'Criminal', ‘Ashamed’, ‘abused, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’, ‘incompetent’, ‘Jumlajeevi’, ‘baal buddhi’, ‘Covid spreader’, ‘Snoopgate’-- these are just some of the over 50 words and terms that Members of Parliament (MP) may no longer be able to use while speaking in the Parliament.
The booklet titled 'Unparliamentary Words 2021' that lists out unparliamentary words and expressions has been prepared by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and was released ahead of the Monsoon session beginning July 18.
Many sentences have also been kept in the category of unparliamentary expressions regarding objection on the Speaker's bench including 'You are wasting my time', 'you strangle us', 'have weakened the Chair' and 'this Chair is unable to protect its members', and so on.
However, the presiding officers such as the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker will have the last word in expunging them. Once expunged, they will not form part of the Parliament records.
Criticising the list as a 'gag order' on the Opposition, leaders from several parties including Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) took to Twitter to raise their concerns. They questioned the intention behind the choice of words.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tweeted, "Session begins in a few days. GAG ORDER ISSUED ON MPs. Now, we will not be allowed to use these basic words while delivering a speech in #Parliament: Ashamed. Abused. Betrayed. Corrupt. Hypocrisy. Incompetent. I will use all these words. Suspend me. Fighting for democracy."
TMC’s MP Mahua Moitra said that in the new list the government has “Basically taken all words used by opposition to describe how BJP destroying India & banned them".
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a tweet said, "All words used by the Opposition to describe the reality of Modi Sarkar now to be considered 'unparliamentary'. What next Vishguru."
Another Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted, "Latest List of 'banned words' in Parliament is BJP Govt desperate attempt to control criticism & hard hitting truth. BJP Government wants Parliament to turn into 'yes man' chamber and 'cheerleading stadium' rather than house of accountability and answerability."
Also watch: WATCH: what Lok Sabha speaker said about 'unparliamentary' words row
Words and expressions are periodically declared unparliamentary by the Chair in different Legislative bodies. The latest booklet contains references to words and expressions declared unparliamentary in Parliament and legislative assemblies in 2021 as well as those disallowed in some of the Parliaments of Commonwealth nations in 2020.
It says some of the words may not appear unparliamentary unless read in conjunction with the other expressions used and include any aspersions made against the Chair.
Here's a list of some words and expressions declared unparliamentary: