'Stopped from speaking on multiple occasions, historical first during first leg of Budget Session': Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that he was stopped from speaking on multiple occasions, including in a historical first when he was not allowed to make his speech during the first leg of Budget Session, while insisting that Parliament does not represent one party but the whole country.

His remarks came as senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad made a remark during the debate on resolution seeking removal of Om Birla as Lok Sabha Speaker that the Leader of Opposition made remarks against the country abroad and that he should be made aware of the rules and conventions of Parliament by his party.

Responding to the BJP lawmaker, Rahul said the discussion in Lok Sabha was about the democratic process and the role of the Speaker but his name was raised multiple times while "things were said" about him. He said for the first time in Parliamentary history, a Leader of Opposition was not allowed to make his speech.

"This house is the expression of the people of India. This house does not represent one party. This house represents the whole country. Every time we get up to speak, we are stopped from speaking...The last time I spoke, I raised fundamental questions about the compromises that have been made by our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)," he said.

"Just a few days ago, for the first time in Indian history, a Leader of Opposition was not allowed to speak...Last time, I raised the issue of the Prime Minister being compromised, I raised the issue of (Gen MM) Naravane, I raised the issue of Epstein and I raised the issue of Adani, I was silenced," he said referring to the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address last month.

He said these issues were fundamental to the people of India, as "our Prime Minister has been compromised" and everybody knows the "result of the compromise of our Prime Minister". Prasad immediately rejected the allegations, claiming the Prime Minister Modi "can never be compromised".

During his speech, Prasad claimed that the resolution for removal of Birla as Speaker "should not be weaponised" to "satisfy the ego" of a leader and that it was "painful" that the House was discussing it.

He quoted the 'Practice and Procedures of Parliament' by MN Kaul and SL Shakdher and urged that the Leader of Opposition should measure his words carefully, remarks which led to an uproar from the Opposition benches.

Prasad also asked senior Congress MP KC Venugopal to impress upon Rahul on the issue, as he is one person the Leader of Opposition listens to.