The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Rahul meets Speaker, says could’ve avoided Emergency reference
LEADER OF Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi Thursday met Speaker Om Birla and told him he could have avoided the reference to Emergency in his speech Wednesday, the Congress said.
Congress MP and General Secretary in charge of Organisation K C Venugopal said: “It was a courtesy call. The Honourable Speaker declared Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition officially today. After that, the LOP (Rahul) met the Honourable Speaker... So, we discussed many things about Parliamentary functioning. Of course, this issue also came up. Rahul ji said it could have been avoided by the Speaker... That is clearly a political reference and could have been avoided.”
A debate had erupted in the Lok Sabha Wednesday between the government and the Congress as Birla, after taking charge as Speaker, read out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency in 1975. He also mentioned atrocities by the Congress and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during
Congress MPKC Venugopal
that period. Congress members rushed to the Well of the House as Birla read the statement, calling for a two-minute silence after it, even as members of other Opposition parties stood in their place. The House was adjourned amid the chaos.
Meanwhile, Venugopal Thursday wrote to Birla saying his reference to Emergency in his acceptance speech was “deeply shocking” and “unprecedented”.
The letter said: “Yesterday... at the time of offering felicitations on your election as Speaker Lok Sabha, there was a general camaraderie in the House... However, what followed thereafter... in regard to declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking. Making of such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the 'first duties' from a newly elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions.”