Rahul, Priyanka lead Congress charge against Centre over list of unparliamentary words

A new list brought out by the Parliament ahead of the Monsoon Session starting July 18 has banned the use of words like “corruption, jumlajeevi, tanashah, dictator, black, Khalistani,” among others during debates, reports Amit Agnihotri

New Delhi:Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took the lead on a day the Congress slammed the Centre over a new list of banned words in Parliament. A new list brought out by the Parliament ahead of the Monsoon Session starting July 18 has banned the use of words like “corruption, jumlajeevi, tanashah, dictator, black, Khalistani,” among others during debates.

Former Congress chief Rahul, who is abroad, slammed the list in a tweet terming it a “New Dictionary for New India.” “Words used in discussions and debates which correctly describe the PM’s handling of the government, now banned from being spoken,” said Rahul. “Examples of an unparliamentary sentence: “Jumlajeevi tanashah shed crocodile tears when his lies and incompetence were exposed,” he said, using some of the banned words to show defiance.

Senior party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the Centre over the issue and used one of the banned words 'jumlajeevi' in a tweet to question the intent behind the move. “The intention of the government is that when it indulges in corruption, it should not be termed as corrupt, rather corruption should be termed as a masterstroke.

When the government raises hollow slogans like 2 cr jobs and doubling the income of farmers, then it should not be termed a 'jumlajeevi' but thank you,” said Priyanka. In a post-script to her message, Priyanka said, “Who used the term 'andolanjeevi’ for the farmers inside the Parliament?”

She was referring to the PM’s remarks over the farmer protests against the three farm laws last year and his earlier poll promises of depositing Rs 15 lakh in every person’s account after bringing back unaccounted cash stashed in foreign banks, 2 crore jobs to youth per year and doubling of the farmers’ incomes by 2022.

The Congress has already supported the renewed agitation of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, a body of farmer unions, which is demanding that the government should fulfil the promises made to the food growers after the withdrawal of the three farm laws last year. The SKM says it was promised a legal guarantee for minimum support price for the crops, improvement of farmer incomes and withdrawal of false cases registered against the farmers during the year-long protests.

Congress Rajya Sabha veterans too criticized the Centre’s move. AICC general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said: “All words used by the Opposition to describe the reality of the Modi Sarkar now to be considered ‘unparliamentary’. What next Vishguru?” MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi also tweeted using one of the banned words, “What is the point of parliament if you can’t be creative in your criticism? Jumlajeevi ko jumlajeevi nahi bolenge to kya bolenge? (If you will not call a jumlajeevi, jumlajeevi, what else would you call him). Banning words is uncalled for!”

The Centre should learn from the Parliamentary debates in the UK, he said. “Creativity, punch, messaging, assault on senses thru words 2bring about reform, tellingly putting across a point— all casualties under new Parl dictionary of unparl words!! How can hypocrisy, ashamed, abuse etc be banned? learn robust, incisive, penetrating debate from UK Parliament,” said Singhvi.

“The government knows its qualities,” former Congress media chairman and Rajya Sabha member Randeep Surjewala said.