NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed a fiery showdown after the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi was cut short during his speech for targeting petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri over the alleged appearance of his name in the Epstein files.While speaking on the energy crisis due to the ongoing Middle East conflict, Rahul questioned why New Delhi would allow any external power to influence its energy relationships, particularly regarding purchases from Russia.
“The foundation of every single nation is its energy security. Allowing the United States to decide who we buy oil from, who we buy gas from, and whether we can buy oil from Russia or not,” Rahul said.“Our relationship with different oil suppliers can be decided by us. This is what has been bartered. Why would a nation the size of India allow any other nation, the President of another nation, to give us permission to buy Russian oil or to decide who our relationships are with,” he added.During his speech, Rahul also levelled allegations against Puri. Soon, Speaker Om Birla interjected and asked the LoP to stick to the issue on which he had served his notice.“I have a copy of the notice given by the Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi regarding the gas shortage in the country, and I allowed him to speak on that subject. However, despite being a responsible leader of the opposition, discussing other issues without notice is not within the procedures and rules of Parliament,” Birla said.“I am urging you again, and Parliament will not function this way. Parliament will function according to rules and procedures,” he added.Later in the day, Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju also criticised leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha saying he ignored special permission to speak on the LPG shortage and instead raised another issue.Rijiju also accused him of creating a ruckus in the House, disrupting proceedings while Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri was giving a statement.During a press conference, Rijiju said, “Special permission was granted to Mr Rahul Gandhi. As soon as he was allowed to speak, he didn’t speak on LPG, but instead began speaking on global issues…He did not speak on the subject.”“When Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri was giving a statement, Rahul Gandhi again sent all his MPs to the well. They again tore the paper and threw it away and created a ruckus and the House had to be adjourned,” he said.This comes days after the opposition accused the Chair of denying speaking time to Rahul in the first part of the Budget session.This led the opposition to move a no-confidence motion against Birla. The move was, however, defeated by a voice vote amid protests and sloganeering by opposition members.
