliament, mics of Opposition MPs are shut off, important ministries are not taken up for discussion…. Ministers do not reply properly during Question Hour. And Opposition leaders, and especially the LoP, are denied the dignity that the Constitution gives them.

IE: What did the Speaker say during the meeting about his remarks?

Gaurav Gogoi: All I can say is that we did not get a clear satisfactory reply. I do not want to go into the details, but the reply was inconclusive, unclear and we are not satisfied.

IE: Do Congress MPs have an idea about why the Speaker made those remarks? Was there an incident that the Speaker could have been referring to?

Gaurav Gogoi: The LoP always wants to contribute to the discussions inside Parliament. Even when PM Modi made his statement on Kumbh, the LoP wanted to speak and support the successful completion of Kumbh. But he (Gandhi) was not given a chance. Even when he is saying something supportive, say on economic issues but wants to add that issues like unemployment persist…

These are important points. His (Gandhi’s) last speech about the need to focus on indigenous technology was taken in a very positive light. He wants to present views of the stakeholders he meets. The doublespeak of the BJP is being exposed.