Rahul writes to LS Speaker, says not allowed to speak at Parl panel meet
Thu, Dec 17 2020 10:57:57 PM
New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS): After Union Minister Prakash Javadekar criticised former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for walking out of the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, saying it was an insult to the parliamentary system, the Congress leader in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla claimed that he was not allowed to speak at the meeting and sought his intervention.
According to party sources, Rahul Gandhi in his letter to Birla urged the latter to ensure that the right of elected MPs to speak freely in parliamentary panel meetings is protected and they are allowed to speak.
File pic of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla claiming he was not allowed to speak freely in the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and sought his intervention, the sources said. In his letter, Gandhi urged the Speaker to ensure that the right of elected MPs to speak freely in parliamentary panel meetings is protected.
He also said the Speaker, being the custodian of Parliament, should ensure that the discussions and presentations in the panel on defence are in consonance with its role and objectives.
Not allowed to speak during parliamentary panel meet, Rahul Gandhi tells LS Speaker after Prakash Javadekar dig Rahul and other members of his party on Wednesday walked out of a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, saying chairman Jual Oram was wasting the panel s time discussing armed forces uniforms instead of the crucial issue of national security FP Staff December 17, 2020 20:32:49 IST File image of Rahul Gandhi. PTI
Hours after Union minister Prakash Javadekar Thursday slammed Rahul Gandhi for walking out of a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, the Congress leader in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla claimed that he was not allowed to speak freely during the session and sought his intervention.
Targeting Gandhi for the walkout, Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said the Congress MP had “insulted” constitutional institutions by imputing that important issues are not discussed by parliamentary panels. He alleged that Gandhi has attended only two of the panel’s 14 meetings in the past 18 months.
“Himself not attending the meeting and conveying desired agenda, and then making imputation of not discussing important issues is an insult to all parliamentary procedures and constitutional institutions,” the minister said.
In his letter to the Speaker, Gandhi is learned to have narrated the entire incident that took place at Wednesday’s meeting and said he had written to committee chairman Jual Oram suggesting that the panel should discuss India’s strategy against China’s aggressive posture at the borders in coordination with Pakistan, India’s response to Beijing’s reusable autonomous armed drones and unmanned system strategy, the information warfare
Denied permission to speak during parl committee meet, says Rahul Gandhi in letter to LS Speaker
Denied permission to speak during parl committee meet, says Rahul Gandhi in letter to LS Speaker
Stating that the agenda of the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence was armed forces uniform, Rahul Gandhi alleged that panel chairman Jual Oram did not allow him to speak when he raised the issue of the ongoing military standoff in eastern Ladakh with China.
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File photo of Rahul Gandhi (Photo Credits: PTI)
In a letter he wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has alleged that he was not allowed to speak freely in a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence. Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi and two of his party colleagues had walked out of the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence on Wednesday.