'Guidelines routine', say LS Secretariat sources after Oppn uproar

New Delhi, July 15:  After the opposition's uproar on the ban on protests in the Parliament premises, sources in the Lok Sabha Secretariat said that these 'are routine advisories' ahead of every session.

Secretariat sources said similar advisories had been issued in the past also. This has been happening during the previous tenures in Parliament. The Congress has taken strong objection to it as this comes on the heels of controversy over the use of words during the parliamentary proceedings

The guideline issued in the parliamentary bulletin says, "Members can't use the precincts of the parliament house for any demonstration, Dharna, strike, fast or purpose for performing any religious ceremony."

The advisory was issued on Thursday by the Parliament Security Office.

On Thursday, the Speaker clarified that there was no ban on the use of words as it was alleged by the opposition. The booklet said, "Words and expressions in English which have been declared unparliamentary in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislatures in India and some Commonwealth Parliaments.'

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The way the BJP Govt has destroyed the functioning of the house since 2014 is way more Unparliamentary than those words that describe the characteristics of this govt. Congress led UPA believed in democracy but BJP led NDA stifles any scope for dissent or difference of opinion."