No word is banned, it is expunged: Om Birla on unparliamentary words row

New Delhi, July 14: Amid huge political uproar over censored words in Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday clarified that no word is banned, it is expunged during Parliament proceedings which have been going on since 1959.

Birla urged the political personalities to not mislead people as no words are banned.

"Words that have been expunged have been said/used in the Parliament by the Opposition as well as the party in power. Nothing as such selective expunging of words used by only Opposition...no words banned, have removed words that were objected to previously," Birla told reporters.

Emphasising that no words or phrases have been banned in the Parliament, Birla said that all Members have complete freedom to express their views in the Parliament.

He further said that the decision to expunge any words or phrases from the proceedings of the House is taken only on the instructions of the Speaker or the Chairman and that there is no interference by the Government in this regard.

Birla informed that the compilations of unparliamentary words under Rule 380 and 381 of the Rules of Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha are published regularly. He further said that the words included in these compilations are for the guidance of Presiding Officers, MPs and MLAs.

There is a long tradition of publication of 'Unparliamentary words and phrases' by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the first such compilation was brought out in the year 1954, said Birla.

Before independence, the words or phrases expunged from the proceedings of the House by the Presiding Officers of the then Central Legislative Assembly, Provisional Parliament etc. were also included, told Birla.

Birla also told that the compilation of unparliamentary words is only a compilation of such words which have been expunged from their proceedings in the past by one or the other legislature.

The Speaker also informed that such compilations have been brought out from time to time as per the orders issued by the Presiding Officers to expunge words and phrases from the proceedings of the House to ensure dignified and courteous proceedings.

Such compilations have been brought out in the years 1986, 1992, 1999, 2004 and 2009. After 2018, this compilation has been uploaded on the Lok Sabha intranet and Members' Portal for the use of Members of Parliament.

Birla also clarified that during the course of discussions, the Presiding Officer of the House, if they think fit, can refer to the records of those words or phrases which have been expunged earlier.

The Opposition slammed the 'gag order' on the usage of certain words in Parliament, saying all terms used by opposition parties to describe the Modi dispensation will now be considered "unparliamentary".

According to a new booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, use of terms like 'jumlajeevi', 'baal buddhi', 'Covid spreader' and 'Snoopgate' and even commonly used words like 'ashamed', 'abused, 'betrayed', 'corrupt', 'drama', 'hypocrisy' and 'incompetent' will henceforth be considered unparliamentary in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Words termed unparliamentary

The booklet, that comes ahead of the Monsoon session beginning Monday (and will end on Augusy 18) has also blacklisted words including 'bloodshed', 'bloody', 'betrayed', 'ashamed', 'abused', 'cheated, 'chamcha', 'chamchagiri', 'chelas', 'childishness', 'corrupt', 'coward', 'criminal' and 'crocodile tears'.

Words like 'disgrace', 'donkey', 'drama', 'eyewash', 'fudge', 'hooliganism', 'hypocrisy', 'incompetent', 'mislead', 'lie' and 'untrue' have also been prohibited for use in Parliament from now on.

'Gaddar', 'girgit', 'goons', 'ghadiyali ansu', 'apmaan', 'asatya', 'ahankaar', 'corrupt', 'kala din', 'kala bazaari' and 'khareed farokht' have also been added to the list.