A new compilation of unparliamentary words created a political storm on Thursday, with Opposition parties accusing the Narendra Modi government of “throttling” democracy by trying to “gag” them and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla clarifying that no word has been banned from use in Parliament.
Responding to the barrage of criticism, Mr. Birla asserted that putting together a list of unparliamentary words is a tradition since 1954 and the latest list merely compiles words that have been found undignified in a specific context and expunged from the records by various Assemblies, Parliaments of Commonwealth countries and the two houses of the Indian Parliament.
“No word has been banned. Members are free to express their views. No one can snatch that right, but it should be as per decorum of Parliament,” the Lok Sabha Speaker told reporters, adding that Opposition members should not mislead the country.
