What and why of 'unparliamentary words' controversy
India Today
The Opposition on Thursday lashed out at the Union government over the 'gag order' on using certain words in Parliament.
The Parliament booklet of 'unparliamentary expressions' has stirred a hornet's nest with the Opposition slamming it as the Centre's attempt to throttle democracy.
The list includes the words 'jumlajeevi', 'baal buddhi', 'Covid spreader' and 'Snoopgate' and even commonly used words like 'ashamed', 'abused, 'betrayed', 'corrupt', 'drama', 'hypocrisy', and 'incompetent'. These words have been termed “unparliamentary" and would also be expunged if used during debates or otherwise in both houses.
Words like 'murder', 'sexual assault', 'corrupt', 'negligence' also find mention, leading to doubts about whether these expressions cannot be used during debates in Parliament. The government has clarified that's not the case.
READ | Gag order or routine? Centre vs Opposition over words banned in Parliament
Responding to a battery of charges, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the booklet wasn't compiled out of the blue and was part of parliamentary practice.
"No word has been banned but everybody should respect the decorum of the house. That is the beauty of democracy. The decision to expunge is taken on the instructions of the chair, there is no interference by the government in the matter," he said.
The booklet has been posted on the Lok Sabha members portal and has been a regular exercise every year since 2010. The Speaker said it is a tradition that dates back to 1954 and is not done at the behest of the government.
