New Delhi: Protests, dharnas, fasts, or religious ceremonies are not allowed in the precincts of Parliament House, as per a circular by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The circular on protests comes amid outrage over the "gag order" on using certain words in the Parliament that has sparked criticism from the opposition parties including the Congress. The new bulletin has been issued by Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 18.
"Members cannot use the precincts of the Parliament House for any demonstration, dharna, strike, fast, or for the purpose of performing any religious ceremony," the bulletin states, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Congress general secretary and chief whip of the party in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and wrote: "Vishguru's latest salvo - D(h)arna Mana Hai!"
Meanwhile, regarding the guidelines over protests at Parliament premises, Lok Sabha Secretariat clarified that such a process is a routine one, and guidelines are issued before every session of the Parliament, news agency ANI reported.
Opposition leaders have in the past demonstrated inside the Parliament complex and have also staged sit-in protests and fasts outside Mahatma Gandhi's statue inside the complex.
Previously, a new booklet by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said on Wednesday that the use of terms like 'jumlajeevi', 'baal buddhi', 'Covid spreader', '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.
The circular drew flak from the Opposition which insisted that every expression used by their leaders to criticise the BJP has now been declared unparliamentary.
On the other hand, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla clarified on Thursday that no word has been banned from use in Parliament but will be expunged on a contextual basis. Members are free to express their views while maintaining decorum of the House, he said.