‘Sides must agree... can’t impose debate on House’
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla spoke to Saubhadra
about Parliament’s curtailed monsoon session, the disruption in the House, the passage of bills without debate, the demands for a discussion on the Pegasus list, the allegation by Opposition leaders that Lok Sabha TV was blacking them out, and other issues related to the session. Edited excerpts:
democratic institutions.
How can I hold someone responsible? If both ruling and Opposition sides agree on an issue, the House can run. If they don’t agree, a deadlock will continue. Lawmakers can adopt many ways to express their dissent. But showing placards, shouting slogans, coming down in the Well of the House are not in the best traditions of the House, and therefore, not acceptable. I will talk to all party leaders, and I am hopeful that the parties will also do self-introspection. debate couldn’t take place as the House was not in order. But it would have been better if discussion had happened.
Lok Sabha TV or any other channel shows every speaker when the House is in order. I don’t think that even during earlier times, the Well of the House was shown during the proceedings. LSTV works when the House is in order. But, during disruption, LSTV possibly tries to focus on a lawmaker who is speaking on the agenda. I have not given any direction to LSTV on who should be shown or not. That’s not my job. I have not told them that you can’t show lawmakers in the Well or black out someone else. This is decided by the Lok Sabha TV according to the decorum or rules of the House.