20-25 Congress MPs abused Speaker Om Birla in his chamber, claims Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday claimed that 20 to 25 Congress MPs had abused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber and they were not stopped by senior leaders K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who were present there.

The parliamentary affairs minister said that Birla was very hurt. The Lok Sabha speaker is a very lenient person, else he could have taken strong action, he said.

"Some members went to his chamber and abused (Birla). When 20-25 Congress MPs went to the speaker's chamber, I also went there. I just can't utter the kind of abuses they have hurled at the speaker," Rijiju told reporters in the Parliament House complex.

He claimed that Venugopal, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders were present in the chamber when the incident happened. "They were encouraging (the Congress MPs). Had our MPs misbehaved with anyone, our leader would stop them. But their leaders were egging on the MPs to quarrel," he alleged.

Rijiju claimed the Congress MPs did not obey even the Speaker's rulings. "Then Rahul Gandhi said he does not need anyone's permission to speak (in Lok Sabha). He will speak as he pleases, irrespective of rules. This is on record," the minister told reporters.

"You have to take permission from the chair. Unless the chair gives permission, no member can speak. Even the prime minister speaks with the permission of the chair," he pointed out.

About Rahul Gandhi's insistence on speaking on the unpublished memoir of General M M Naravane (retired) in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju said conversations between the prime minister and the defence minister, the army chief and the defence minister, or between the army chief and his junior officers can't be discussed in public.

"If everything is to be discussed in public, how can you maintain the security for the nation?" he wondered. "The entire country can see how an MP is trying to use a very sensitive matter related to the country's security as an instrument to drive political mileage."

The Union minister said it was a matter that should not be taken lightly, as it will not only demean Parliament but also the person raising it. "Gandhi should understand that he is an honourable member of Parliament. He owes a certain responsibility to the people of this country. You have the obligation to maintain the decorum of the House and also think about the interest of the nation," he said.

The minister said it was difficult to make Rahul Gandhi understand the issues. "I don't know which world he lives in. But there are several sensible persons in Congress, and they can make him understand that this is not the way Parliament should function. You should not behave like a child on issues of the nation's security. Our country is very big. Security is a very big issue for us. It is not right to lower the dignity of someone for political mileage. Rahul Gandhi got exposed. I don't need to make any comment after he was exposed," Rijiju added.

The Lok Sabha has been witnessing disruptions since February 2, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the chair from quoting from an article based on excerpts of former Army chief M M Naravane's unpublished memoir, which has references to the India-China conflict of 2020.

On February 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address due to opposition protests. In an unprecedented move, the Motion of Thanks was passed on February 5 without the customary speech by the prime minister.

The speaker read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address, and it was passed by a voice vote amid sloganeering by opposition members.

Birla said he received concrete information that many Congress MPs could carry out an "unexpected act" by reaching the spot where PM Modi sits, and, therefore, he asked him not to come to the House to deliver his address. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra refuted the claim.

Eight opposition members were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session for unruly behaviour in the House.

Opposition parties on Tuesday put in motion the process to oust Birla as Lok Sabha speaker, alleging that he had acted in a "blatantly partisan" manner in the House and prompting him to step aside from chairing the proceedings till the matter is settled.