No word banned from use in Parliament, but members should maintain decorum, says Lok Sabha Speaker

New Delhi: Following the Opposition’s uproar over certain words and phrases termed “unparliamentary” and the order that they will be expunged if used during debates or otherwise in both the houses, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday stepped in to clear the air on the controversy. He said no word has been banned from use in Parliament and members are free to express their views while maintaining decorum of the House. According to a new booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat  words such as ‘ashamed’, ‘jumlajeevi’, ’taanashah’, ‘abused’, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘incompetent’ have been termed unparliamentary expressions. “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,” Birla told reporters even as the Opposition targeted the government, accusing it of listing every word used by them to “describe how BJP was destroying India” as unparliamentary. Birla said people unaware of parliamentary practices were making all kinds of comments and asserted that legislatures were independent of government. “It is a routine practice continuing since 1954,” he said referring to the release of the booklet compiling lists of words and expressions deemed unparliamentary. Birla said words chosen for expunging have been used by members of the ruling party as well as the Opposition. Also read: ‘Gag order’: Opposition cries foul after booklet lists down words and expressions off limits in Parliament Explained: Why netas can't say 'nikamma' in Parliament? Is this government rule new? What not to say in Parliament: 'Ashamed', 'abused, 'betrayed', 'corrupt' off limits, says new booklet With input from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.