“No Words Banned”: LS Speaker Om Birla Clarifies After Row Over New Booklet

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that no words have been banned in Parliament after Opposition’s uproar at the Centre over a Parliament booklet that termed certain words “unparliamentary”.

Mumbai: After huge political uproar over the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s booklet that ‘bans’ certain terms as ‘unparliamentary’, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday clarified that no word is banned, it is expunged during Parliament proceedings, which has been going on since 1959. Birla asked the Politicians not to mislead people as no words are banned.

“It’s a routine practice continuing since 1959. No words have been banned. Members are free to express their views. No one can snatch that right but it should be as per decorum of Parliament,” the Speaker said in a Press Conference.

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

Om Birla assured that every member of the parliament has the freedom of speech but there are rules to be maintained in the house. He further stated that the decision to expunge words was taken keeping in mind context and objections raised by other members.

Words and expressions are declared unparliamentary from time to time by the Chair of different Legislative bodies in the country. They have been compiled by the Lok Sabha Secretariat for ready reference in the future. However, the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker will have the last word in expunging words and expressions.

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