Rahul Gandhi is asking the LS Speaker to undo his expunged statements in a process known as 'selective expunction'.

New Delhi: The Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, recently expressed his concerns to Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, regarding the expunction of certain portions of his speech in the House. Gandhi emphasized that removing his carefully considered remarks from the records goes against the fundamental principles of parliamentary democracy and requested for them to be restored.

In his letter to Birla, Gandhi also highlighted BJP MP Anurag Thakur's speech, which he believed was filled with allegations. However, he noticed that only one word was expunged from it, which he found to be illogical and unfair. Gandhi had delivered his first speech as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Monday, where he launched a strong attack on the BJP, accusing them of dividing people on communal lines. However, some of his remarks during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address were later expunged.

Gandhi pointed out in his letter that while the Chair has the authority to expunge certain remarks from the proceedings of the House, it should only be done for words that have been specified in Rule 380 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. "I am, however, shocked to note the manner in which considerable portions of my speech have been simply taken off from the proceedings under the garb of expunction," wrote the former Congress chief.

He further stated, "The portions expunged do not come under the ambit of Rule 380. What I sought to convey in the House is the ground reality and the factual position. Every member of the House, who represents the collective voice of the people, has the freedom of speech as enshrined in Article 105 of the Constitution of India." Gandhi firmly believed that it is every member's right to raise people's concerns on the floor of the House, and he was simply exercising his obligations to the people of the country.

Gandhi also mentioned that taking off his considered remarks from the records goes against the very principles of parliamentary democracy. He also drew attention to the speech of Anurag Thakur, whose speech was filled with allegations, but only one word was expunged. "With due respect to your good self, this selective expunction defies logic. I request that the remarks expunged from the proceedings be restored," Gandhi wrote.

Speaking with reporters outside the Parliament complex, Gandhi reiterated that the truth cannot be expunged in the world of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but it will prevail in reality. "Whatever I said, I have said it truthfully. They can expunge as much as they want, but the truth will always prevail," he said. When asked about the expunction issue, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal stated that they were hopeful that the Speaker will take appropriate action.

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